|
|||||||
Insights from a New Angle on Massive Open Online Courses |
|||||||
Paper Id :
18548 Submission Date :
2024-02-08 Acceptance Date :
2024-02-17 Publication Date :
2024-02-22
This is an open-access research paper/article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. DOI:10.5281/zenodo.10820806 For verification of this paper, please visit on
http://www.socialresearchfoundation.com/innovation.php#8
|
|||||||
| |||||||
Abstract |
After the pandemic scenario, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are now common knowledge in the eLearning community. Even while MOOCs are increasingly a necessary tool for gaining access to knowledge, they nonetheless face difficulties and limitations. This research aims to give genuine information to parents, teachers, and policymakers to help them reflect on the various factors that made MOOCs a successful tool for teaching millions of students.Numerous studies have examined the causes of MOOC success and failure, as well as their challenges and prospects from the perspectives of students and providers. After reviewing these studies, the researchers offer a wider range of viewpoints on MOOCs, including andragogical, pedagogical, technical, learning sustainability, evaluation of potential use in the development and integration of MOOCs, and MOOC providers and their strategies. It is hoped that having a thorough understanding of each of these perspectives will be helpful for all the MOOC providers, educators, policy makers and holders to establish a successful MOOC in such a way that could be according to all desirable needs. |
||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Keywords | MOOCs, Andragogical, Pedagogical, Technical, Learning Sustainability, MOOC Providers. | ||||||
Introduction | Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are online
learning environments that welcome an infinite number of students and offer
innovative pedagogical tools beyond those of traditional classrooms, such as
video lectures, quizzes, discussion boards, and communities. In the world of
online education, this constitutes a development of more recent vintage.The
sign-up process for a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is often quick and
easy, and students don't need to meet any specific prerequisites to enrol. All
of that may be learned without shelling out a fortune for school. There are
both free and low-cost options, and even the latter may be found among
them (Chakravarty&Kaur, 2016). The majority of the materials are video lessons
distributed via the site to a large audience. Since MOOCs can be accessed from
anywhere at any time, they serve as a hub for academics and "like-minded
fellow learners" from all over the world (Baturay, 2015).The need
to acquire information at a quick speed and the desire to continue learning
throughout one's life contributed to the rise in popularity of Massive Open
Online Courses (MOOCs), which necessitated the development of new instructional
strategies to meet the requirements of today's students. Definition and Concept "Massive Open Online Course" (MOOC) is a
phrase attributed to David Cormier, however the concept behind it was invented
by Stephen Downes and George Siemens in 2008 under the names
"Connectivism" and "Connectivity Knowledge."Massive Open
Online Courses (MOOCs) were developed with the intention of making education
available to a greater number of individuals in a wider variety of settings.The
definition of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) offered by Oxford
Dictionaries describes it as "a course of study that is made available
through the Internet to an extremely large number of individuals for
free."The term "Massive Open Online Course" (MOOC) was used by Educause
(2014) to describe a paradigm for providing online course materials to
anybody who is interested in learning about a particular topic.In this context,
MOOC refers to: i. M for Massive: The
"M" in MOOC stands for "Massive" since each growing
community of students’ counts in the tens of thousands. The maximum number of
users is unlimited. Once a course has been developed, it may be taken by a
significant number of people. ii. O for Open: If a
course is labelled "open," that indicates anybody can enrol. Everyone
has free and open access to the course. Because of this, the "Open"
in MOOC indicates that the Course is available to (practically) anybody, at any
time, from any location, so long as they have access to the internet. iii. O for Online: The second O in
MOOC refers to the fact that the course is delivered over the Internet. This
might involve the distribution of video clips and downloadable readings,
supplemented by plenary discussions, segregated social media activity, and the
occasional synchronous event such as a live chat. iv. C for Course: The term course
refers to the course-like fixed starting and completion date and structured
into different subject units. There can be one or more teachers. Supervision
and communications options can also be offered to supplement the course. 1.1 MOOC’S Features Basic Features of Popular MOOCs are such as: i. Self-Instructional Reading
Material The reading material should available in e- form;
the content should be self-explanatory and simple. i. High Quality Videos To explain the reading material in better way all
the videos must be of high quality & videos should use animation to make it
interesting, it should not be monotonous. Each lecture video is divided in
small chunks. iii. Weekly/Sectional Course
Content division The entire course is divided on the basis of week
or section, either the course is in series of section or week. iv. Course Discussion Forum Each course has a discussion forum to make it more
interactive and to discuss new ideas or doubts. v. Periodic Test Depending on the course division either weekly or
section-wise, period test are there to assess the performance and understanding
of learner on periodic basis. vi. Final Examination After the course is completed, each course has
typical way of conducting final exam through project, online exam etc.
The idea of Massive Open Online Courses, known as
MOOCs, has exploded in popularity over the past several years as an innovative
approach to implementing digital into the classroom setting. The goal of
Massive Open Online Courses, is to provide open, online courses that are
accessible to everyone, located anywhere in the world, for free.Due to their innovative
use of both online and open educational materials,MOOCs have the potential to
bring about a sea change in how education is delivered at all levels (Watson etal.,
2016). Even though the enormous potential of massive open online courses
(MOOCs) has been extensively explored in a wide variety of media (including
text publications and policy forums), MOOCs have been subjected to criticism
for having pedagogical issues that have not been resolved (Yousef,
Chatti, Schroeder, &Wosnitza, 2014). Particularly, they have been
condemned for having unacceptable levels of student performance, which includes
low levels of student success and high rates of attrition (Cruesetal.,
2018; Raffaghelli, Cucchiara, &Persico, 2015; Veletsianos& Shepherdson,
2016). |
||||||
Objective of study | The objective of this paper is to study the Insights from
a New Angle on Massive Open Online Courses. |
||||||
Review of Literature | Review of Literature of MOOCs From Different Perspectives With the significant rise in internet penetration and drop in the prices of smart phones, access to online learning resources has become indifferent. Enrolments on MOOCs are uplifting of education. However, most of researchers have studied MOOCs from learner’s Perspective and instructor’s view point and some have studied with the concern of providers perspective, this study is analysis of MOOCs from some more perspectives as from the andragogical, pedagogical, learning sustainability, and from technical perspective. The MOOCs as much as facilitating education are also facing critical situations of retention because of the lack of some basic needs of the learners. Major challenges and opportunities of MOOCs can be undertaken in the following perspectives: - 1.1 Andragogical Perspectives Andragogy, from the Greek for "leading children," describes both the theory and practise of instructing adult students. Lincoln Knowles (1970) thought that the best way to teach adults is different from how they teach youngsters. Androgogy is "an emerging technique for adult learning," as Knowles put it in "The Modern Practice of Adult Education". Adults' motivation and success rely heavily on their ability to lead their own efforts. Students' levels of motivation are a major indicator of their level of involvement and success in Massive Open Online Courses (Barba, Kennedy, & Ainley, 2016; Kennedy, Coffrin, de Barba, & Corrin, 2015). Regarding the issue of higher education, testing uses a control for self-assurance and self-control. According to Sandeen (2013), it is partly taken for granted that prior learning evaluation aids in learning. In most cases, shared governance ensures that faculty members are actively involved in the decision-making process on matters of this kind.The degree to which this form of evaluation is accepted varies widely between types of organisations. Non-traditional students are given a helping hand into and through higher education thanks to prior learning evaluation, which has the potential to encourage affordable education, perseverance, and completion when it is implemented in a fair and efficient manner.However, this should notbe viewed as a fast track to a degree or a way to avoid the scrutiny of the faculty. According to Pandit (2016), Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are rapidly becoming an essential component of the education system throughout the world because of the rising desire of the youth to seek excellent education at reasonable costs and the significance being given to e-learning and technological literacy by educational institutions and governments across the world. Considering what Cusumano (2013) states about adults and their capacity for making decisions, MOOCs look like a potential venue for students whose primary objective is to get information from subject-matter experts rather than earn a degree. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a type of online education that may be used as a marketing tool by well-known institutions to attract new students, spectators, and donations. MOOC has the potential to provide a significant challenge to the current structure of the higher education sectorif it is combined with other academic services like admission, counselling, quality assurance, digital libraries, and technological support. Research by Purselet al. (2016) compared conventional education versus MOOCs with regards to environmental concerns. Model, where it is argued that online learning environments are distinct from conventional university settings due to the fact that students are not limited by time or place and may thus be engaged in their studies in a variety of novel ways. McBrien et al. (2009) used Moore's (1993) Theory of Transactional Distance to probe students' involvement in asynchronous online courses. Examining students' perceptions of distance throughout the learning process is significant because it has the potential to bridge physical gaps and is linked to students' levels of interaction and engagement. Students' motivation to study online and their ability to self-regulate their behaviour are two factors that Meyer (2014) says contribute to their level of cognitive involvement in online courses. When studying the idea and consequences of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), Mahajan et al. (2018) emphasised the ramifications of MOOCs due to the high number of participants who can enrol at once. The advantages of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) include their low cost of delivery, the fact that the same module can be used multiple times, the fact that they can be accessed from anywhere at any time,the fact that they feature a diverse group of participants who can learn from one another, the fact that they allow students to set their own pace while studying, the fact that they encourage creativity and foster self-directed learning skills, and so on. According to Pujar and Bansode's (2014) analysis of these benefits, they may contribute to the development of a community of avid students who enrol in classes not out of a pursuit of formal credentials but rather to broaden their horizons and expand their minds. It might also provide an opportunity for skilled individuals in retirement (such as former educators) to create courses and deliver them on their own time and terms. The adult autonomous learner focuses on purposeful learning and good experiences of the course. All that qualities are being offered by the MOOCs as reflected by the study done by Pandit (2016). He has analysed some factors which enhances the online education, these includes comfort of online learning, certification for students, cost of education. Initially, there were fewer restrictions on who may enrol in a MOOC, no fees involved, less opportunities for students to engage with instructors, and no academic credit awarded. Their target audience is those who want to keep learning throughout their lives. It is more likely that internal, rather than external, variables will determine whether or not an online learner succeeds or fails. What each student does to further their education is crucial. One of the many causes of failure in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)including students' tendency to act more as passive observers of content than engaged participants, the ineffectiveness of lectures compared to hands-on experience, a lack of human interaction, an excessively challenging course load, a lack of intrinsic motivation, and a lack of control and structure. Several studies have examined the effects of varying course characteristics on student outcomes, often focusing on a single or a small sample of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Admiraal, Huisman, and Van de Ven (2014), for instance, investigated the effects of self- and peer-assessment on student success in three different Massive Open Online Courses. The characteristics of 76 MOOCs were analysed by Margaryan, Bianco, and Littlejohn (2015), although this analysis was primarily qualitative and did not look at how the elements affected students' grades. Some investigations into characteristics of course design have looked at methods to increase social interaction, while others have looked at the use of certain forms of media in education, as noted in a literature review undertaken by Veletsianos and Shepherdson (2016). By including in-video quizzes in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), Kovacs (2016) was able to examine how students' viewing habits changed as a result of the videos they saw. In 2016, Sajjadi, Alamgir, and Von Luxburg contrasted peer grading to TA grading and proposed strategies to automate the grading process. To reduce the number of MOOC dropouts, Kim et al. (2017) used cues from psychological reactance theory and implemented measures to limit course access and repetition. 1.2 Pedagogical Perspectives The study of both the philosophy and practise of education is what pedagogy is all about. It is concerned with the underlying values and principles that impact our approaches to teaching, learning and assessment. As the classroom teaching should be constructive, reflective, collaborative, and integrative and inquiry based so as to expect in MOOCs for a better experience.Pedagogy is the study of how teachers, students, the learning environment, and the tasks for learning all work together. It tries out the learning activities that go along with the unit of content and the teaching method, such as active learning, the constructivist model, student-to-student interaction, teaching for different learning styles, and different types of assessments. Baturay (2014)gives importance to academic support for MOOCs. MOOCs use teaching methods that have been used for a long time in the field of distance education. These methods are now being used to meet the needs of a large number of people who want to take a course for free. Most of the newest courses are spread out over a week, and students can access relevant sources whenever they want. The courses are based on a model where people learn from each other, but they are led by an expert. Aside from asynchronous learning events, there are also synchronous learning events, such as live seminars. Over time, the video lecture format of these courses got better. Now, more professional videos, like animations and simulations that can be interacted with are released as MOOCs. Khalil and Ebner (2013) suggested thatMOOC instructors’ perceptions of interaction can influence the behaviour and performancelevels of their students. Mahajanet al.(2018) described the basis of MOOCs functions under which they gave detail of Clark’s taxonomy of MOOCs. Clark gave a detailed taxonomy of MOOCs from a pedagogical point of view, based on how well they help people learn and not where they came from. He came up with eight groups (Figure 1). Even though the categories don't exclude each other, they do provide a useful base. |
||||||
Main Text |
Figure: 1: -Classification of MOOCs according to the Clark taxonomy. Source:Mahajan, et al., 2019, “Massive Open Online Courses - Concept and Implications” According to Chen (2013), in terms of pedagogical consideration, teaching staff have a difficulty of adjusting to the MOOC 'environment,' as evidenced by the practise that university management would rather replace faculties with outsourced online courses given by prominent academics, while allowing administrative people to proliferate and thus the relative administrative expense rising (Houston, 2013). According to Capper (2002), the following are some qualities that should be taken into consideration for the professional growth of online teaching: i. Access to pedagogical and instructional materials (rural-urban, 24-7) ii. Consistent quality in content iii. Control and involvement on the part of the instructor online iv. Professional growth that is consistent and continuing at all times v. Visual visuals (recorded film) of instructors imparting knowledge to students Tyagi (2019) explains MOOCs pedagogy as Applied Pedagogy is based on UIP i.e. Understanding - Implementing – Practicing approach and these are the three cardinal principles of proposed MOOCs Pedagogy.
Figure: 2: -Cardinal Principle of MOOCs Applied Pedagogy The unique pedagogical approaches used in Du's (2014) MOOC make it look like a good option for some non-traditional types of distance learners. Without having to rely on a select group of faculty members and/or teaching assistants, the crowd-sourced learning model may make it possible for professors to create courses that welcome contributions from anybody with expertise in a certain field. Sandeen (2013) noticed that the number of people using Khan Academy, TED, and iTunesU to get free online education also went up during this time. Many people tuned in to watch the videos that these companies provided since they were of a high enough production value and focused on teaching. Tutorials provided by Khan Academy, for example, might be utilised to enhance conventional education. In recent times, novel Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have emerged. There is widespread adoption and incorporation of them into established systems. Soon after the debut of MOOCs, specific institutions of higher education decided to accept MOOCs for credit with instructor permission and/or the successful execution of an examination issued by the university. With the advent of these hybrid MOOCs, we have entered the era of MOOC 3.0 or "hMOOCs." According to Chen (2013), in the scope of MOOCs pedagogy, openness in providing information to address accomplishment disparities and to remove educational obstacles has gradually been adopted in self-archiving, Open Educational Resources, Open Course Ware, Open Access,Open Scholar, etc. By working together and exchanging ideas, everyone may have access to higher education and advance current methods of academic communication. Similar to OCW, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are not intended to be completed for academic credit, and students are free to enrol and drop out of the courses at any time. The absence of traditional classroom settings and student-teacher interactions sets OCW apart. The school's only responsibility is to supply the necessary teaching materials. But in Massive Open Online Courses, students and instructors engage in conversation through group projects, discussions, and Q&A sessions. According to Mahajan et al. (2018), the focus of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is on integration and collaboration because MOOCs provide a forum for interaction among a diverse group of students, promoting the sharing of knowledge and observations, and the exploration of topics beyond those covered in the course itself. The topic of teamwork in curriculum development is tackled by Pujar&Bansode (2014). Through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), librarians from various institutions may work together to create new curriculum. Because of insufficient faculty or predetermined competency levels, certain educational institutions struggle to provide particular courses. In these cases, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) present a chance for academic institutions to work together on the creation of courses. In addition to facilitating knowledge transfer, this opens the door for students to study with the top instructors anywhere in the world. They claim that MOOCs will speed up the spread of Flipped classes. They argue that both students and instructors will benefit from this arrangement because of the increased exposure to cutting-edge research and instruction at top institutions. If this doesn't result in a change to an already-established curriculum, schools might not even need official permission to implement it. Tyagi (2019) in her study focuses on MOOCs Pedagogy for outcome based education. According to her,tokeep the learner till the completion of the course and decrease the dropout rate of learners, we must rework on the MOOCs pedagogy, if a pedagogy includes some outcome with every theory and that outcome is based on the day to day practical skills which is useful either personally / professionally will surely be able to hold the learner till the completion of the course. According to Wong's (2015) research, which focuses on four MOOC providers—Coursera, edX, FutureLearn, and OpenLearning—the platforms share some pedagogical tenets. These include the utilization of short videos, discussion boards, and computer- or peer-graded exams and assignments. Yet beyond these commonalities, the platforms' respective websites showcase distinctive pedagogical characteristics, illuminating the varied pedagogical priorities that informed platform development. Features like studentagency, real-world application, and social cohesion are central to Open Learning's pedagogical underpining.The four most pressing problems with modern education, as outlined by Tyagi (2019), are: i. Contests for Academic Standing ii. Having no original ideas iii. No two-way communication iv. Inadequate effort to educate oneself. 