MOOCs are badly misunderstood within higher education. Reports focus on their low completion rates as a sign of failure, but to do so uses the wrong rubric. Students are not taking these classes to fulfill degree requirements, but simply for the knowledge they offer; they pick those topics within any course that appeal to them, like reading a newspaper. Judging a MOOC by completion rates is like judging the New York Times by how many people read every single article.
