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Contributor Charles Choi

As well as the convenience of an online course, key to a course’s viability is whether the institution offering it is accredited. “I have students email me from all over who, for whatever reason, can’t take biochemistry at their own institution and are looking for alternatives. Because the University of Buffalo is an accredited institution, other institutions are willing to accept students taking our courses,” says Lara Hutson, a research assistant professor at the University of Buffalo.

The issue of accreditation is a significant consideration when it comes to Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offered by companies such as Coursera. MOOCs are typically free, offering a whole curriculum of written material and online videos. However, they usually do not offer credit.

“MOOCs are a huge growth area across the world, but it remains to be seen how much of that experiment is going to work out,” says Chris Taylor, engagement manager at the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in the United Kingdom. “A key issue when it comes to MOOCs is how assessment of students will work and the accreditation given to them. They don’t give rise to any recognized higher-education qualification.”

If someone does want to learn only through MOOCs, they should consider whether they want academic credit for professional development, Taylor explained. “No-one wants students to spend time on something that doesn’t get them wherever they want to go.” Continue reading →