U asks: Want to make a MOOC?

In a letter to University of Minnesota faculty members, Prof. Christopher Cramer asserts that, 'A great university is one that bubbles with experimentation, and we are certainly a great university.'

December 9, 2012 at 4:08AM

The University of Minnesota might soon delve into the world of MOOCs. Read my story about the massive open online courses here.

U Prof. Christopher Cramer, in his half-time administrative role, put out a call for MOOC proposals last month, which is posted below. His frequently-asked questions and responses touch on many of the tricky questions around MOOCs. It's worth reading.

On Twitter, Cramer describes himself as a "MOOC-skeptic" -- "and by that I mean that I do not think that the walls of our institutions should be torn down and the loose bricks sold to buy server farms now that MOOCs have arrived to lift us from the dark ages of higher education."

But done right, he continues, the courses could "enhance the research, teaching, and public engagement missions of the University.

"We should be at the forefront of figuring out those design principles because we care about advancing those missions."

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