[scobar]

I'm interested in more courses than I have time for. So, like others who've responded, I often prioritize sections of moocs. Sometimes I quickly go through lectures alone when I want to review something I'd learned but haven't used much recently. And sometimes I won't have time to even start a course during the designated date and deadlines, but I fully intend to take advantage of the content later.

I think the incentives you mentioned are very relevant. College students don't want to waste the high tuition they've paid, nor do they want to lose their academic status they've worked for. But you left out another huge factor. In the current hiring system, too many employers value where a skill was learned more than the level of proficiency.

I believe that, as more companies transition to audition-style interviews and make more accurate assessments of ability, the value placed on educational credentials will diminish. When this happens, there will be hope that educating oneself via moocs will provide a fair chance to be considered for skilled employment. When students believe that most companies genuinely value what you can do more than where you learned how to do it, I think there will be far more incentive to both enroll in and complete moocs.