Enabling Meaningful Certificates from Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

This chapter analyzes the instructional quality and learning design of different categories of online courses and their history, with a special focus on massive open online courses (MOOCs). Online courses have a long tradition that has gained public attention, broad interest, and huge numbers of participants thanks to the introduction of free MOOCs accessible online for all interested learners worldwide. In this chapter, we first define MOOCs, their characteristics, and history. Afterward, theoretical frameworks and practical instruments and tools based on scientific research are presented. From the beginning, the quality of MOOCs (and of online courses in general) has been debated. That led to discussions about the learning design and outcomes of MOOCs, which we introduce in the next section. Key research findings and practical validated instruments for designing and evaluating MOOCs (and online courses in general) are presented. Then following, the key benefits of MOOCs and the main arguments and scenarios for their usage are summarized. Based on our analysis of the research results, practices, and standards, a framework for categories and types of (massive open) online courses is proposed, called the typologies of online courses (TOC) framework. As part of the global community for open educational resources (OER) and in combination with the UNESCO recommendation on OER, MOOCs can play a significant role in achieving the SDG4 of the United Nations: inclusive and equitable quality education for all. This is true in particular during times of public lockdowns, such as during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

This chapter analyzes the instructional quality and learning design of different categories of online courses and their history, with a special focus on massive open online courses (MOOCs). Online courses have a long tradition that has gained public attention, broad interest, and huge numbers of participants thanks to the introduction of free MOOCs accessible online for all interested learners worldwide. In this chapter, we first define MOOCs, their characteristics, and history. Afterward, theoretical frameworks and practical instruments and tools based on scientific research are presented. From the beginning, the quality of MOOCs (and of online courses in general) has been debated. That led to discussions about the learning design and outcomes of MOOCs, which we introduce in the next section. Key research findings and practical validated instruments for designing and evaluating MOOCs (and online courses in general) are presented. Then following, the key benefits of MOOCs and the main arguments and scenarios for their usage are summarized. Based on our analysis of the research results, practices, and standards, a framework for categories and types of (massive open) online courses is proposed, called the typologies of online courses (TOC) framework. As part of the global community for open educational resources (OER) and in combination with the UNESCO recommendation on OER, MOOCs can play a significant role in achieving the SDG4 of the United Nations: inclusive and equitable quality education for all. This is true in particular during times of public lockdowns, such as during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Today there is a growing demand for Massive open online courses (MOOCs) on distance learning in higher education. Massive open online courses play a significant role in open, continuous, lifelong learning as a new trend and a new distance learning technology in education. There exist many opportunities to develop future pedagogues’ digital competence by creating and applying Massive open online courses. The research briefly summarizes the theory of development and application of a Massive open online course based on the analysis of foreign literature. Based on this, an elective course is offered to create a mass open online course. Before applying the MOOC, a survey was conducted for students of 1-4 courses of the specialty “Pedagogy and psychology” of Abay Kazakh National Pedagogical University in order to identify knowledge about digital educational resources, MOOC. 94 students took part in the survey. It was found that students were poorly informed about MOOC, but expressed a desire to study digital courses. Key words: digital competence, develop a digital competence, open education, distance learning, massive open online courses.

Poe in Cyberspace: Poe MOOC Blog

Massive open online course is a large-scale online open course, and massive open online course can spread all the teaching resources in the world through network channels, so that all students can learn online through the network. The asp-based network distance education system under the background of massive open online course is constructed, the parameter set of network distance education information distribution under the background of massive open online course under the hybrid cloud architecture system is designed, the graph model of network distance education information distribution under the background of massive open online course is obtained by using the method of directed graph structure feature decomposition, and the network distance education information scheduling model under the background of massive open online course is constructed by combining the methods of associated node scheduling and resource balanced allocation. The embedded protocol scheduling and PCI bus control methods are adopted to analyze the communication interface and database module of network distance education system under the background of massive open online course, to realize the resource feature matching and open source information fusion in the process of network distance education under the background of massive open online course, and to realize the optimized design of network distance education under the background of massive open online course under the hybrid cloud architecture and ASP architecture. The simulation results show that the output performance of the network distance education system design under the background of massive open online course is better and the system reliability is improved.

A quantitative research approach with descriptive research design was used for this study. MOOCs are widely seen as a major part of a larger disruptive innovation taking place in higher education. The possibility for MOOCs to deliver high-quality and contextualized learning content in the most under-served regions of the world is only recently being explored. Objectives: To assess the awareness and attitude towards massive open online courses among under graduate nursing students and to associate the awareness and attitude towards massive open online courses among under graduate nursing students with selected demographic variables. Methodology: Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used for sample selection. Data was collected from 89 undergraduate students using structured questionnaire for assessing awareness and likert scale to assess attitude towards MOOC. Data collection was done using Google forms and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: Majority (71.9%) were found in the age group of 19-21 years, (77.5%) had never enrolled for any massive open online course before. Mostly (50.56%) had poor awareness regarding massive open online course and (53.9%) had satisfactory attitude towards MOOC. There is no significant association between awareness and attitude of students who have enrolled far MOOC prior. Conclusion: The study reveals that mostly undergraduate students have poor awareness and satisfactory attitude towards MOOC. Keywords: MOOC: massive open online courses, awareness, attitude, undergraduate students.

A massive open online course on the laws of thermodynamics has been designed using the 5Es (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate) lesson planning methodology and delivered using everyday engineering examples to provide familiar contexts for both a global cohort of more than 3000 learners ranging in age from teenagers to septuagenarians in 137 different countries plus a large class of 355 university undergraduates. In addition to the structured pedagogy, the massive open online course included innovations in the use of practical exercises, that could be performed in the learner’s kitchen, and worked examples to enhance the learning experience. The massive open online course was provided in parallel with an introductory undergraduate course and as an additional learning resource for the undergraduate students. A little less than one-fifth of the undergraduates participated in the massive open online course and just over half of these responded that it would be an acceptable substitute for traditional lectures. The percentage completing the massive open online course was relatively high at 28% compared to 21% for other massive open online courses on the same platform, which is attributed to the pedagogy and strong support for social learning based on a survey of fully participating learners in the last week of the five-week course.

Education in India has undergone significant transformation with technological advancements over time. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) were one of those ingenuities aimed at imparting education to several students who were unable to continue their education due to various geographical and socio-economic factors. Since they are affordable, flexible, and easily accessible, MOOCs have become a disruptive force in Education. The National Education Policy (NEP, 2020) emphasizes gaining education through Online courses, with a target of achieving a 50% Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in Higher Education by 2035, supported by Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) presented by Study Web SWAYAM.The present study aims to provide important insights into the perceptions, experiences, and challenges faced by students of the Central University of Jammu enrolled in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). To gather the information required to achieve the predetermined objectives, the researchers developed a Likert-type scale and a semi-structured questionnaire. The study's target population consists of students from the Central University of Jammu who have taken or completed Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). The majority (94%) reported having a good MOOC experience. According to this, MOOCs frequently succeed in meeting the demands of students, most likely due to their flexibility, accessibility, and ability to develop skills, qualities that were affirmed by 82% of participants who believed they were superior to traditional teaching methods. Nevertheless, despite the high levels of enjoyment, some challenges remain observable. A remarkable paradox emerged when it came to submitting assignments: 98% of students reported difficulty meeting deadlines, despite 84% of them considering themselves digitally competent.

IntroductionA massive open online course (MOOC) represents a means to learning in an online environment which provides open access for unlimited participants, enabling more than traditional learning models and materials including recorded lectures, quizzes, interactive forums and communities [1]. The necessity for MOOCs came along with the digital era, the need of gathering knowledge at a fast pace and lifelong learning, therefore new approaches had to be considered to fulfil the learner's needs [2].The purpose of this analysis is to identify the main characteristics of this type of learning by comparing the most used open access learning platforms and the facilities they offer considering that they generate interest from different parties, not only universities but also business capitalists who can identify an opportunity worth exploring in this field. This is one of the main reasons why start-ups like Coursera have begun collaborating with well-known universities around the globe, others have decided to make their courses available online through a platform like edX and even large companies are considering to use a MOOC approach in the sector of higher education [3]. MOOCs promise to offer an alternative to higher education which breaks the pattern of known university-level education models, therefore it is important to explore the engine behind open online course platforms.Because massive open online courses have been recently introduced as a modern learning method, the field of research in MOOCs is in its early stages and the available literature analyzing MOOC platforms is relatively limited. The reviewed literature aims to uncover the features which determine the quality of an online course platform compared to another.From a general perspective MOOCs have a series of specific features that should be part of any platform that belongs to this area of education. In [4] five principles were recommended for designing a MOOC. The first one refers to the meaningful content provided by the platform in spite of its massive feature. This is achieved by avoiding large flows of ideas by keeping the topics on point, by using stimulating materials or examples shared by more experienced students on the discussion boards. The second principle is the engagement of the students who enroll, which represents a challenge also because of the size of the online courses which makes it impossible for instructors to have individual contact with all the students and influence their will to finish what they started. This can be accomplished with the help of traditional teaching techniques or with social engagement that can be provided through networked interaction forms such as forums or chat rooms. The measurement of the student's progress and the course's effectiveness represents the third principle. The online characteristic of MOOCs enables a correct evaluation of the course's efficacy. This principle is useful for both the student who can see his own improvement and the instructors who can improve their materials when these prove ineffective. The accessibility is yet another fundamental aspect of MOOC design since the education level of the students who enroll may vary from none (in matters of higher education) to PhD and the same goes for the extent to which they are familiar with the topic they want to tackle. Finally, the last principle is the scalability which refers to the ability to grow rapidly in size without making significant changes to the existing structure.When analyzing comparative studies about massive online platforms, more practical characteristics are discovered. One of the key aspects focused on by the research community is the learning theory applied. According to [5] the commonly used MOOCs of our time (Udacity, Coursera, edX, Udemy) fall into the xMOOC category which tends to adopt a traditional behaviorist model. They are regarded as the most widespread and popular MOOCs and for this reason they have attracted the most attention from the researchers. …

