Why Mass Open Online Courses Are Not Necessarily ‘Equal’

"GOV.UK woman indoors user2" by gdsteam licensed under CC BY 2.0
GOV.UK woman indoors user2” by gdsteam licensed under CC BY 2.0

Source: The Atlantic

While open online courses are traditionally seen as providing equal opportunity for students of all economic and social backgrounds, recent studies show that the same obstacles that prevent students from attaining higher education at universities persist in online classes.

Especially for low-income minorities and for women, utilizing online resources for learning poses many difficulties. One study found that many students who are hesitant to use the internet for learning lack the knowledge of navigating reliable learning resources. Although 90 percent of Americans have access to the internet, especially for those between the ages of 18 to 29, many Americans are not aware of the online learning resources available, especially those who have not previously pursued higher education.

One study from the Pew Research Center found that the MOOC as it is called, or the massive open online courses, has difficulty attracting students of low-income who have not previously used the internet for learning. Those who are from low-income families were more likely to have low performance, the study reported.

Read full story at: The Atlantic

Education, News
Education, News