What is the intersection of credit online courses and massive online open courses?

Eric Risberg / Associated Press

Gov. Jerry Brown makes a point Wednesday, watched by regent Russell Gould, at a San Francisco meeting of the University of California Board of Regents.

The progression of Distance Learning, Open Learning, Independent Study and other non-classroom-based learning environments, has a history. These strategies to serve a greater number of students in a flexible, responsive manner began before MOOCs emerged on the Higher Education scene. The approaches for using  technology beyond the Bricks & Mortar confines of a University or College campus is well documented in the literature.

The interplay between classroom-based Bricks & Mortar education and the rapid emergence of MOOCs is tremendous. Most MOOCs have a counterpart Bricks & Mortar originating class. Most MOOCs are simply video captured classed that are then redistributed on the Internet. This strategy of “Distance Learning” really dates back to Educational Television in the 1950s and 1960s.

The California Community Colleges have a long tradition of reaching out to larger populations beyond the campus-based student.  Online courses began developing rapidly in the mid-1990s and today over ten percent of all course sections are offered through distance education modes of instruction; most are credit online courses.  The asynchronous flexibility of online courses offered by the California Community Colleges has has allowed millions of students to have access to Higher Education.

Interest in MOOCs is currently driving tremendous policy and political changes in the state of California. Governor Jerry Brown has made presentations advocating the expansion of online courses at both the California State University and the University of California Governing Boards. California Governors rarely attend CSU or UC Board Meetings.

The Sacramento Bee

January 17, 2013

by David Siders

SAN FRANCISCO – “Gov. Jerry Brown anticipated resistance when he announced his plan last week to pressure state colleges and universities to expand their online offerings and reduce costs. Yet as he traveled to the Bay Area on Tuesday and Wednesday to promote online education, he could hardly have had it easier. One after another, California State University and University of California officials leaned into their microphones to thank the Democratic governor for the relatively favorable state budget he proposed – and to express their desire to educate more students online.”

The Bricks & Mortar California Community Colleges offer a strong base of online credit courses. With Governor Jerry Brown’s high profile policy interest in online courses, it will be fascinating to see the rapid expansion of campus based credit online courses at the California Community Colleges, California State university and the University of California.

What is the intersection of credit online courses and Massive Online Open Courses? California will be a major player in this action.

Where is all of this going…..????  I’m not certain that anyone really knows. However; things will never be the same in California Higher Education.  Things will never be the same in Global Higher Education.