I don't think low retention is a secret and I don't think it's a bad thing- it shows that there's no barrier to showing up but there is a barrier to completion. That's what we want- equal opportunity, without giving completion away unearned.
For my part I sign up for more classes than I could possibly complete. Sometimes I just want to take a peak at the material to see if it grabs me. And sometimes I just want to get familiar with a subject without going all-in, picking and choosing the lectures that are most relevant to me.
People shouldn't feel like they're hurting Coursera's/EdX's/Udacity's stats by dipping their toes.
For my part I sign up for more classes than I could possibly complete. Sometimes I just want to take a peak at the material to see if it grabs me. And sometimes I just want to get familiar with a subject without going all-in, picking and choosing the lectures that are most relevant to me.
People shouldn't feel like they're hurting Coursera's/EdX's/Udacity's stats by dipping their toes.