Abstract
Due to the rapid influence of technology on the teaching-learning process, both instructors and students alike are expected to keep abreast of the perpetual developments in the field of education. The introduction of Massive Open Online Courses (Henceforth MOOCs), as one form of e-learning, has made skyrocketing changes in the manner and availability of education provided to mass numbers of learners all the world, including Arab countries. The use of MOOCs in Oman is relatively new, and thus it appears to be unbeknown to a large segment of undergraduate students. The study beforehand, therefore, is meant to explore Omani undergraduate students’ awareness of MOOCs both locally and globally via the use a self-administered questionnaire targeting three main academic institutions in Oman with a total number of 306 participants. In-depth scrutiny of the obtained data evidently shows that unfamiliarity of MOOCs among Omani undergraduate students is significantly high, a fact reflected in the high percentage of those oblivious of its existence (88.89%) as opposed to those (11.11 %) who are familiar with MOOCs. Lack of publicity of these platforms in the Omani academic institutions and the academic community in general, among several other reasons, stand behind such unawareness of these platforms.
Highlights
The increasing value and importance of education is reflected in the attention availed by governments and educational institutions in allocating high income to improve and develop their teaching policies
In-depth scrutiny of the obtained data shows that unfamiliarity of MOOCs among Omani undergraduate students is significantly high, a fact reflected in the high percentage of those oblivious of its existence (88.89%) as opposed to those (11.11 %) who are familiar with MOOCs
Aiming to be a reference for academic institutions and researchers concerned with the use of MOOCs in Oman, this study shed light on the awareness of Omani undergraduate students about the use of MOOCs as a means of learning
Summary
The increasing value and importance of education is reflected in the attention availed by governments and educational institutions in allocating high income to improve and develop their teaching policies. Roya (2018) states it clearly that undergraduate students should be made aware of the importance of MOOCs and familiar with their usage so that they can make better use of such platforms in their studies Unfamiliarity with such courses, precludes both students and teachers alike several benefits that could develop the educational process. With that goal in mind, the study targeted a representative sample of undergraduate students from three main academic institutions in Oman: Sultan Qaboos University, Scientific College of Design, and Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) Exploring such area is of great importance in enhancing the teaching-learning process in Oman in various ways. Some MOOCs platforms depend on grabbing the attention of a specific group of learning society, individuals with higher education for instance, and does not address other groups like school students or craftsmen (Bates, 2018) Another challenge facing MOOCs is the low completion rates of the offered courses. The educational content and tools for any MOOC course should be available at all times for the course participants even after its completion
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