1.3 Learning Sustainability According to the American Association of Sustainability in Higher Education "Sustainability learning outcomes are statements that define the precise information and abilities a student is anticipated to have obtained and exhibited by the successful completion of a unit, course, or programme." The phrase "Sustainability" is not required in learning outcomes as long as the results as a whole deal with sustainability as a multifaceted concept with social, economic, and environmental components." According to Taneja and Goel (2014), the average course completion rate is less than 10% and can reach as high as 40% for a select few. Students have sufficient excitement at the beginning of the course, but this gradually wanes as the weeks ago. As a result, the numbers (users being claimed) do not truly transfer into potential effect in terms of course information supplied / income earned, suggesting that many participants are only window shoppers. In this respect, Massive Open Online Courses have some work to do. In their discussion of hybrid MOOCs, Sullivan et al. (2019) note that the goal of Exploring Emerging Technologies for Lifelong Learning and Success (#EmTechMOOC) is to help learners of all ages and from all over the world find resources they can modify to meet their needs in the modern, ever-changing world of education.Students, teachers, and working and aspiring professionals from all over the world are welcome to take advantage of #EmTechMOOC, a freely available online Massive Open Online Course., a hybrid Massive Open Online Course, like #EmTechMOOC. Although the course has a specified framework, the success of participants is greatly reliant on how the learner constructs their learning environment. The course features connectivity akin to a cMOOC; activities are scientific breakthrough and student-centered. The foundation of #EmTechMOOC is the four pillars of 21st century learning: communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Participants of #EmTechMOOC discover effective methods for establishing and maintaining a culture of lifelong learning that allows them to keep up with the rapid speed of technological development. General Medical Council, UK defines CPD as "learning beyond undergraduate or postgraduate education that serves to maintain and enhance performance" (Mahajan et al., 2019). It encompasses growth in all aspects of professional competence, including but not limited to knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and behaviours. Formal course interaction between students, between students and course content and between students and instructors, is possible in online courses. Anderson's interaction equivalence theorem (2003) argues that when any one of the three types of contact is present at a high degree, significant learning can take place. More than one sort of interactivity should be provided for the best learning experience. In the end, Adult students in Rhode's (2009) self-paced online professional development certificate programme were found to be prepared to forego what some of them saw as peripheral peer interactions in favour of the independence afforded by the technique.Croxton (2014) argues that educational institutions should put in extra effort to design engaging classrooms that foster deep engagement amongst students, faculty, and course material. There are a variety of internal, external, and environmental variables that might lead a student to abandon an online course. Family obligations, time restraints, a dearth of organisational support at work, and monetary concerns are just a few examples of the many external influences at play (Rovai& Downey, 2010;Park& Choi, 2009;Tello, 2007). The self-regulation, self-determination, and self-efficacy of students are internal elements that have a direct bearing on their motivation (Mahle, 2011; Gunawardena, Linder-VanBerschot, LaPointe, &Rao, 2010; Hill, Song, & West, 2009; Offir, Lev, &Bezalel, 2008; Park & Choi, 2009;). The final consideration is the learning environment, which may play a significant role in a student's choice to withdraw from an online class.Poorly crafted course materials, technical issues, a lack of responsibility, a sterile environment devoid of engagement, a sense of isolation, and a distant or absent instructor are all examples of contextual variables (Rochester &Pradel, 2008). Online students' commitment to and success in a course might be influenced by any number of circumstances beyond the instructor's control (Levy,2007). According to Sullivan et al. (2019), MOOC participants reported feeling more confident in their ability to use digital and media resources after taking part in the course, indicating that the experience was generally positive. Taneja and Goel (2014) stated that there are two sides to this problem. The first