College loans? No, thanks. I’d rather MOOC it.
What is MOOC, you ask? Massive Online Open Classes. Say hello to free education.
After hearing about this in passing on NPR a week or so ago, I was intrigued and excited. As a college dropout that still wants to learn, the concept of MOOC’s is absolutely life changing. Providing a level of interaction and accountability that doesn’t happen with self educating via books and youtube, MOOC’s give you enough freedom to pick what you want and learn at your own pace.
Art History Survey 1300 to Contemporary? Yes, please. Prereq Prehistory to 1300? No, thanks. Guitar in April 2013? Sign me up! Synapses, Neurons, and Brains? Absolutely!
Do your own search and you’ll find loads of sites and classes. But, like everything else on the internet, you may have to do some digging to find material that is worth your time. Whether you go to a site like Udemy or just download Itunes, free learning is everywhere.
What’s the catch? What does all of this mean to education and society? I’m not sure yet, but this article will give you an idea of how sinister this may be. For now, I’m just going to take advantage of this opportunity, while free MOOC’s are still free.
GetawayShip 
Excellent! Education once belonged in the hands of any with an inquisitive mind. People would gather at the monasteries, where they had access to books, mingled and interacted with others of like mind, and sat at the feet of monks who taught them. They walked away – not with a degree – but with a mind that had been stimulated. Their experience taught them the joy of learning.
Nowadays, higher education controls learning. Credits given by accredited schools of learning no longer transfer. Accepting transferred credits does not stimulate currency; it only aids a person in attaining a diploma. No longer motivated by joy of teaching, education has become the path to indentured servitude.
So kudos to this gentleman who freely gives of himself. May many taste the joy of learning as he shares his gift of education.
Thanks for your reply! It’s definitely true that education has been so twisted and deformed from it’s true design. It’s always exciting to see something that is more true.