Small classes taught by knowledge producers within learning communities may not describe the majority of postsecondary institutions in the United States, as community colleges, adult learners, and adjunct instructors make up the bulk of the higher ed story, but this traditional model should be bolstered rather than threatened by the rise of the MOOCs. A free massive course is the best demonstration of the value of an intimate seminar.
When it comes to higher ed, we should recognize the potential of disruptive innovations such as MOOCs, but not fall into the trap of underestimating the power of sustained incremental improvements.

Indeed, one of the most powerful aspects of today's technologies is that many of the high-impact features that used to be possible only in small classes can now be experienced not only at a larger scale but, in some cases, to better effect at larger scale.