Nicely written article. It's not really about binge learning though - it works just as well if you take the opposite approach too and eke out your learning a little at a time. It's really about control.

The tricky thing is always achieving a balance between too much and too little choice - to be in control is to have the power to choose intelligently when you engage with the course, how you engage, and how much help and interaction with others you get when you need it. Really big MOOCs have an advantage here because there are likely to be more opportunities to engage with people as and when you need to do so. Smaller MOOCs are disadvantageous to self-paced learners who may not so easily find the help, support or simple presence of others when they need it.