David Brooks' column in The New York Times this week dissects Harvard and MIT's $60 million investment in online learning and what the move may signal for the rest of academia. He takes an optimistic stance on the issue, comparing the fate of colleges on the Internet to recent shifts in the magazine and newspaper industries.
He raises important questions about faculty skills and the quality of education that students receive, but the opportunities he points out are just as pressing. They include:
• Global access to better teachers
• Expanding influence for American universities
• More personalized learning experiences for students
• The chance for colleges to evolve into more effective learning communities