MOOCs and OER in the Global South: Problems and Potential

Monty King,Martin Forsey,Mark Pegrum

doi:10.19173/irrodl.v19i5.3742

Abstract

This paper examines the problems and potential of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and Open Education Resources (OER) in the global South. Employing a systematic review of the research into the use of open online learning technologies in Southern contexts, we identify five interrelated themes emerging from the literature: 1) access to the Internet; 2) participant literacies; 3) online pedagogies; 4) the context of content; and 5) the flow of knowledge between North and South. The significance of Southern voice and participation is addressed in the final section, which concludes that on balance, the literature offers a qualified endorsement of the potential and actualities of MOOCs and OER in the global South. The ongoing tendency for the research literature to pay little heed to the agency of the social actors with the most to gain from these innovations is noted, opening up space for further research into the lived experience of online learners in the global South.

Highlights

The post-2015 global educational development agenda, outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, is to “[e]nsure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning” (United Nations General Assembly, 2015, para. 4)
Academic research on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and Open Education Resources (OER) in Southern contexts was sourced by conducting searches of Scopus, Web of Science, the Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC), and Google Scholar databases in February 2017, using the terms “MOOCs” OR “OERs” AND (“global South” OR “developing countries” OR “developing world” OR “LDCs” [a term often used by the UN denoting Least Developed Countries] OR “low and middle income countries” OR “third world” [a term with limited contemporary currency])
An obvious barrier to open online learning is the ability of learners in the global South to access the Internet, due to infrastructure limitations (Chadaj, Allison, & Baxter, 2014; Christensen & Alcorn, 2014; Godwin-Jones, 2014; Literat, 2015; Patru & Ventakatamaran, 2016; Wang & Jong, 2016; Wilson & Gruzd, 2014)

Summary

Introduction

The post-2015 global educational development agenda, outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, is to “[e]nsure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning” (United Nations General Assembly, 2015, para. 4). Connectivist MOOCs (cMOOCs) are open-access and use Web 2.0 technologies, such as blogs and wikis, to share user-generated content, producing openended outcomes for the participants (McAuley, Stewart, Siemens, & Cormier, 2010). Platforms such as P2PU and Canvas Network exhibit cMOOC principles, creating open learning communities. Extended MOOCs (xMOOCs), made famous by Coursera and EdX, typically contain short videos, automated quizzes, peer-marked assessments, and online discussion forums Their platforms allow course providers to use learning analytics to track participants’ online activities, with potential benefit for both course producers and consumers, but with problematic ethical implications (boyd & Crawford, 2012)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion