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New Infographic Outlines Brown's Quest to Reinvent Colleges Through Online

PASADENA, Calif., Jan. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- There's no doubt that the disruptive MOOC force is rapidly changing the face of higher education. With the recent conclusion of the ReBoot CA Higher Education symposium, the launch of Cal State University Online, and the new partnership between MOOC giant Udacity and San Jose State University, the 20 Million Minds Foundation (20MM) releases a timely infographic to outline the current state of higher education and the opportunities inherent in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).

" Pat Brown may have built CA higher education, but today, Jerry Brown is renovating these antiquated institutions with a new online foundation," said Dean Florez , President of 20MM. "The $10 million recently allocated to online education in Governor Brown's proposed budget speaks volumes to the urgency in improving access in California's university systems."

The infographic, released today, outlines some of the pros and cons of MOOCs and explores their potential impact on the current overcrowded university system. As outlined in the graphic the picture of the average student is changing and California schools, especially community colleges are reporting increasingly large waiting lists, limiting access to education for thousands of students across the state. However, MOOCs have the potential to be part of the solution for opening access to the masses.

A few of the interesting stats in the infographic include:

- 485,000 - decline in enrollment for California Community Colleges since Fall 2008
- 7,252 - Average number of students on a waiting list per CA school
- 80% - CA Community colleges reporting a waiting list for fall classes
- 3 Million - the number of students registered for courses from three of the top MOOCs

The power of MOOCs is great but the credit worthiness is still up for debate as they currently do not provide degree credits for students who take them, however the American Council of Education's College Credit Recommendation Service will forge new ground in the MOOC evaluation and research effort. To learn more and view the full infographic visit: http://20mm.org/infographic-moocs-online-courses.html

20 Million Minds is a non-profit organization dedicated to greatly reducing textbook costs. The foundation leverages leading-edge technologies to create more affordable, engaging and effective educational materials for college students throughout the nation. Visit 20mm.org.

CONTACT: Mayra Lombera (626) 396-7071

SOURCE 20 Million Minds Foundation