MOOC stands for massive open online course. It combines the education juand commitment of a real life classroom with the anonymity, diversity, and massive number of participants of an online forum. These qualities make the MOOC environment different from any other online course or real life classroom, and that is why certain characteristics are required to achieve success. Some people have these characteristics, and one of those people is James Gregory. To begin with, James Gregory is the best candidate for the MOOC because he is willing to sacrifice himself for others and is diligent. Second, James Gregory is able to work through obstacles. Finally, James Gregory is the best candidate for the MOOC because he is determined and persistent. James Gregory is the best candidate for the MOOC because he is willing to sacrifice himself for others. In his essay, “Chunky Peanut Butter,” he states, “I have unselfishly stepped aside on the basketball court to let the team shine as a whole, and I enthusiastically devote time to service projects through Junior Citizens that help the community.” Through the author’s actions, it is evident that James Gregory is not only willing to sacrifice his glory for others for the sake of the entire team, but also willing to devote time to better his community even further, and that is diligence. This is especially useful in the MOOC environment, where MOOC participants will often form study groups to help each other understand the lessons being taught, for example, in paragraph 14 of ‘What is MOOC Anyway?’ where it describes the experiences an engineer named Kate Spillman who was in Dr.Thrun’s study group. Also, students may have to grade their many peers and call each other for help, which is most likely time consuming and not what many people would be willing to do. But for Gregory, it would just be another opportunity to help people. Another reason James Gregory is the best candidate for the MOOC because he can work through many obstacles. In his essay he states, ‘I lead through example. I am flexible, and able to work with any kind of jelly.’ Not being able to collaborate with a kind of ‘jelly’ or teammate may be a problem for some people, but not Gregory, because he can successfully work with any person. The temptation of dropping out of the MOOC is also not a problem for Gregory, because he does not give up on himself or others easily. His ability to overcome obstacles will help him succeed in the MOOC, because he will never lose sight due to distractions or obstacles. Finally, James Gregory is the best candidate for the MOOC is because he is determined and persistent. He states, “I have the persistence of that little glob of peanut butter that sticks to the roof of your mouth. No matter how many times you smack your mouth, I will not go away.” The evidence shows that James Gregory will stick to a goal, and no matter how many hardships he goes through, will not give up until he achieves this goal.
