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University of Otago Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne has spent all of January studying “everything that I could lay my hands on” about Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), she says in the most recent University of Otago Magazine. The article ponders whether “these MOOCs herald the demise of the traditional campus-based university education,” which Hayne denies.

MOOCs are making a name for themselves as “the Craigslist of college,” and provide a way to study almost any topic at university level without leaving your bed. MOOCs combine online videos with web-based coursework, assignments and quizzes. Some providers boast enrollments of up to 1.4 million students.

Hayne addressed the financial concern traditional universities have about the phenomenon, saying that “although there may be a handful of opportunities in this space, the concept of the MOOC will not displace the traditional university experience and the business case for the future of MOOCs actually hangs by a thread.”

As for the long-term financial stability of MOOCs, Hayne says “it will have to change if anyone is going to make any money.” She continues that if they were no longer free of charge, “I suspect that enrolments will plummet.” However, one potential model currently under consideration is to offer free MOOCs and only require the payment of a fee if you want certification or course credit.

Hayne also mentions the low completion rate of most MOOC students, saying that “there are probably many reasons, but the most parsimonious one is that the courses quickly get boring.” Critic contends that 90 per cent of courses quickly get boring, whether they are online or not.

“Through their university education, students learn tolerance and compassion, they develop teamwork, oral communication and critical thinking skills, and they also learn the values of the world in which they live. All of this requires high-level human contact on a day-to-day basis,” the evangelical Hayne continued.

Hayne used the example of 11-year-old Khadijah Niazi, from Pakistan. She studied university-level physics through a MOOC, but during her final exam, the Pakistani government shut down access to YouTube. With the help of a professor in Portugal, she managed to gain a workaround and passed the exam with the highest distinction.

When asked if she would pursue an MOOC option in the future, Hayne said “I would still want to go to Oxford or Stanford. I would love to really meet my teachers in person and learn with the whole class and make friends – instead of just being there in spirit.” Hayne says she would like Niazi to “join us in NZ and teach us a few things.”