If the MOOC movement were in college, it would be time for a freshman report card. The assessment: great potential, but still in need of remedial work.

MOOCs, or massive open online courses, went mainstream last year, heralded as the next great technological disruption in education. The big idea is that putting lecture videos and interactive course work on the Web will make it possible for top-notch university education to reach more students and allow for different styles of learning.

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