MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES - MOOC

Clues I find on the Internet lead me to think, much to my regret, that learning is being watered down, trivialized, and banalized. The other day, an "expert" TV personality told the audience about the wonders of free Internet education available to all. She named one site where courses on multiple subjects could be taken: MOOC, or  Massive Open Online Courses. I rushed to check the site only to find that the courses are not free, although a few can be joined gratis. The offerings come from prestigious universities such as Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Complutense... on multiple subjects that range from the art of giving, to how to be happy. I peeked into one, about the European Union, offered by the University of Hong Kong, just to see. The lecturer has a thick accent that sometimes prevents the student from grasping what the man is trying to say. He added that he was not ashamed to admit he loves Europe, triggering the question: why should he be? Also, accessing from Spain, I find it confusing to see Spanish and English mixed in a sort of crazy Spanglish: "Subject: Matemáticas." Courses are easy, and lessons are short and enjoyable. Another professor, lecturing about the beginning of global literature, tells us platitudes about Goethe and Eckermann that we can find on Wikipedia. The effort to bring Academe to the living room and give opportunities to those who wish to advance intellectually is commendable. If you pay a modest sum, you are given a certificate.  What would John Henry Cardinal Newman say about this? In On the Scope and Nature of a University Education, he argued for a holistic education that develops critical thinking and deep understanding. This vision seems at odds with the current trend towards "Blinkist-type" education, where brevity and convenience overshadow depth and intellectual rigor.

I do not favor instant education, culture, or language learning. I want to emphasize the value of depth, patience, and comprehensive understanding in education. These traditional values contrast with the fast-paced, superficial nature of some modern educational methods. And yet, I urge my readers to give MOOC the benefit of the doubt and delve into their courses because, after all, education is about trying and exploring new venues.