Post 5: MOOCs on the Moooove

          The outcomes presented in this module prompted me to look into additional resources on innovative technologies in education.  I came across a website that introduced me to the concept of the Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC.  When I first read this acronym, I thought it sounded like a childhood synonym for chocolate milk.  Clearly I need to roam other pastures of educational technology beyond the prairies of Alberta, on which I live.

          A MOOC is an online learning model that is open to any number of students from all over the world wishing to take a course, free of charge.   The instructor is virtually non-existent as students are encouraged to network with, teach, and mark each others’ work (Baggaley, 2013, p. 368).

           

          MOOCs draw from the theory of connectivism. Similar to other higher education distance learning models, MOOCs have a syllabus, readings,assignments, microlectures, exams, and discussions where participants can interact and collaborate.  MOOCs can be offered independently through course designers like Coursera, edX, and Udacity, or generated by the students enrolled in the course (Baggaley, 2013, p. 1). These online courses may or may not offer certificates or credits to participants upon completion. 

          As with any delivery model in education, there are pros and cons and those who wish to sit on the proverbial fence.  On the upside, MOOCs offer people an affordable, convenient, and dynamic learning environment where large amounts of information can be shared and add value to other levels and delivery models within education.  On the downside, MOOCs are a costly investment and may not be suitable for students who need/expect attentive student-instructor partnerships.

           

          Educational technology involves learning and teaching technologies (Laureate Education, 2012a, p. 1), in which both stakeholders may benefit from.  MOOCs offer a virtual think-tank for millenials and neomillenials to engage in a “collective interpretation of experience” (Laureate Education, 2012b, p. 3).  MOOCs empower students to drive their own knowledge sharing, meaningful discussions, and common inquiries, thus enabling teachers to serve as facilitators, instructors, and analysts of students’ learning.

          There are a number of MOOCs that have sprung from Canadian soil and could benefit students and teachers right here, in my own back yard.  For example, an introductory psychology class offered by the University of Toronto via Coursera could be used in part as an instructional vehicle for various high school psychology electives offered in my school district.  Udderly speaking, MOOCs “may be hailed as an educational redeemer, or as an ugly symptom of the general educational slide" (Baggaley, 2013, p. 374).  Students and teachers may just have to milk the cow to find out for themselves.

REFERENCES:

Baggaley, J. (2013). MOOC rampant. Distance Education, 34(3), 368–378. doi:10.1080/01587919.2013.835768

Briggs, S. (2013, July 29). 10 Emerging educational technologies & how they are being used around the globe. Retrieved from http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2013/07/29/10-emerging-educational-technologies-how-they-are-being-used-across-the-globe/

Educause (2011). ELI: 7 things you should know about MOOCs. Retrieved from https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7078.pdf

Educause (2013). ELI: 7 things you should know about MOOCs II. Retrieved from https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7097.pdf

Educause (2014). Massive open online course (MOOC). Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/library/massive-open-online-course-mooc

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012a). Educational technology defined. Baltimore, MD: Author. 

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012b). Millenial and neomillenial learning styles. Baltimore, MD: Author. 

MOOC-List (n.d.). Introduction to psychology (Coursera). Retrieved from http://www.mooc-list.com/course/introduction-psychology-coursera

Plourde, M. (2013). MOOC poster. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/mathplourde/8620174342/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Siemans, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm