Abstract

Since the first appearance of MOOCs in the higher education context, MOOCs have been integrated and transformed into several learning variations. In particular, by integrating formal traditional courses with informal learning approaches, MOOCs have been expanding the position as a learning platform to provide students with diverse learning experiences delivered through blended learning modalities. This chapter aims to discuss how MOOCs have been integrated into higher education contexts to blend formal, non-formal and informal learning experiences. An integration framework suggested in this chapter is based on two factors, namely credit recognition and online learning that lead to three types of MOOC-integrated learning experiences: Type I—formal MOOC learning, Type II—formal blended MOOC learning, and Type III—non-formal/informal MOOC learning. Based on this framework, we mainly illustrate three integration approaches, namely blended learning, flipped learning, and non-formal/informal learning experiences, with relevant research studies. The chapter concludes with some suggestions for research directions that can inform future research on integrating formal and non-formal/informal learning experiences through MOOCs in higher education.

Highlights

  • Scholars have pointed out the problems of a knowledge-transmission paradigm of education rooted in industrialism, such as uniform teaching and learning, teachercentric methods, standardized assessment, and learning by acquisition (Halverson & Collins, 2009)

  • Our review of the existing literature reveals that three integration approaches are often used in the higher education contexts: (1) integrating Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in blended learning, (2) integrating MOOCs in flipped learning, and (3) integrating MOOCs in non-formal and informal learning

  • Based on the literature discussed above we identified the common benefits of integrating MOOCs in flipped learning

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Summary

Introduction

Scholars have pointed out the problems of a knowledge-transmission paradigm of education rooted in industrialism, such as uniform teaching and learning, teachercentric methods, standardized assessment, and learning by acquisition (Halverson & Collins, 2009). The third wave is to use MOOCs for credit recognition and continuing professional development pathways Despite such increasing variations of MOOCs in the higher education landscape, a little framework is available to unpack mechanisms that blend various learning experiences. MOOCs have been increasingly positioned as a platform to integrate formal traditional courses with informal learning experiences. Given this nature of variations in MOOCs, this chapter aims to present and discuss various ways of integrating formal and informal learning experiences through MOOCs. This chapter is structured to firstly provide theoretical understandings of various MOOCs in the higher education sector, and to present the integration framework with discussions of respective research studies. The chapter concludes with some suggestions for research directions that can inform future research on integrating formal and informal learning experiences through MOOCs in higher education

MOOCs: Concepts and Features
Comparison of Traditional, Blended, and Flipped Learning
Integration Framework
Integration Approach I
Methods
Integration Approach II
– Introduction to circuit analysis
Integration Approach III
– Introduction to data science
Findings
Comparison Between Integration Approaches
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