Abstract
This is a postscript to an article about the evolution of the massive open online course (MOOC). In the brief space of time between the previous article’s completion and publication, attitudes to the MOOC appear to be changing rapidly. The current follow-up discusses the rejection of key MOOC principles by Harvard University and its replacement by small private online courses, not obviously different from the online education offered by distance education institutions since the mid-90s. The article also presents evidence suggesting that the previous widespread acceptance of MOOCs has been more myth than reality.
Acknowledgments
The author thanks the journal editor and the anonymous reviewers of this article for their constructive amplification of its points, as appended to the Conclusions section above.