MOOC(Massive Open Online Course)란 대단위로 누구나 무료로 수강할 수 있는 온라인 강좌이다. 이러한 MOOC가 기존 대학체계를 무너뜨리고, 교육의 새 지평을 열 것이라는 전망이 있었다. 그러나 MOOC는 기존의 고등교육기관을 위협할 것이라는 최초의 전망과는 다른 양상으로 진행되고 있다. 그래서 본 연구는 MOOC의 허와 실을 드러냄으로써 MOOC를 우리 고등교육의 실정에 맞게 제작하고 활용할 수 있는 논의의 시발점을 마련하고자 한다. MOOC는 기본적으로 온라인 교육이므로 기존 온라인 교육의 본질적인 문제점인 '상호작용, 감독 및 평가'의 문제를 그대로 계승할 수밖에 없다. 그리고 새로이 추가된 'Massive' 개념은 교육 현장에서 가장 민감한 부분인 강좌당 학생 수 문제를 불러일으키며, 'Open' 개념은 MOOC가 불특정 다수를 염두에 둔 강좌이므로 맞춤형 교육에 역행된다. 결론적으로 MOOC는 자기 주도적 학습 능력이 매우 탁월한 학습자들과 전통적인 온라인 고등교육기관에도 접근할 수 없는 사람들을 위한 교육 서비스로 자리매김 되고, 대학에서는 Flipped Learning의 수단으로 사용될 가능성이 매우 높다. 그러므로 향후 MOOC에서는 이 점이 고려되어 강좌의 대상에 맞게 차별화되어 개발될 필요가 있다. MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) is an online course aimed at limited participation and open access via the web. There is even the prospect that MOOC may break down the existing university system and open a new horizon of education. However, MOOC is going differently from the first prospect that it would threat the existing higher education institutions. So this study wishes to provide a starting point of discussion that we can produce and utilize MOOC to fit our situation of higher education by revealing the inherent problems of MOOC. MOOC is a basically online education, so that it cannot help inheriting the essential weakness of the existing one: the interaction, supervision and evaluation. The newly added concept 'massive' raises the problem of class size which is the most sensitive part in the field of education. The concept 'open' reverses a customized education because MOOC is a kind of video clips of a lecture for unspecific massive learners. As a conclusion, we predicts that MOOC will be positioned as a higher education service for very prominent learners in self-led learning ability and people who cannot access even traditional online higher education institutions. Also MOOC is highly likely to be used as a means of Flipped Learning in universities. Therefore, considering these points in the future, we need to develop MOOC to suit these targets.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have revolutionized e-learning contexts through improvising new technology on its pedagogical features. Recently, much debate has been directed to the application of MOOCs in relation to higher education. However, research regarding students’ experiences of MOOCs is scant. Therefore, the present study aims to fill in the gap by examining undergraduates experiences with MOOCs. Data were collected from 29 undergraduates attending various degree programs at a public university in Malaysia. Undergraduates’ logbook notes were used for collecting data for this study. Results showed that most of the participants expressed positive attitudes towards learning in the MOOC. They valued the MOOC instructional features and tools and showed strong satisfaction in learning in the MOOCs environment. The empirical findings of the study have contributed to a better understanding of the nature of learning and participation in a MOOC environment from the perspective of undergraduate students. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have succeeded to create massive attention among educators, researchers, students, media, and stakeholders as elite universities from developed countries formed consortia to offer free courses on various disciplines. MOOC started with the promises to offer free education for all (Kop, Fournier, & Mak, 2011). A few number of commercial start-ups such as Udacity, Edx, Futurelearn and Coursera have been launched in collaboration with leading universities to deliver free courses online for massive participation. Many academic institutions, especially those in North America such as Duke University, Harvard University, MIT, and Stanford University have been offering courses in cooperation with MOOC providers. Big commercial institutions such as Google and Pearson are also planning to contribute to higher education by adopting MOOC instructional format (Yuan, Powell, & CETIS, 2013). While MOOCs are mushrooming in higher education, empirical research in the area is still very limited. Therefore, the present study aims to contribute some effort to this gap by scanning a small group of tertiary level students’ novel experiences with MOOC instructional features. The following part of the study deals with the background of the development of MOOC and its theoretical underpinnings.

