[ale] (OT) Minnesota bans Coursera: State takes bold stand against free education.

[Jay Lozier]

On 10/19/2012 02:38 PM, Cameron Kilgore wrote:
>
> Ice burn!
>
> Coursera is more useful than most of my college textbooks. Then again, 
> I've always used it post-secondary. I remain skeptical of its use in 
> higher ed, but Minnesota's ban isn't a good start.
>
> --Cameron
> Sent via mobile
>
There are two different issues. First is Cousera offering any degrees or 
continuing education credit; certificates of completion do not count 
even if highly regarded. Second is the course content on par with say an 
introductory college level computer science course. Coursera does not 
offer degrees AFAIK does not offer continuing education credit. This 
means they are offering training and education to any one who wants some 
form of self improvement. Essentially this is not any different than 
someone studying the material from a book bought from Amazon. The second 
issue is trickier because all the courses are offered by reputable, well 
known universities. My impression is that the content is generally lower 
undergraduate level but the requirements to successfully complete are 
not as rigorous.

The problem I see with Minnesota's stupidity is it appears that they do 
not want any competition that can not harass with their rules and 
regulations with their state university system. Even worse, Coursera is 
free with content supplied by other universities. I doubt the morons who 
signed off on this even bothered to review Coursera's website.

> On Oct 19, 2012 12:36 PM, "Jim Kinney" <jim.kinney at gmail.com 
> <mailto:jim.kinney at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>
>     Georgia can't spell "Coursera" yet so they are trying to figure
>     out how to cash in on Alabama and Tennessee water access.
>
>     On Fri, Oct 19, 2012 at 12:25 PM, Derek Atkins <derek at ihtfp.com
>     <mailto:derek at ihtfp.com>> wrote:
>
>         States are greedy.
>
>         Apparently their issue is that Coursera isn't "registered" and
>         isn't
>         paying the state fees associated with said registration.  It
>         almost sounds
>         like something Georgia would do!
>
>         -derek
>
>         On Fri, October 19, 2012 12:18 pm, Jim Kinney wrote:
>         > the world is screwy.
>         >
>         > On Fri, Oct 19, 2012 at 10:20 AM, Michael Trausch
>         <mike at trausch.us <mailto:mike at trausch.us>> wrote:
>         >
>         >> I am currently taking a class on this site as is Erica.
>         Mine is a logic
>         >> course from Stanford; hers is programming and I think also from
>         >> Stanford.
>         >>
>         >> What is the problem with our world? Now we can make free
>         services
>         >> illegal
>         >> too? What the hell happened to criminal activities having
>         to cause harm
>         >> to
>         >> person or property?
>         >>
>         >>
>         >>
>         http://mobile.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/10/18/minnesota_bans_coursera_state_takes_bold_stand_against_free_education.html
>         >>
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>         >
>         >
>         > --
>         > --
>         > James P. Kinney III
>         > *
>         > *Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a
>         jail. What you
>         > gain
>         > at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding a dog on
>         his own tail.
>         > It won't fatten the dog.
>         > - Speech 11/23/1900 Mark Twain
>         > *
>         > http://electjimkinney.org
>         > http://heretothereideas.blogspot.com/
>         > *
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>
>         --
>                Derek Atkins 617-623-3745 <tel:617-623-3745>
>         derek at ihtfp.com <mailto:derek at ihtfp.com> www.ihtfp.com
>         <http://www.ihtfp.com>
>                Computer and Internet Security Consultant
>
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>
>
>
>     -- 
>     -- 
>     James P. Kinney III
>     ////
>     ////Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail.
>     What you gain at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding
>     a dog on his own tail. It won't fatten the dog.
>     - Speech 11/23/1900 Mark Twain
>     ////
>     http://electjimkinney.org
>     http://heretothereideas.blogspot.com/
>     ////
>
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-- 
Jay Lozier
jslozier at gmail.com

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