If the first chapter in the evolution of massive open online courses (Moocs) was written in the US, it may well be in Europe that they make their next significant advance.
如果说大规模开放在线课堂(Mooc)发展的开篇是在美国书写的，那么它们的下一个重大进展很可能会发生在欧洲。
This is the view of Hannes Klöpper, co-founder and chief academic officer at Iversity, a Berlin-based Mooc platform that launched in October 2014. Mr Klöpper argues that the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) presents an opportunity to transform Moocs – free, standalone courses – from academic novelty to meaningful qualifications.
Iversity的联合创始人及首席学术官汉内斯•克洛珀(Hannes Klöpper)就是这样认为的。Iversity是一个位于柏林的Mooc平台，成立于2013年10月。克洛珀认为，欧洲学分转换与积累体系(ECTS)提供了一个彻底改变Mooc（免费的独立课程）的机会，它将使Mooc从学术界的新奇玩意转变为正经八百的学历。
The ECTS is a standard for comparing student attainment and performance in higher education institutions across Europe. Under the system, students can transfer credits for study already completed towards an appropriate equivalent degree in any of the 53 countries that have ratified the Lisbon Recognition Convention.
ECTS是一套标准，用来比较欧洲各地高等院校学生的学识及成绩。在该体系下，学生可在已批准《里斯本认可公约》(Lisbon Recognition Convention)的53国中的任何一国，将已修学分转换成该国相应的同等学历。
Should European universities start awarding students credit for attainment in Moocs, Mr Klöpper says that the ECTS provides a legal basis for mutual credit recognition.
克洛珀说，ECTS为学分互认提供了法律依据，一旦欧洲大学开始向学生在Mooc中完成的学业授予学分，这些学分就能在欧洲各国得到承认。
Mr Klöpper says that this sets Europe apart from the US. No national mechanism for credit transfer exists in the US and students must demonstrate the eligibility of their credit to university admission boards.
他说，这一点将欧洲与美国区别开来。由于美国在国家层面上不存在学分转换机制，因此学生必须向大学录取委员会证明自己的学分符合要求。
“The ECTS shifts the burden of proof to universities to prove that course credit is not relevant,” says Mr Klöpper. “Credit from other accredited institutions must be accepted by default [and] any refusal must be justified.” Moreover, he adds, universities are not permitted to make students resit work for their credit to be recognised. “The incentive structure and legal framework work in our favour.”
“ECTS将证明课程学分不合要求的举证责任转嫁给各个大学。”克洛珀说，“在默认情况下，大学必须承认学生从其他认证机构修得的学分；如果拒绝承认，必须给出正当理由。”他接着说，此外，大学不得要求学生重考相关课程、然后才承认他们在这些课程上的学分。“激励结构和法律框架对我们有利。”
Michael Gaebel, head of the Higher Education Policy Unit at the European University Association, says there is no legal obstacle to Moocs playing a role in the European credit market. “The question, if universities start doing this, is under what conditions [they do so].”
欧洲大学协会(EUA)高等教育政策部门负责人迈克尔•格贝尔(Michael Gaebel)说，不存在任何法律上的障碍阻止Mooc在欧洲学分市场上立足。“问题在于，如果大学开始承认这些学分，那么是基于何种条件（来承认）。”
Credibility is paramount, says Stephen Jackson, director of reviews at the Quality Assurance Agency for higher education in the UK. “It is only by demonstrating learning outcomes that credit should be granted.”
英国高等教育质量保证局(Quality Assurance Agency for higher education)评审主任斯蒂芬•杰克逊(Stephen Jackson)说，最重要的是可信度。“只有证明学习成果是实实在在的，才应被授予学分。”
Ensuring the quality of the Moocs learning experience, and of student achievement, remains a major concern. “At the moment, certificates [for completing Moocs] do not specify any level of attainment,” says Mr Jackson.
如何确保Mooc学习经历和学生成绩的质量，仍是人们目前关心的一大问题。杰克逊说：“现阶段，（完成Mooc课程的）证书并不明确标出学识达到了哪一水平。”
Coursera and edX, leading US-based Mooc platforms, have introduced optional certification on some courses. For a fee, students receive a certificate, but no credit, upon completion.
美国知名Mooc平台Coursera和edX已在一些课程上引入了可选的证书。学生在完成课程后，可付费获得一个证书、而不是学分。
A significant hurdle to the awarding of certificates – let alone credit – is verifying the online identity of participants. To tackle this, Coursera has introduced technology to identify students enrolled on its “Signature Track” certification option.
颁发证书（更别提授予学分了）面临的一大障碍是核实参与者的网络身份。为了解决这一问题，Coursera引入了相关技术，来识别注册了其“签名追踪”(Signature Track)证书选项的学生的身份。
Simon Nelson, chief executive of Futurelearn, the UK-based Mooc platform, although unconvinced about remote invigilation, says that “new forms of authentication are clearly helpful for gaining credibility”.
