Running Head: MOOC

MOOCs
Trisha S. Alvarado
Azusa Pacific University

EDTC515


MOOC

2
MOOCs

The advent of the Internet has completely revolutionized education. Not only are
educators equipped with a plethora of software and Web 2.0 tools that can directly impact
classroom instruction, but the definition of what a traditional classroom embodies has
changed. Distance learning, which offers students the ability to complete courses
completely online, has become one option of many for students who would like a
different educational setting. In 2008, distance learning was forever changed with the
introduction of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). MOOCs are a new trend in
education that has gained momentum in the past years. With the many benefits given
from this type of learning platform, they will no longer be considered a trend, but a viable
form of learning in todays progressively digital world.
To start, a MOOC is defined as a course that integrates the connectivity of social
networking, the facilitation of an acknowledged expert in a field of study, and a
collection of freely accessible online resources (McAuly, Stewert, Siemens, & Cormier,
2010). Bates (2014) explains that a MOOC has four common features. They are massive.
Coursera, one of the leading providers of MOOCs, has over 7.5 million sign-ups alone.
There is really no limit to its final size. They are open. There is no prerequisite to sign-up.
The only real requirement is computer or mobile access and the Internet. They are also
completely free, which adds to their appeal. MOOCs are online. Institutions and
organizations which create MOOCs usually offer all of the resource materials to be easily
accessed online. Finally, MOOCs are essentially courses. They are designed from

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beginning to end to embody a whole course. The end results may vary, including
certificates or badges for successfully completing a course.
According to Shaw (2014), the MOOC statistics of 2014 show that these types of
courses are offered by over 400 universities, with 2400 plus courses, and between 16-18
million students participating. These numbers continue to grow. Growth has been steady
since its conception, but in this past year alone courses offered by universities have
doubled. There is no determined length of time for a MOOC. MOOCs are usually
designed to be self-paced and self-directed. Some college courses, however, may
resemble a semester length of time. In Rowleys (2013) article, Why are Students
Taking MOOCs? he describes how students enjoy that they are an inexpensive
alternative in order to continue education. Many students also like the diverse range of
classes offered through reputable universities. Most students are able to find courses that
align with their own professional development needs. Plus, many students find the quality
of courses high level, which results in a positive experience. Those who have hectic
schedules find MOOCs easy to complete on their time and in the comfort of their own
homes. To add, there is also a diverse group of students who take these online programs.
According to Carapezza (2015), teachers make up 40% of learners. This means that even
those who are not necessarily interested in getting certification find a desire to take these
programs. You also have undergraduate students, international students, retired persons,
degree-bearing persons, and those who take courses out of curiosity. MOOCs have a
largely diverse audience.

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MOOCs have had large impacts on society and within the field of education.
MOOCs remove education barriers by offering free courses that are accessible to
virtually anyone in the world. This is a huge premise as education has now become
available to nearly anyone. Few resources are required and their popularity has shown to
be increasing. Online alone, there are numerous resources written about the impact of
MOOCs on education. Experts seem to be divided on the overall effects of MOOCs and
share both the positives and negatives with this type of learning. According to Haynie
(2014), some instructors in blended classes are following in the footsteps of MOOC
leaders by dividing their lectures into short segments, giving more frequent assessments
and providing more opportunities for problem-solving activities. This type of teaching
strategy has shown to improve student performance. Here, part of the course is taught
within the MOOC. In class, students get time to focus more on analyzing and evaluating
content, which promotes critical thinking. This resembles the flipped-classroom style of
teaching. In addition, many MOOCs engage in peer evaluation. Many instructors feel this
provides students with a powerful learning opportunity by being able to teach and
evaluate another. In contrast, some of the disadvantages of MOOCs are highlighted.
MOOCs may not adhere to all of the learning styles. For example, in technical courses
requiring physical and hands-on exposure, MOOCs are not appropriate. To add, real-time
questioning and conversation is not possible as in normal brick-and-mortar institutions.
There are only electronic alternatives, such as email, message boards, and chat rooms
(Peterson, n.d.). Plus, there is a huge drop out rate. So, are MOOCs a passing fad? In my

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opinion, it is too soon to tell. This is such a new type of learning platform. With anything
new, there are the normal growing pains. The mission of MOOCs, to provide a low cost
online learning opportunity, will continue to appeal to many for years to come. The
disadvantages also did not stop my curiosity with dabbling into the world of MOOCs.
My first venture with a MOOC was through this course. Coursera is one of the
leading providers of massive online open courses. The site partners with universities and
organizations from all over the world. Upon first browsing through the site, I was drawn
in by the easy design interface. I was able to explore the site efficiently because of its
intuitive design. All of the important facts about Coursera were listed, such as how the
site works and the benefits of the Coursera experience. According to Coursera (2015),
there are four key ideas that shape their vision. They believe in the power of online
learning and how students can gain stronger results versus traditional face-to-face
instruction. Mastery learning is highlighted. The site tries to give immediate feedback
regarding concepts the user is struggling with and chances to reassess. Peer assessments
are available for more in-depth feedback. Finally, blended learning with participating
universities is incorporated. This results in higher student engagement and performance.
These all create a positive impact on the user experience. My first impression of the site
was that it was developed, organized, user friendly, and I had a clear vision of its
purpose.
The most difficult part was narrowing down which course I would like to take. I
was intrigued by the list of participating universities, which included: Brown University,
Stanford, UC San Francisco, Cal Arts, and even the University of Melbourne. I had the

