It makes no difference what strategy you use to become better informed, but it's definitely worthwhile to find out what all of the buzz is about. Indeed, it will probably diminish - but I doubt it will just go away. The odds are high that it will be a permanent part of the online learning landscape for years to come, but in what way it's still too early to tell. Hopefully much will be gained from this 'grand experiment' in higher education.
So, to help you get started on your investigation, I'm adding a few resources here:
- The Educause Library on MOOCs - includes articles, events, and a definition; will continue to be updated
- The Chronicle "Major Players in the MOOC Universe" - informative graphic that includes investors, professors, board members, etc.
- The Chronicle "What You Need to Know About MOOCs" - continually updated information with timeline in the Technology section
Enjoy!
Carleen