I think that the most telling data in the article "MOOCs: A Systematic Study of the Published Literature 2008-2012" is that less than 10% complete the courses.

Any educational programme I believe needs to be tutor lead and driven as with our OU programme, without this and if the student only alas recourse for support in the web then they may feel under supported and hence give up.  Also the shortfall in the amount of "published research on MOOC facilitators’ experience and practices leaves a significant gap in the literature. Mak, et al. (2010)"

A further point to the participation of a tutor is to moderate student behaviour. I had not previously considered bullying etc as an issue in online learning but following reading of the article and  reference to the "cultural tensions" that cause participants to withdraw from actively posting in the forums. If the courses are free and hence there is no tutor then how can such behaviour be reduced or removed, if the course if free then the participants have no financial incentive to moderate their behaviour so as to remain a participant!

The study is also limited by the inclusion of only those courses offered in English and then further on refers to the fact that European and North American are overwhelmingly the main participants and then states "This is hardly surprising due to the possible barriers of access to online learning that can be presumed in those parts of the world, both technological and linguistic". I live and work in China where access to the internet is severely curtailed by government so we need to add political reasons to this list also.

I have suffered from limited access to OER course at the Open University, where prior to enrolling on this module was informed I was only able to complete certain courses online that are authorised in my country of residence! Why is this? It’s an online course surely the country you access it from has no bearing at all!