Coursera, the online education startup famous for its flipped-classroom system that gives students twice the lecture for the same number of units, announced Thursday that they will offer social dance classes on their web platform, starting in January.
Coursera’s game-changing new class leverages Microsoft Kinect to simulate real-life dancing without the need for actual human contact. In a two-step process, students with a Kinect will be able to dance with a virtual partner potentially thousands of miles away over an internet connection.
Reaction on campus to the announcement has been generally positive. “I’m looking forward the class,” added freshman Charles Tung. “Coursera’s platform will eliminate lots of inconveniences, like eye contact and that gnawing fear that you might run into the girl you’re awkwardly dancing with later at the CoHo.”
Representatives will not yet confirm rumors that Coursera will also begin offering another popular Stanford class, Images of Women in French Cinema. Many students have requested that the class be moved from the Stanford classroom to the online platform. As a student who wishes to remain anonymous explained, “Some things are best done from the comfort of one’s single.”
