MOOCsMassive Open Online Courses

What are MOOCs ?

• MOOCs are short courses that are delivered online for free.

• do not have any entry requirements - all courses can be taken by anyone from anywhere

• are led by world-class academics and supported by teaching assistants

• are self-directed, meaning you follow the course materials, complete the readings and assessments, and get help from a large community of fellow learners through online forums

• meet high academic standards and are subject to internal quality assurance processes

History of Moocs

Why moocs? From through and to

From classrooms through computerized information and world wide connectivity to online learning.

Advantages of Moocs

• Are free.

• You can organize it in any language you like

• You can use any online tools that are relevant to your target region or that are already being used by the participants

• You can move beyond time zones and physical boundaries

• Contextualized content can be shared by all

• Learning happens in a more informal setting, at a place of your convenience and often around your own schedule.

Disadvantages of Moocs

• Could cause teachers to become nothing more than "glorified teaching assistants.

• Make discussion a challenge

• Make it easier for students to drop out

• Intellectual property and financial details are issues

• It demands digital literacy

• As a participant you need to be able to self-regulate your learning and possibly give yourself a learning goal to achieve

Reference