Dive Summary:
- Writing for U.S. News & World Report, George Washington University School of Business Dean Doug Guthrie says it's "big data" — not MOOCs — that will give schools the tools they need to help students learn.
- Big data gives institutions the power to collect information on a sweeping scale and turn that information into meaningful feedback on student success by customizing modules, assignments and feedback; it can be a part of MOOCs, but it can also be applied elsewhere.
- Guthrie warns that harnessing big data will not be easy or cheap: It will mean that institutions must invest in and rethink many of their practices.
From the article:
... Most certainly, MOOCs are a great tool for sharing large qualities of information via the Web, but they are little more than virtual textbooks when it comes to learning. They broadcast information, but they don't teach. ...
