Free Open University

thomaskolter · May 13, 2010

BillDayson said: ↑

I'm not sure what it is. It's hard to imagine a more confusing web presence. That may or may not be intentional.

CIS Free College Classes providing Free Courses for a Free University Education for all.

He's listed as 'teacher' for all of the classes in their biology "department". Each class is accompanied by what looks like the image of a text-book cover, so I guess that students are supposed to read the books.

Biology at Free Open University

When we turn to the philosophy "department", we see images of book covers (some of them dictionaries and encyclopedias, and others quite technical) and once again, Scott listed as 'teaching' everything.

Philosophy at Free Open University

I think that Wally Provost (I'm guessing that he's Scott's father) teaches some philosophy classes of his own as well. 'Professor Wally' seems to be a retired community college philosophy instructor from the Tampa area who now appears to be in his 80's and apparently now lives in Texas.

Professor Wally's Philosophy Course Server

It looks like the geology classes are taught by a South African gemologist (there you go, Kizmet!) so there are some additional teachers tucked in here and there. (Whatever 'teach' means in this context.) I think that it's safe to say that Scott probably isn't personally competent to provide instruction or assess students' work in all of the subjects that he's listed as teaching.

There's talk on the FOU site about independent study, links to several open-courseware and e-book sites, and mentors.

"Your certification will have room for your mentors and others who look at your work and agree to sign as well. You must recruit mentors who know you as well as leaders in your community to look at your work."

So the question arises, if this is independent study taking advantage of publicly available materials and employing mentors that students recruit themselves, then what additional value is Free Open University adding? Students can avail themselves of everything except Professor Wally's philosophy classes without contacting FOU.

What premise? We need to inquire into what it is that FOU is offering students.

They start out by suggesting that they are offering degree-equivalency diplomas to independent scholars.

"Independent study is not like a traditional college education because you are the institute of your own learning. What Free Open University provides is guidance in determining what must be studied to accomplish the desired degree of education and documentation proving that you have done the work and know the subject matter.
If you follow our recommendations and properly document your learning, we will look at your documentation and offer an opinion or certification of substantial equivalency. This is not the same as a degree and your documentation serves as proof of your educational accomplishment."

Then they dump on conventional universities for a while...

"When a university grants a degree or diploma there is no proof that you have learned the subject matter. Many universities grant degrees to people who never attended, studied or learned any of the required materials. In many developing countries universities sell degrees and corruption renders their diplomas worthless... If writing is difficult for you or you do not write well, you should go to a traditional university and rely on whatever un-certified diploma they grant."

But despite the denial a the top of the page that they award degrees, they seem to be talking about degrees at the bottom of the page.

" Thank you for choosing to join our independent study learner community.

This is the place to tell us what degree you are interested in."

It's pretty clear that they are indeed awarding degrees in at least one instance.

"New Doctoral Candidate
Wallace H. Provost Jr.
Doctor of Independent Philosophical Studies
Entropy verses Evolution

Sign up at his site to be in his doctoral committee
Doctoral committees at Free Open University are always Free and Open. Do not worry about your qualifications, all are welcome.

Professor Wally's Doctoral Program will be completing soon and we would like a large committee. All committee will receive a free copy of his book upon completion."

I don't know what to make of this. If it's just an elderly teacher trying to remain intellectually active and his friends and his son trying to bestow an honor on him by acclamation because they love him, then it's kind of touching.

But the "Doctoral committees at Free Open University are always..." suggests that there have been or will be more of these "doctorates".

The distinction between a degree and a degree-equivalency-certificate is awfully fine and perhaps even meaningless. Aren't all degrees already degree-equivalency-certficates? Isn't that precisely what degrees are?

The distinction might be an attempt to avoid the jurisdiction of state educational regulators. We've already seen CUFCE using a degree-equivalency-diploma dodge in Los Angeles in hopes of evading the BPPVE/BPPE.
Click to expand...

It appears to me to be more mentored guided study with one or more persons saying John Smith has leaned this subject area or skill? Once per course so I don't see an issue its free and can be an extension of the old mentorship approach to learn things. If they combine them into a Degree-Certificate say John Smith does a Bachelors Certificate in Independent Studies and is not lying using that as the name what is the issue. Shouldn't an employer or other party decide if that is acceptable or not seems to me just as honest as going to a regular college. As long as its something other than a classic degree title.

And it seems FREE, degrees in the classic sense cost alot of money in this case its some time and they may already be working at a certain sort of work area and want some formal credential. I would be more comfortable if they just offered some sort of standardized certificate and a higher level certificate sort of deal. But up to now has any state gone after them as a degree granter illegally operating?

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