Sir John Daniel discusses the phenomenon of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) in 2012, highlighting their rapid rise and the hype surrounding them. He notes that MOOCs have evolved into two types: cMOOCs and xMOOCs, with xMOOCs dominating media attention. He explores the paradoxes and myths surrounding xMOOCs, including their business models, completion rates, and the challenges of certification and pedagogy. He argues that while xMOOCs may not revolutionize higher education, they could lead to a deflationary trend in costs. He also discusses the role of platforms like Coursera and edX, and the challenges of ensuring quality and student engagement. He highlights the importance of learning analytics in improving educational outcomes and the need for universities to focus on teaching quality rather than just enrollment numbers. He also addresses the issue of certification and the potential for xMOOCs to be used as a second-class form of education. Overall, he concludes that while MOOCs have potential, they are not a panacea for the challenges of higher education and require careful consideration of their pedagogical and business models.Sir John Daniel discusses the phenomenon of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) in 2012, highlighting their rapid rise and the hype surrounding them. He notes that MOOCs have evolved into two types: cMOOCs and xMOOCs, with xMOOCs dominating media attention. He explores the paradoxes and myths surrounding xMOOCs, including their business models, completion rates, and the challenges of certification and pedagogy. He argues that while xMOOCs may not revolutionize higher education, they could lead to a deflationary trend in costs. He also discusses the role of platforms like Coursera and edX, and the challenges of ensuring quality and student engagement. He highlights the importance of learning analytics in improving educational outcomes and the need for universities to focus on teaching quality rather than just enrollment numbers. He also addresses the issue of certification and the potential for xMOOCs to be used as a second-class form of education. Overall, he concludes that while MOOCs have potential, they are not a panacea for the challenges of higher education and require careful consideration of their pedagogical and business models.