英国Mooc平台Futurelearn的行政总裁西蒙•尼尔森(Simon Nelson)虽然对远程监考持怀疑态度，但也表示“这些新形式的认证显然有助于增强可信度。”
To bypass the identity verification issue, proctored – or supervised – assessment may offer a solution.
若想绕开身份验证问题，带监考或监督的评定或许是一种解决方案。
“Proctored exam centres could take us very quickly to the point where universities can award credit for Moocs,” says Jeff Haywood, chief information officer at the University of Edinburgh, which offers courses through Coursera and Futurelearn.
爱丁堡大学(University of Edinburgh)首席信息官杰夫•海伍德(Jeff Haywood)说：“带监考的考试中心一下子就帮我们解决了这个问题，大学由此便可向Mooc课程授予学分。”爱丁堡大学在Coursera和Futurelearn上都提供了在线课程。
Indeed, Iversity has opted for traditional in-person exams to assess students enrolled on pilot for-credit courses.
事实上，Iversity已选择用传统的现场考试来评定那些注册了试点学分制课程的学生。
Coursera, meanwhile, is experimenting with online proctoring. Students enrolled on five Moocs sit online exams with live supervision. These Moocs have been approved for credit recommendation by the American Council on Education (Ace).
Coursera则开始尝试在线监考，注册了5门Mooc课程的学生需参加带实况监督的在线考试。美国教育委员会(Ace)已批准对这批Mooc课程授予学分推荐。
Students are not awarded credit by either Coursera or the university offering the course, but can present their Ace credit recommendations to more than 2,000 US universities and colleges. However, the decision whether to accept them as credit towards a degree programme rests entirely with each admissions office.
无论是Coursera还是提供在线课程的大学都不会向学生授予学分，但学生可向全美2000多所大专院校出示自己的Ace学分推荐。至于这些学分推荐能否被承认为某学位项目认可的学分，则完全取决于各个大学录取办公室。
Although autonomous university systems may stifle credit transfer in the US, Mr Klöpper anticipates that the ECTS will create credit federations among European universities. “Arguments against mutual recognition of credit came from mistrust of other qualifications,” he says. Moocs, by contrast, are transparent in that they are open to public scrutiny. Course quality will be largely self-regulated, he says, as universities wish to uphold their reputation and brand.
尽管自治大学系统或许会扼杀美国的学分转换，但克洛珀预期，ECTS将在欧洲大学之中创造出学分联盟。他说：“对学分互认的反对源自于对其他学历的怀疑。”相比之下，Mooc对公众监督开放，因此是透明的。他还表示，由于各个大学希望维护自身的声望和品牌，因此课程质量将在很大程度上得到自我管控。
Prof Haywood, however, identifies a potential limit to the role that Moocs, in their current form, could play in any credit market. Despite the provisions of the ECTS, he says it will ultimately be up to individual universities to decide if the content and structure of a given Mooc can count towards any of their degrees.
但海伍德教授认为，Mooc在现有的形式下，在任何学分市场上发挥的作用都面临一个潜在的限制。他说，尽管ECTS给出了相关规定，但最终还是要由各个大学来决定某个特定Mooc课程的内容和框架能否被计入它们的学历。
The main challenge, says Prof Haywood, is that the content and workload of a Mooc does not align with degree-level work. He cites Edinburgh’s first six Moocs, delivered on Coursera, that are each only five weeks long. “You need a set of Moocs that can be strung together to form something useful,” he adds.
海伍德教授说，最主要的挑战在于Mooc的课程内容和学习量与学位所需的学习量不相符。他拿爱丁堡大学在Coursera上推出的首批6门Mooc课程举例，每门课程的时长仅为五周。“你需要的是一套能被串接在一起、形成某种有价值东西的Mooc课程，”他补充道。
There are also many competencies – verbal, interpersonal and team-working skills – that Moocs currently cannot develop in students, says Martin Boehm, dean of programmes at IE Business School, Spain. “Top schools will reject this credit . . . it would be dangerous to accept lower standards.”
西班牙IE商学院(IE Business School)项目主任马丁•伯姆(Martin Boehm)说，还有许多能力——比如语言能力、人际交往能力和团队合作技巧——是Mooc无法培养的。“一流学校不会承认这种学分……接受较低的标准将是危险的。”
However, like any prior experience, the completion of a Mooc will factor into an impression of a candidate. “Moocs are a demonstration of additional commitment,” says Mr Nelson.
不过，就像所有先备经验(prior experience)一样，完成一门Mooc课程将增加申请人的印象分。尼尔森说：“完成Mooc课程证明你付出了额外的努力。”
Mr Jackson warns that while hurdles remain, employers may lend Moocs status by independently recognising them. “If employers are willing to take a badge, then you might bypass the system. Moocs are potentially very subversive to existing practices and institutions.”
杰克逊提醒说，虽然仍存在种种障碍，但雇主们或许会以自行认可的方式提升Mooc的地位。“如果雇主们愿意给予认可，你或许就能绕过这套系统。Mooc对现有实践和惯例可能具有很大的颠覆力。”