The Guardian recently published an article about the new International University of the People, which uses open-source technology, freely-available online resources and social networking tools to deliver its courses. The article notes the critical issues of student support in the online environment, assessment, cost and how to maintain quality. I was interested to read about the initiative, having taken part last year in the JISC Etutor project, managed by Prof. Tony Toole, which investigated some of the approaches now being tried by the UoPeople. (Findings of that JISC project and other materials are available on the project wiki).

As one commentator on the UoPeople has said, ”its success will depend on the quality of the academics behind it”.

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