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SPOCs (Small Private Online Courses) and SOOCs (Selective Open Online Courses).

According to some experts, these smaller, more selective programme models may be more than an alternative to MOOCs; they may be the more sustainable and engaging forms of online learning in a “post-MOOC” era.

As Time Magazine notes, “Advocates say that’s because there are no admissions requirements and the courses are free; they compare it to borrowing a book from the library and browsing it casually or returning it unread.”

Think of Providence or Belmont Abbey among Roman Catholic institutions, or St. Olaf or Baylor among Protestant ones—all rightly anticipating that nondescript and indistinguishable institutions will be easy victims of the logic of standardization. This artisanal direction requires hiring faculty who expressly share a commitment to the institutional mission and attracting students who seek a distinctive education. Consider Hillsdale College, with its traditionalist emphasis on core curriculum and Western civilization, and a growing number of institutions that combine a liberal-arts education with some training in "trades" or manual labor, such as Deep Springs College, in California. (Try to teach baling hay via MOOC.) If it is indeed time to "get big or get out" — or, better put, "get online or get an identity"—then I'm for the artisanal, the local, the educational equivalent of farmer's markets. The irony is that while most professors embrace the ideal embodied in farmer's markets, they have supported the evisceration of local institutional educational identity. It's time to insist not only on locally grown food, but on local knowledge.

Real University Subjects uneOpen subjects are written by academics from the University of New England, Australia (UNE) and are of an equivalent standard to units taught in UNE degrees. This is why when combined with a challenge exam, uneOpen subjects can count towards credit in UNE degrees. Real Learning Once you register in a uneOpen subject, you will gain unrestricted access to subject materials as well as access to an online forum where you can connect with like-minded learners. Some uneOpen subjects will use self-assessments to help you determine your progress. These are free of charge and can usually be taken more than once. It’s all free so why not register for a subject and take a look for yourself? Real Recognition The days of studying free online courses but getting no formal or accredited recognition for your work are over! If you wish to gain formal accreditation for your uneOpen subjects, you can choose to undertake a challenge exam within set examination periods for each trimester for $495. Exams will be held by the University of New England at a number of official Exam Centres across Australia and around the world. Any subjects you complete through uneOpen can be recognised for credit into a range of degrees at the University of New England (UNE) - something you can’t do at any other university in Australia. You simply apply for advanced standing or credit into your preferred degrees and meet the University’s admission and entry requirements. For more information, see Progressing to UNE degrees. Real Flexibility Learning online with uneOpen provides an opportunity for you to study with no upfront costs or risks, at a time that suits you, without having to physically attend a campus. This provides the perfect way to plan your study around your life commitments. All you require is an internet connection and a willingness to learn. It’s FREE There are no fees to join uneOpen or to access the course material in uneOpen. Tutorial support from lecturers and exams are available at a price if you wish to purchase them however these are completely optional. No Entry Restrictions There are no entry barriers to uneOpen. That means no application forms or charges and no rejection letters! To get started, simply go to the page on this website for the subject you’re interested in, register and enrol, and then you can start learning. No Stress The only exams and assessments at uneOpen are the ones you choose to do. If you’re only interested in absorbing the subject material and you don’t wish to sit exams and do assignments, then that’s exactly what you can do. What’s more it won’t cost you a thing so you won’t have fees to stress about either. No Timetables At uneOpen, you can study at your own pace. You can review the subject material any time day or night so you don’t need to worry about missing a lecture. No Obligation Registering for a uneOpen subject gives you access to that subject but does not commit you to anything. There are no withdrawal fees or academic penalties and no re-admittance fees when you come back so you can come and go as you please. The only charges are for premium services which are completely optional.

Real University Subjects uneOpen subjects are written by academics from the University of New England, Australia (UNE) and are of an equivalent standard to units taught in UNE degrees. This is why when combined with a challenge exam, uneOpen subjects can count towards credit in UNE degrees. Real Learning Once you register in a uneOpen subject, you will gain unrestricted access to subject materials as well as access to an online forum where you can connect with like-minded learners. Some uneOpen subjects will use self-assessments to help you determine your progress. These are free of charge and can usually be taken more than once. It’s all free so why not register for a subject and take a look for yourself? Real Recognition The days of studying free online courses but getting no formal or accredited recognition for your work are over! If you wish to gain formal accreditation for your uneOpen subjects, you can choose to undertake a challenge exam within set examination periods for each trimester for $495. Exams will be held by the University of New England at a number of official Exam Centres across Australia and around the world. Any subjects you complete through uneOpen can be recognised for credit into a range of degrees at the University of New England (UNE) - something you can’t do at any other university in Australia. You simply apply for advanced standing or credit into your preferred degrees and meet the University’s admission and entry requirements. For more information, see Progressing to UNE degrees. Real Flexibility Learning online with uneOpen provides an opportunity for you to study with no upfront costs or risks, at a time that suits you, without having to physically attend a campus. This provides the perfect way to plan your study around your life commitments. All you require is an internet connection and a willingness to learn. It’s FREE There are no fees to join uneOpen or to access the course material in uneOpen. Tutorial support from lecturers and exams are available at a price if you wish to purchase them however these are completely optional. No Entry Restrictions There are no entry barriers to uneOpen. That means no application forms or charges and no rejection letters! To get started, simply go to the page on this website for the subject you’re interested in, register and enrol, and then you can start learning. No Stress The only exams and assessments at uneOpen are the ones you choose to do. If you’re only interested in absorbing the subject material and you don’t wish to sit exams and do assignments, then that’s exactly what you can do. What’s more it won’t cost you a thing so you won’t have fees to stress about either. No Timetables At uneOpen, you can study at your own pace. You can review the subject material any time day or night so you don’t need to worry about missing a lecture. No Obligation Registering for a uneOpen subject gives you access to that subject but does not commit you to anything. There are no withdrawal fees or academic penalties and no re-admittance fees when you come back so you can come and go as you please. The only charges are for premium services which are completely optional.