Free online college courses for the masses is a growing trend at several elite institutions. A few universities have already offered courses (e.g. M.I.T.) and more on going on-line this fall (Harvard). At the Coursera site more than 16 academics disciplines from 16 Universities are providing coursework.
https://www.coursera.org/ A MOOC center with more than a million students.
The offerings so far as modest, and only a few Universities so far intend to offer college credit for the free, unaccredited course, yet its is an encouraging development because a mind in a brain is a terrible thing to just stick in a football helmet from an early age and to get trained for concussions. Evidently the average life span for pro footballers of the N.F.L. who play more than 5 years is fewer than 60 years.
An introduction to mathematical thinking course is being offered at Stanford beginning September 17, 2012 https://www.coursera.org/course/maththink
One would think that math courses on-line could be made as interesting as chess videos and learning to play chess watching chess videos at YouTUbe. Human beings need to get their thinking caps on even more in an era of mass entertainment consuming zillions of hours of citizens watching living room television screens..
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