Teenage Idol

The currrent frenzy over MOOCs has reached such genuinely hysterical proportions reminiscent of the overnight transcendence of a pop star. Last night, Alan Levine tweeted an article  that stuns with its hyperbole and doe-eyed, lamestream media enthusiasm for Sebasian Thrun, Kahn Academy, and all things MOOC.

I read the article and had the following, thoughtfully-crafted response:

If you are a DS106 enthusiast (and you SHOULD be), you know what happens next. Alan took the reins and made it a full-blown assignment. Here is my contribution — ironically, I did not put Sebestian Thrun next to Justin Beiber, I replaced Justin Beiber with Sebastian Thrun, taking Justin’s place next to Selena Gomez:

I am officially infected with the DS106 virus. I think in DS106 now. I leave you with these words from my glam rock idol, Elton John, and his non-hit “I’m Going to Be a Teenage Idol”:

And root-toot-shoot myself to fame
Every kid alive gonna know my name
An overnight phenomenon like there’s never been
A motivated supersonic king of the scene

All of which is to say, the prevailing MOOC discussion just may have officially jumped the shark. But don’t despair! DO THE ASSIGNMENT!