Addressing cultural and linguistic diversity in an online learning environment

Abstract

ABSTRACTMassive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a growing phenomenon in the USA and Europe. A few big American platforms lead the field in terms of numbers of learners, institutions and courses on board. These platforms act as transnational platforms, and attract many European institutions because of the opportunities for visibility and branding they offer. Similarly in Europe, many platforms have emerged but no single pan-European initiative has found its own space. This is probably because of the complexity involved inaccommodatingdiverse languages, cultures and teaching approaches within the rigid structure of a Learning Management System (LMS). This paper looks at one possible response to the challenge of creating a single learning space via a multilingual and multicultural MOOC platform called EMMA, European Multiple MOOC Aggregator. It presents the results of two learner surveys with qualitative and quantitative data analysis collected within the EMMA project which aimed to assess user satisfaction with the learning experience on the platform, and whether it addressed the issue of “cultural diversity.” Initial indications suggest that learners appreciated and used the inbuilt translation systems in a multilingual approach, and that learners perceived the features and tools offered by the EMMA platform as European in feel.