Wellesley College has jumped on the band wagon of offering MOOCs, massive open online courses, through the nonprofit edX, according to The Washington Post.
The nonprofit, which offers free online higher education, was launched in May by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Wellesley is the first liberal arts college to join its rankings.
Wellesley will begin offering courses on edX in fall 2013. Most likely the courses will cover liberal arts education topics.
Anant Agarwal, president of edX, is hoping preserve the small-group setting of liberal arts courses by breaking students into small discussion groups, according to The Boston Globe
Kim Bottomly, Wellesley College's president, is very excited at the prospect of being able to offer courses to women in different countries where education for women is sparse.
"The idea that we can reach beyond our campus to women everywhere is very compelling," Bottomly told The Boston Globe.
Many universities, including Wellesley, are completely sure what the future has to hold for the growth of free online education.
"Education will never be the same again," said Agarwal. "Few of us have any idea where things may go."
