Online University

Heard this morning on NPR a story about an entrepreneur from Israel who is starting up a totally online university that he wants to eventually get accredited.  They intend to use the online courses that university professors currently post for free, volunteer professors, and a peer review/discussion format.  That last strategy I am assuming will use social networking formats to carry out the discussions.

Will this change the current "free" access to those courses?  What about the intellectual rights of those individuals who created and posted those courses?  How will this online university accept students?  How will they determine that the work they provide online was done by the "registered" student?  When these students post truly original, potentially groundbreaking work, how will they safeguard their intellectual property?  How will the professors be accredited and peer reviewed?

I know there are solutions to all of the questions/issues I bring up in the above.  But, if not done well, with a high degree of integrity and respect for individual property rights this would promote "the culture of the amateur".   On the other hand, what a savings to the cost of running a brick and mortar university!  What a savings to the student who cannot afford to physically leave their circumstances!  What a wonderful democratization of educational opportunities!

Finally, although run at a high level of cost savings this "university" will still need some income.  How that income is made?  Will it run at a profit for long-term development re-investment?  How much of that income becomes profit for individuals managing the university?  Does the fact that it is online make all of the answers to these questions more or less transparent?

Success of a model that they are proposing dramatically affects how public schools might be run.  Those students with access could be allowed to take our courses anywhere they could get access.  Seat time would be calculated using online time.  The actual numbers of students in the classroom might be reduced and we might be able to truly differentiate regularly for our sitting students.  All the above questions need be answered and administrated in addition a consideration of the education/learning curve for our teachers who are digitally non-natives...... Gotta run for now.....