You’ve read about the phenomenon of free online college courses at Columbia news, views & reviews before.

The advent of online education for the sake of personal expansion has arrived. Curiosity and the quest for learning can now be satisfied with free online courses offered by Coursera.

Universities around the world are gearing up to make it easier for students to learn from home, for free. Matthew Gilbert (SOURCE: The Conversation)

Online learning can be a vital component of a person’s educational and experiential make-up. Online learning models make sense. The Online Education DataBase says:

“Taking classes online is a popular way for working professionals to have the chance to earn a degree at their own pace. People who take online classes usually are looking for career advancement, career changes, or just want to finish a degree program they started at another college. There are hundreds of online programs and online schools to choose from, making it easier than ever before for prospective students to find the right one.

“Earning a degree from an online college can possibly lead to a promotion and/or salary increase, or prepare you for a new career. Even though classroom learning may be considered more traditional, online education is beneficial in its own right. Here are 10 advantages to online learning.”

This analysis from an exceptional Australian Website, The Conversation, says this about the University of Melbourne’s recent announcement to “sign on with Coursera’s online offerings.

“Melbourne University has become the first Australian university to join the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) provider Coursera.

“Coursera offers free study subjects to anyone with internet access, with Melbourne University joining 16 universities from around the world that have signed on this week.

“‘The past year has seen an explosion in interest in online opportunities that will challenge traditional ways of delivering education,’ Melbourne University acting vice-chancellor Margaret Sheil said in a statement.

“The university will begin putting single subjects online early next year and expects to have about 10 subjects available through Coursera by the end of 2013. Courses currently include climate change, principles of macroeconomics and animal behaviour.

“More Australia universities are likely to follow suit, said Andrew Norton, program director of higher education at the Grattan Institute.

“‘This is hugely motivated by prestige considerations so Melbourne University’s competitors will be reluctant to let Melbourne Uni have any monopoly on this.’

“Mr Norton added that all of the courses on offer from Melbourne University were non-local, ensuring it did not undermine its local business model.” Read this article in its entirety at The Conversation.

Clearly this entry into the free delivery of top quality educational offerings is a model that, on the surface, generates no revenue stream. One wonders what the mid- to long-term prospects for any endeavor that seemingly generates no income? One wonders whether this is yet another “great equalizer” outcome of the Internet. The lowering of barriers to entry of the many seems to have brought about massive shifts in how people get information. No longer are the “titans” of many disciplines writing the rules; the democratization brought about by an open Internet is replete with revolutionary results in governance, media, connectivity, banking, real estate, cooking and education.

What’s next? Guess we’ll have to “stay online” to find out?