On-Campus, Online, For Credit, Not-for-Credit - Oh my!

lturner2 · ‎04-13-2018

I am asking for candid discussion here, based on cost of courses. Besides the old "how much should we charge for online courses?" debate, have any of you dealt with your institution offering for-credit, and not-for credit courses? How was the pricing structure based? Do you even charge for non credit courses even if you are offering proprietary content? Yes, Harvard, I know you offer many stellar courses (non-credit) for free

mtaylor8 · ‎04-19-2018

IMHO free never means free. There is always some cost, even if it means you have to watch a certain number of minutes of commercials, i.e. the cost is your time. I would not be surprised to see some version of ala carte education menu in an education model of the future. There is current costs and then there is a 'how to plan for the future' perspective. A 45-50 hour 3 credit course price offering might look something like this:

No credit: Fully online with no testing: $279 (15-40 students)
- granted, if you had 1,000 students, you could do it for $49
No credit: Fully on campus with live instruction: $999
Access to lab equipment on demand: $20/hr. (or built into the course fee)
Hybrid course: $799
Lifetime credit matriculation: $299
Course Testing (required for credit): $349
Course retakes: 30% discount

The reason ala carte makes sense is that we seem to be moving via competency based education to more fully embrace credit for prior learning. This naturally lends itself to students having and taking advantage of more learning options. Ultimately, a market driven institution must adapt to whatever the student brings to the table. In many cases, that will mean letting them pay a testing fee to prove competency, and pay a lifetime credit matriculation fee to provide ongoing documentation, and they are done. Of course, those situations would be for experts who just need validation.

lturner2 · ‎05-09-2018

Michael,

I've just read this over again. I read it when you posted it and literally glazed over it, but now I've reread it.

You have really helped me see the value of these courses, I appreciate how you've taken the time and consideration to break it all out and list this. I also realize that different institutions hold their content at a higher value than others, an that's fine, based on the history, culture, and accreditation of the institution.

I was at another LMS organization's annual party and one of the sessions I attended was hosted by a teacher at a Community College - THE BEST presentation EVER. Then I remembered that so often times we look at organizational luminaries and place a higher value on that institution, or that instructor. I would pay big money to take classes from him. Ok, I' off topic now, just wanted to throw that in 😃

mtaylor8 · ‎05-09-2018

Glad it helped. I was trying to target pricing that might approach a future 'competitive' model. But you are right. It will be like buying a Ford with no extra bells/whistle vs a Lincoln fully loaded. The best teachers will command a premium, which is as it should be. The current model not only reduces a teacher to a commodity status, it unintentionally fails to attract the kind of stunning superstars that might bring the next generation to a new level of learning.