Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ Does it Work? The Most Meaningless Question to Ask about Online Education

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

I agree with Yong Zhao on this point, and appreciate how completely he makes the argument. The question is meaningless because (quoted and/or paraphrased):

  • online education is a big umbrella that covers a wide array of different practice;
  • the diversity of stakeholders in online education (and) what works for one stakeholder may not work for the others;
  • no program can possibly have the same effects on all students equally;
  • the multiplicity of outcomes (that) include more than what has been typically measured by grades or tests;
  • technology changes fast... (what worked or didn't work)  five years ago may or may not be relevant today.

As we've said many times about MOOCs: you need to decide for yourself what counts as success, and whether your learning activity has met that standard.

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Dec 13, 2024 1:40 p.m.

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Force:yes