The Crash of 2U

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Kizmet, Sep 6, 2019.

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  1. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  2. Jahaza

    Jahaza Active Member

    Thanks for finding this and posting it. An important article.
     
  3. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    I do make six figures, but I still believe the degrees on 2U are freaking expensive.
     
  4. Phdtobe

    Phdtobe Well-Known Member

  5. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    Interesting.

    I was contacted by a company that works with MIT Sloan Short Course Team at GetSmarter. They offered a certificate in AI.
    The cost was in thousands I think close to 4 K.
    I found on EDX IE program from Columbia University that cost much less Certificate for $325 USD, significantly less and offered more classes on the subject.
    https://www.edx.org/course/artificial-intelligence-ai
     
    SteveFoerster likes this.
  6. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  7. JBjunior

    JBjunior Active Member

    I am in a 2U program and I am not sure exactly what 2U does other than the front side employees and employees along the way that I have meetings with to check in on my progress. As the article points out, if 2U is primarily marketing on the front end most of these universities don't have that problem so it may have to adapt. There is a 2U LMS but it is in "migration" so we only use it for maybe 5 - 10% of the program and is primarily for submitting assignments for grade and handling the grading system and for announcements. Most of the course work, meetings, etc. are external. Classes are taught by USC employees, librarians and doctoral support is from USC employees that support all programs.

    I will say this is the most impactful, highest quality learning environment, and most supportive program I have ever been in but it is primarily because of the networks/systems that USC has in place regardless of what program you are in. Though inconvenient, the cohort synchronous class model is vital and I wish I had found similar programs a decade ago.
     
  8. Phdtobe

    Phdtobe Well-Known Member

    I think universities should get together and form their own alliance for online education. Basically economizing on the middleman, the OPM. They can still compete on price and quality, but there will be a one-stop exchange for online education. Also, there could be easy movement of students on the exchange taking courses from the members of the alliance as part of the degree program. I do not mind the profit motive of OPM, but that cost is pass on to the students, so it is a not a win for students. The wins are for the OPMs and the universities. . At the moment OPMs are not adding any value to the students, do add value to institution who do not have to bother about adverting etc.
     
  9. Vonnegut

    Vonnegut Well-Known Member

    It still astonished me how they closed many of their original contracts. To a great extent, it just seems as if they leveraged the blind enthusiasm of a venture capital backed tech company that self labels as a disruptor. The combination of incredible sales skills and bewildering due diligence, generally leads to a crash.
     
  10. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    One of the important things schools get out of OPMs is that they don't have anywhere near as much up front cost, because OPMs have VC funding and can front all the money required. That's something that would be difficult to replicate through a consortium.

    But it doesn't explain why wealthy institutions use OPMs, which still perplexes me.
     

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