From: Kevin Smith <[log in to unmask]> Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2013 21:20:48 +0000 For the sake of clarity, there is no obligation to use only open access materials in a Coursera MOOC, just an expectation that participants will not have to pay anything to participate. Because the intent is for the course to be "massively" open, faculty are strongly discouraged from erecting any financial hurdle for participation. But some faculty for courses offered or soon to be offered from Duke have, with support from the Library, negotiated for access to materials for the students. Occasionally licensing fees have been paid for such access, but more often the publisher permits access to some portion of a text because they recognize that having the book recommended by an expert to such a large audience, who all share a self-identified interest in the topic, will lead to more sales of the full volume. And several publishers have entered into formal agreements with Coursera to provide free online access to textbooks, often with some technological limits, for MOOC students, presumably for the same reason. But, as I say, this is not strictly OA; the works or excerpts are freely available only to students registered for a particular MOOC, and in nearly all cases that access is specifically negotiated between the institution or Coursera and the publisher. Kevin L. Smith, M.L.S., J.D. Director, Copyright and Scholarly Communication Duke University, Perkins Library Durham, NC 27708 [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Jim O'Donnell <[log in to unmask]> Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2013 10:24:38 -0500 A MOOC-offered course in microeconomics offered through Coursera by UCIrvine blew up over the weekend, with the lead faculty member leaving in mid-course. Many issues, but the CHE article: (http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/professor-leaves-a-mooc-in-mid-course-in-dispute-over teaching/42381) has this interesting report: "The professor apparently had faced criticism from students who objected to his decision to assign a textbook that was not available free." Jim O'Donnell