93 Case Study D: Adopting Coursera at Vanderbilt University Dr. Cynthia J. Cyrus Abstract By the time Coursera’s co-founder Daphne Koller first contacted the university in July 2012, the strategic vision for Vanderbilt already included explorations in Digital Learning. The groundwork for the Coursera discussions had been established by Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos in the previous semester – before the question of partner or platform even arose – and could be found in the official charge to the Chancellor’s Committee on Social Media and the Internet. This committee, which included mid-level administrators, faculty from across campus, professional staff from such areas as University News and Communications and the Vanderbilt Center for Teaching, and undergraduate and graduate students, developed a number of recommended strategies for the University to pursue within the digital arena. In particular, their deliberations led Vanderbilt to adopt an iterative strategy for Digital Learning: we would try a variety of options and see what was most in keeping with Vanderbilt’s long-term position. Thus, for Vanderbilt’s decision-makers, the consideration of whether or not to pursue an opportunity like Coursera was as much pragmatic as it was visionary. Three successive questions guided the discussion: 1) Should it be done? 2) Can it be done? and 3) How should it be done? Should It Be Done? At Vanderbilt, the initial contact for Coursera came from the company itself. Daphne Koller reached out to Provost Richard McCarty in late July to invite campus participation. Her vision for the possibilities inherent in large-scale digital delivery of educational materials is a persuasive one (Koller 2012a, Koller 2012b). The framing of the Coursera contract itself was also attractive; it was non-exclusive and non-binding, allowing the University to safely experiment in