Are nanodegrees how MOOCs will ultimately disrupt higher ed? - Tara García Mathewson, Eductaion Dive

Nanodegrees from Udacity, microdegrees from Coursera, and other programs like them resemble the trade certificates or extension programs of the past, but some see these new innovations as the latest “game-changers” in higher ed. The accelerated certificate programs create their curricula with employers to offer a course that directly readies adults for jobs waiting in industries increasingly open to hiring employees without four-year degrees in their fields. In many cases, the mini degree programs attract college-educated students looking for a career change, but some students are starting to look at them while getting a degree or before college entirely. http://www.educationdive.com/news/are-nanodegrees-how-moocs-will-ultimately-disrupt-higher-ed/403553/