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option of course searching by the institution. I would imagine that this would be
appealing to potential students who are interested in specific universities or organizations.
I was also able to search by course subject. I chose the latter and decided to take a
professional development course on art in the classroom, since art is one of my biggest
passions. The course is offered by the Museum of Modern Art and it is entitled Art &
Activity: Interactive Strategies for Engaging with Art.
The course focuses on inquiry-based approaches to art education, and also dives
into activity-based strategies for students in the classroom. The course is set to run for
four weeks. Since this is considered a type of distance learning, I am able to complete the
assignments at home to fit my schedule. Each week is comprised of a set of lessons.
These lessons include video instruction, required reading, and ends with assessment. I
appreciate how the weekly format is consistent throughout the course. I know what to
expect as each new lesson opens. The videos have been very informative. In the video
titled, Writing & Discussion-Based Activities for Analyzing and Reflecting, I learned four
new classroom activities that will help get students to look at art elements closely and
discuss personal observations about a work of art. For example, in a memory activity,
students are to look at a work of art for thirty seconds, turn their backs to the artwork, and
tell a partner what they saw. All of the students have to work together to recreate an
entire visual piece. It gets students talking and analyzing details. I learned about
strategies that I could apply directly into my classroom that will add on to how Ive done
art instruction in the past. During the video lessons, I have found it beneficial to take
notes as I found how important these details are in the assessment portion. The required

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readings are from online sources, including universities, museums, and experts in the
field of art education. All of the readings were easy to access via hyperlinks embedded
into each lesson. There was no need for me to collect resources on my own.
Each lesson ends with an assessment. The assessment covers topics that are
covered within the videos and readings. The assessment is essentially a quiz, comprised
of ten questions. Most of the questions are multiple choice, as well as multiple response
answers, which requires students to choose all of the answers that apply. My particular
course has no short answer prompts. My first quiz experience did not turn out too well. It
made me realizes that I had to pay more attention to detail. The site allows students to
retake quizzes. I appreciate this option as it encouraged me to go back and focus more on
the details of each section. With online courses, I think it may be easy sometimes to rush
through lessons without reading. This provided a good accountability experience.
My first impression with a MOOC is very positive. I was able to take a course in
something I am interested in for free, from an organization I hold in high esteem. I have
also taken away a lot of real learning that I can apply to my teaching. I am half way
through my course and I intend to see it all the way through. Again, the site itself helped
with my user experience. Quality content is organized and presented in a user friendly
way. The student dashboard allows easy access to a list on completed lessons, which
helps keep students on track and takes the guesswork out of bookmarking where you are.
I especially enjoyed the discussion forum. It allows for all current students taking courses
to ask questions and potentially have real conversations on lesson content. It was

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remarkable to read about the diversity of students, in regards to profession, age, and
location. For me, my MOOC has been a very engaging experience.
The world of MOOCs seems to be ever growing and I dont foresee slowdown
anytime soon. This low-cost alternative to education can fit many needs and has given
educational access to many without the means. Since MOOCs are still so new, their
advantages and disadvantages are constantly being reviewed. I also fear that this free
platform of learning will somehow fall to corporate needs of making profits. I believe it is
too soon to tell whether or not this type of distance learning will create a permanent place
in education. For now though, I like to focus on the positive.

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9
References

Bates, T. (2014, October 12). What is a MOOC? Retrieved from

http://www.tonybates.ca/2014/10/12/what-is-a-mooc/
Carapezza, K. (2015, April 2). Who is taking MOOCs? Teachers, says MIT-Harvard
study. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/taking-moocsteachers-says-mit-harvard-study/
Haynie, D. (2014, June 6). Experts debate the impact of MOOCs on education.
Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles
/2014/06/06/experts-debate-the-impact-of-moocs-on-education
McAuley, A., Stewart, B., Siemens, G., & Cormier, D. (2010). The MOOC model for
digital practice. Retrieved from https://oerknowledgecloud.org/sites/oer
knowledgecloud.org/files/MOOC_Final.pdf
MOOCs: Advantages and disadvantages. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.
igniteengineers.com/mooc-advantages-and-disadvantages/
Peterson, D. (n.d.). The pros and cons of MOOCs. Retrieved from http://adulted.about.
com/od/Adult-Education-in-the-U.S./a/The-Pros-And-Cons-Of-Moocs.htm
Rowley, S.H. (2013, September 10). Why are students taking MOOCs? Retrieved from
http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2013/09/why-are-studentstaking-moocs.html
Shah, D. (n.d.). Online courses raise their game: A review of MOOC stats and trends in
2014. Retrieved from https://www.class-central.com/report/moocs-stats-andtrends-2014/