Does it say anywhere how Harvard+MIT will price their courses? Will they be free? I should read the article myself and find the answer, but the webpage design, the font and the rambling text is uninspiring. Like an academic paper! (sorry)
I didn't see any mention of price in the press release but MITx courses are free and on the MITx website they mention that Harvard is joining so I'm assuming that the Harvard courses will be free too.
They're free, but will potentially offer a for cost certificate. This is a non-profit institute, so the content will always be free for anyone wanting to use it.
The goal with that is simply to make the edX self-supporting not to make a profit.
This will be the end-game business model for edX, Coursera and Udacity - once they gain critical mass by establishing a large user base and a good reputation beyond their parents' reputations.
I see them creating two tracks based on the same open content: 1) a free not-for-credit track for informal continuing education and 2) a credit-based track with more stringent exit requirements (traditional final assessments and assignments).
For the latter, they will be able to charge quite a bit, if it's commensurate with a proper degree from an accredited institution.
The billion dollar question: how are they going to administer assessment for distance learners? The ability to securely and reliably administer tests by remote is the final piece of the puzzle to enable accreditable distance learning courses.
EdX will be available to anyone in the world with an Internet connection, and in general, there will not be an admissions process. For a modest fee — and as determined by the edX board, MIT and Harvard — credentials will be granted only to students who earn them by demonstrating mastery of the material of a subject."
Although your credentials won't say Harvard or MIT.