This study is based on a massive open online course titled Aboriginal Worldviews in Education, which was created and instructed using various Indigenous pedagogies. Despite significant pedagogical differences between massive open online course and Indigenous pedagogical learning environments, this study builds the case that various Indigenous pedagogies can effectively be incorporated in a massive open online course. The study found that holistic pedagogies were effectively applied by centering course creation and instruction around Medicine Wheel teachings. The article details the various experiential and self-reflective activities that were applied to the massive open online course, and that were found to effectively address the spiritual, emotional, and physical quadrants of the Medicine Wheel that are normally overlooked in courses that stress intellectual learning. The article also suggests directions for the development and redevelopment of massive open online courses to better include Indigenous pedagogies.

The purposes of this study were: 1) design Learning Management STEAM Model on Massive Open Online Courses Using Augmented Reality to enhance Creativity and Innovation, 2) suitability assessment of a Learning Management STEAM Model on Massive Open Online Courses Using Augmented Reality to enhance Creativity and Innovation. The research methodology was composed of two parts: the first part involved theories and research papers relating to massive open online courses, augmented reality, elements synthesis, and the design of a Learning Management STEAM Model on Massive Open Online Courses Using Augmented Reality to enhance Creativity and Innovation; the second part involved suitability assessment of this approach. Data were analyzed by using the statistic of the mathematic mean (x̄) and standard deviation (S.D.). The overall result with regard to the suitability of a Learning Management STEAM Model on Massive Open Online Courses Using Augmented Reality to enhance Creativity and Innovation by seven experts was assessed at a very high level, which can be applied to real situations.

The present paper examines the implementation of a massive open online course and project-based learning to develop the digital competences of preservice teachers. The course design was based on the Digital Competence Framework for Citizens. The study evaluates the effectiveness of the implemented massive open online course and project-based learning in developing digital competences and assesses student satisfaction with these methods. A total of 166 students participated in the study during two academic years. The massive open online course and project assignments are compulsory components of the ICT in Education course. Students completed the massive open online course in an online classroom and demonstrated basic knowledge and understanding by achieving a passing grade. Through project-based learning, they developed digital competences at higher cognitive levels. At the end of the academic year, anonymised student feedback was collected on satisfaction with the lessons delivered, the support received from the mentors, the feedback received, and assessment through the massive open online course and project-based learning. The results indicate significant progress in digital skills, especially in digital educational content creation. The study also revealed high levels of student satisfaction with the lessons delivery, mentor support and feedback. The students rated the assessment through projectbased learning positively, indicating the effectiveness of this method. Recommendations are made for improving training and promoting digital competences of students. The study contributes to understanding the importance of integrating digital literacy into educational programmes and provides guidelines for developing effective approaches to promote digital literacy, which is essential for preparing students for future professional challenges and active citizenship in a technologically advanced world.

The article presents the technology of implementation of massive open online courses in the system of e-learning of Masters in Electrical Engineering. The developed technology provides an opportunity to combine the learning process in the e-environment of higher education institution with learning in massive open online course, forms analytical skills and ability to share experience with others, to systematically monitor the learning process. The degrees of integration of the massive open online course into the system of e-learning of Masters in Electrical Engineering are described: high, sufficient, intermediate, initial. Optimally selected massive open online courses provide an opportunity to organically integrate them into the educational process. The experiment involved massive open online courses, which were developed according to the curriculum and work programs for Masters in Electrical Engineering, namely: "Electrical Technologies", "Automation of Technological Processes". During the verification of the obtained data using Pearson's criterion, it was determined that the proposed technology is effective.