I'm not completely sure certifications are the way to go. Probably they are, but it's not the only thing they need.
Stanford and MIT don't have great reputations because they former students score well on tests, they have great reputations because their former students achieve notable things.
I think in the long run the MOOV providers will need to cultivate the same sort of reputations. If I were them, I'd start newsletters about it right now. Start promoting former students and their accomplishments.
Udacity seems to be doing some of that, and I think it's absolutely the right call.
So Higher Ed MOCC platforms need improvement. The original title is overly broad.
Having said that, your experience and criticism reflect many people's experiences. Just a little while ago there were some posts here about the Stanford NLP online class and the (perceived) difference in value vis-a-vis the "real" Stanford class...
I considered including MOOC platforms in the title, but there's very few people who even know what that is. I probably should have refined it. Thanks for the feedback.
Stanford and MIT don't have great reputations because they former students score well on tests, they have great reputations because their former students achieve notable things.
I think in the long run the MOOV providers will need to cultivate the same sort of reputations. If I were them, I'd start newsletters about it right now. Start promoting former students and their accomplishments.
Udacity seems to be doing some of that, and I think it's absolutely the right call.