Why is it so difficult to have the motivation to finish MOOC? That's the main problem with online education, and we need to figure out what is causing so many people to quit halfway.
Another thing may be that for many people half-way is good enough. I took the Udacity cryptography course and really enjoyed it. I never took the exam because I didn't see the point. Presumably I'd have been marked down as "failed." But I think that's only because their model for learning still includes "we're the ones who certify you." I'd like to see a model that says "here's the knowledge - go as far as you want."
