Coursera has missed the mark. 

I was explaining this to a co-worker this afternoon. Having taken a course myself, and watched my Wife now take a course, I do not think I will be going near Coursera classes for a very long time. The quality of material is appalling  the lack of moderation apparent, and the quality of peers is lacking. I don't care if it is free (as people are at pains to point out), if it is of very poor quality it isn't even worth that much.

Hope is not lost though. I think Coursera has missed the mark with what it is trying to be. People talk about how wonderful it is that they are getting classes from world renowned instructors, but we have always had access to that, through books.

And that is what Coursera has created... a new medium for textbooks.