An Examination of Coursera as an Information Environment: Does Coursera Fulfill its Mission to Provide Open Education to All?

Abstract

In terms of international education, this concept of online education seems to be a growing trend. Edxonline.org, Minervaproject.com and Udacity.com are all new massive online open courses (MOOCs) —education websites similar to Coursera offering students the ability to receive the best education from elite universities entirely online. In this digital age, students are seeking ways to receive an education that is convenient and fits well with their lifestyles, but is also credible. The most tantalizing promise of a company like Coursera is the role it might play in improving education for the world’s have-nots: high school dropouts, the global poor, and those less able to self-teach (Kamenetz, 2012).