Just thought I'd add a data point in the opposite direction. I've signed up to two Coursera courses and two Udacity ones, and it's the Udacity ones I'm sticking with. I've finished Cryptography already and am 1/3 through learning python in CS1.
There is something dispiriting to me about a synchronous model. Once I can't keep up I tend to drop it as a failure, knowing there's no point in working through something that might be removed at any point. I also think it's the way I respond to the "don't break the chain" apps. Once life gets in the way and I do break the chain, I feel like a failure.
I'm quite happy to motivate myself however, so Udacity's model of giving the student however long they need, works perfectly.
There is something dispiriting to me about a synchronous model. Once I can't keep up I tend to drop it as a failure, knowing there's no point in working through something that might be removed at any point. I also think it's the way I respond to the "don't break the chain" apps. Once life gets in the way and I do break the chain, I feel like a failure.
I'm quite happy to motivate myself however, so Udacity's model of giving the student however long they need, works perfectly.