Universities have yet to identify ways to make money from these courses. But Professor Sheil said the courses would help academics learn more about the quality of their own courses. ''If you set an exam for 10,000 students and 2000 get the same wrong answer, then you know you've got a ,'' she said.
La Trobe University lecturer in online learning, John Hannon, said there was a lot of hype about the courses that should not overshadow an emphasis on high quality education. But he said free online education could allow people to study for whom it might otherwise be impossible. La Trobe also offers online through the iTunes U service.