The Wonderful World of MOOCs!!!

By: Cerease Nevins-Bennett

August 1, 2022

Last year this time, I was busy cleaning out my Gmail inbox because I had received tons of emails advertising free online courses on a certain platform. I didn’t even bother to read them because of a lack of interest, and furthermore, I was thinking in a negative undertone that a free course may not benefit me in any way; but I was wrong!! Fast forward to 2019, I started to check out the possibilities of MOOCs and investigate how it may help myself and others.

What are Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC)s?

MOOCs are courses designed for large numbers of participants, that can be accessed by anyone anywhere as long as they have an internet connection, are open to everyone without entry qualifications, and offer a full/complete course experience online for free (Elearning Communication, Open-data, 2015). Wait just one minute – Did I just mention the word free? Yes, I did. MOOCs are free of charge. Although accessing the content is free of charge, some MOOCs charge fees for certificates or college credit (Pouezevara & Horn, 2016).

The words in MOOCs can be interpreted differently depending on the users:

“Massive” can be interpreted as a course delivered to a large number of learners who interact simultaneously in the same class or simply the ability to reach a large number of learners who take the class individually in a self-paced manner.

“Open” means the course should be accessible to everyone and should not require some prerequisites such as possession of a qualification or a level of performance in earlier studies.

“Online” means the course is done remotely via the internet and does not require physical attendance at a classroom.

“Course” is interpreted as either delivery of a structured set of content within a defined start and end date by an instructor or as any self-paced set of content that can be accessed on demand without an instructor. As a result, MOOCs vary in delivery method and learner and instructor composition

The pros of choosing MOOCs

MOOCs are a great way of increasing your qualification and at the same time giving you the content and knowledge needed. There are no course fees, prerequisites, and admissions processes, and the courses may be completed at your own pace. MOOCs provide a wide array of innovative and current subjects to choose from being delivered by top professors and universities. They allow learning at any time and anywhere, at an individual and asynchronous pace. You can collaborate and exchange experiences with students worldwide and become a part of prestigious institutions like Harvard, MIT, and Stanford University. MOOC providers are awarding university credit on some of their courses and you can purchase a certificate once you have completed the course., So what is your excuse for not being a part of an Ivy League University?

The cons of choosing MOOCs

One of the documented drawbacks to MOOCs is that of low completion rate, but don’t become a statistic! With sheer will and determination, you will complete your journey. Some critics have said that MOOCs have no “nutritional value” because you are taking a bunch of courses from institutions and programs that may not be accredited, and the certificates received may not be accepted by employers or other institutions. From the employer’s perspective, interpreting MOOCs on a resume is complicated further if the recruiter is not familiar with this form of education, therefore it is best if you choose to sit your courses through a reputable institution.

Which MOOCs should I choose?

There are many MOOCs to choose from, the largest of which are Coursera, edX, and FutureLearn. In choosing your platform it is best if you do some minor research on each then choose the one that stands out based on customer reviews, your own analysis of the courses provided, and the affiliated universities. The next step is to create an account, but be careful, as not all MOOCs are free and some will require you to pay a monthly subscription fee. As a potential student, you must think of your learning patterns and what works best for you. Therefore, with MOOCs, you could choose to take an audited course, a certified course, or for specialization. Once you have decided how you want to learn, your next move will be enrollment. You could enroll in a course with scheduled start and end dates or one where you can learn according to the ‘beat of your own drum’ – which will you choose?

Be sure to choose a MOOC that provides a good video component; adequate reading materials that are either recommended or provided; good integrated activities such as quizzes, questions, and small projects; course specific forums that allow for your questions to be quickly addressed by others; and sectional or weekly organization depending on whether the course is scheduled or you learn at your own pace. Most importantly the platform must be credible, useful to you the user, and relevant to your needs.

Top 6 MOOCs

Finding a course that’s right for you!

There are many courses available and it may be difficult to choose one; however, depending on your area of interest you can type your subject of interest along with the word “MOOC” into the search engine to get a range of MOOC platforms that offer the subject, or use the list of top 6 MOOCs above to assist you in searching. I would choose those that are offered through the most prestigious universities, what about you?

In choosing your courses you may want to ask yourselves the following questions:

1. Is the course self-paced or runs to a set timetable?

2. If self-paced, do I have the motivation to complete it?

3. If there is a tight schedule, will I be able to complete each week’s work on time?

4. Is the course flexible enough for me to finish it early? (Bowden, 2017)

Go to https://www.class-central.com/report/mooc-stats-2018/ for a complete list of MOOCs degrees.

Tips for success when enrolled in MOOCs

Do not enroll in too many courses at the same time, it is better to start with just one, or perhaps two, until you decide whether or not online learning is for you. Stay motivated and try to complete what you have started; sometimes it is difficult to balance personal, professional, and school life especially with the demands placed on completing tasks and assignments. Most importantly, choose a course that is right for you from a reputable university.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8geomS5ogsc

References

Blackman, S. J. (2018). MOOC makers: Professors’ experiences with developing and delivering MOOCs. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 19(4), 77-90.

Bowden, P. (2017). How to choose the best MOOC for you. https://www.class-central.com/report/choose-best-mooc/

Elearning Communication Open-data (2015, March 12). Definition Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). https://www.openuped.eu/images/docs/Definition_Massive_Open_Online_Courses.pdf

Exemplar Global College. (2015, March 30). What’s all the fuss about MOOCs? [Digital image] http://www.exemplarglobalcollege.org/whats-all-the-fuss-about-moocs/

Harvard University (2019, March 10). Harvard MOOCs: Free online courses, and more [Digital

image]. https://www.edukatico.org/en/report/harvard-moocs-free-online-courses-and-more

Kiernan, K. (Image Artist). (2019). Albert Einstein professor genius scientist vector image

[Digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/albert-einstein-professor-genius-scientist-vector-19326628

Papadopolous, M. (2015, April 24). How to get the most out of MOOCs [Video File]. Retrieved

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8geomS5ogsc

Pouezevara, S. R., & Horn, L., J. (2016). MOOCs and Online Education: Exploring the Potential for International Educational Development. RTI Press Publications.

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED570099.pdf

Shah, D. (2018, December 11). By the numbers: MOOCs in 2018 [Blog post].

https://www.class-central.com/report/mooc-stats-2018/