"To think that someone almost three decades younger, with only a high-school diploma (or perhaps even less education) could motivate himself to complete a large number of MOOCs is naïve, and is not borne out by the evidence."
Why is this naive? I think this attitude is prime evidence of the REAL problem of the education system today - that we don't motivate younger people enough to be curious. no amount of MOOCs will solve that, only good and devoted teachers combined with a renewed curriculum will. MOOCs are great for subjects involving computers and mathematics, but for subjects like sociology and biology I would deign to argue that even traditional college is better equipped.
Why is this naive? I think this attitude is prime evidence of the REAL problem of the education system today - that we don't motivate younger people enough to be curious. no amount of MOOCs will solve that, only good and devoted teachers combined with a renewed curriculum will. MOOCs are great for subjects involving computers and mathematics, but for subjects like sociology and biology I would deign to argue that even traditional college is better equipped.