People graduate from university and go out into the world. In the past, positions in university cities were fought over while the rural areas remained under-serviced because professionals did not want to lose access to information or opportunities for discussions with academics.
It was hard for women who married someone with a position and raised children to remain intellectually equal with a husband who had access to workshops, conferences, continuing education funding, etc.
Even for long-service professionals, younger employees begin to receive more opportunities for developmental experiences to prepare them for emerging leadership while those nearing retirement slowly become marginalized.
MOOCs are a solution to the disparity in opportunities to be stimulated by emerging theories and networking with academics around the world who are interested in a common body of knowledge. The more we learn about neuroplasticity, the more we realize the consequences of denying stimulation to the human brain. It’s a health issue, an educational issue and a fairness issue that the academic community can address through MOOCs.