Udacity is a learning network that allows its students to work at their own pace, determine the time that they spend on mastering a lesson, and has no grades. Thrun says these classes will involve the lessons becoming increasing more difficult as the student progresses in the classroom, just as a regular classroom is set up. This network also allows thousands of students to sign up for just one class opposed to only being able to fill the amount of seats in the class.
Thrun stresses that Udacity is not something that he created to take place of a traditional classroom setting but sort of a revolutionary alternate approach to learning. He also believes that grades are the death of education. Thrun says that the classes will be free but fees for things like tests, which will be taken separately, will be things that the student is responsible.
Reading about Thrun's revolutionary classroom made me feel excited about learning. I definitely agree with his opinion on grades in a classroom. Often times students are so obsessed with grades that they forget the learning experience. Students become slaves to grades and only do the work sufficient enough for the master's approval. This is not a healthy way of learning and obtaining information for the long haul.
Another thing that I loved about Udacity was that it was free with the exception of some outside fees for tests and things of that sort. This means no more spending $300-$400 on one book that you can sell back for only a fraction of the price. This program will allow a lot more students to sign up for a class instead of waiting til next semester because a class was full. Overall, I thing Udacity is a great alternate learning approach and I hope i'll be around when it makes its impact on education
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