Certification....the future of learning rather than ebooks?

Not bad curriculum for $24

-       http://techcrunch.com/crunchu-course/48044/designing-gamification-level-1-certification/

Is this the future of learning instead of ebooks? Will we purchase a "course" instead of Sams 21 days book in order to pick up a skills etc and this is seen as the norm for picking up any new knowledge.