is whether or not a MOOC certificate earned in one nation is recognised in another. The significance of this becomes clear in particular settings. If a student earns an MBA in the United Kingdom, for instance, they will not be given the same consideration for employment or be allowed to apply for government jobs based on that degree. Second, it's unclear if certain nations will want to push their own MOOCs or welcome international competition (for ex. China or other country could restrict access to certain MOOC players if they find questionable courses). Although this is not a pressing concern for the major participants in the MOOC space at the moment, in the next five to seven years this will change as the platforms develop and earn more recognition. Many companies nowadays (like Udacity) are specialising on either higher education (college/Post College) or the STEM sectors (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), however they do serve students of various ages (termed as life-long learning market). Future growth will rely on the specific markets that existing companies like Khan Academy choose to specialise in. Coursera has begun offering programmes for K-12 educators, and it has the potential to grow in this area. The EmTechWIKI was used in a project by Sullivan et al. (2019) to provide course takers something to refer to long after the class was ended. Seventy percent or more of students who were polled said they planned to utilise the wiki even after the course was finished. Eighty-three percent of those who took part in the #EmTechMOOC said they were better off because of it. And, as many as 86 percent of those who took part in the study said they picked up new skills and techniques that will serve them well throughout their lives. Additionally, 72% of respondents reported that their comfort, motivation, anxieties, frustrations, and concerns around technology were all favourably impacted by their participation in the #EmTechMOOC. Statistics show that just roughly 6.5 percent of students who start a Massive Open Online Course end up finishing it (Oakley, 2016; Alraimi et al., 2015;Perna et al., 2014). According to Porter (2015),however, the feasibility of MOOCs beyond the CPD sphere will be profoundly influenced by the future economics of the higher education system as a whole. What do you anticipate the impact of MOOCs will be on the blended learning paradigm and on traditional universities? The gap between "the posh and the not" is expanding, and although the elite institutions are thriving, they are also attracting a disproportionately large amount of public and private funding in the form of research grants and joint ventures, forcing the less prestigious ones to narrow their emphasis so in order to survive.Now that we're well into the third generation of hybrid MOOCs, there's a great chance to consider how these courses have changed education thus far. Teachers and students alike can benefit from the "full engagement" that MOOCs can provide since the format "promotes cooperation, accountability, and a commitment" (Cormier & Siemens, 2010, p. 32). Instead than being perceived as a replacement for regular classroom instruction, MOOCs may also be used to augment what students learn in other ways (Krause and Lowe,2014).MOOC teachers highlight a variety of qualitative achievements in their classes, including those that pertain to student participation and individual success (Comer, 2014;Woodworth, 2014;Halasek et al., 2014). 1.4 Technical Perspectives Facebook, Wikipedia, Moodle,Twitter, YouTube, WordPress, Dropbox, Skype,Evernote,Google Docs, Google Search, Slideshare, Prezi, and many more providea solid platform that can complement learning experiences just as successfully as the most cutting-edge Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) (Centre for Learning and Performance Technologies,2012).Arya (2017) argues that the primary idea behind the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) movement is that knowledge is best gained through a complex web of interpersonal relationships. The potential to "share and learn" that are made available by the proliferation of social media platforms such as Google,Facebook LinkedIn, micro blogging websites like Twitter and several other blogging sites, are immense. The Horizon Report 2013 (for the 2012 report, see NMC Horizon Report) highlights six innovations that will have a significant influence on education during the next one to five years. Here are examples: MOOCs; Games and Gamification; Learning Analytics;Table Computing; 3D Printing; Wearable Technology. According to Chen's (2013) analysis, the use of technology increases opportunities for cross-cultural communication between students and teachers. It's a circumstance that mirrors the varied nature of real-world learning opportunities, which are on par with those found in more conventional settings like schools. The implementation of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is not even a remote possibility if the student and instructor communities have poor levels of digital literacy. This is the present situation in India, where almost 90% of the population does not have any level of digital literacy, as stated by Chatterjee&Nath (2016). Learning in a MOOCs paradigm requires comfortableness with the digital realm and the world of cyberspace. Massive campaigns to promote digital literacy and internet fluency are suggested. Affordable digital technology, digital devices, and a consistent high-speed, low-cost internet connection are essential in order to encourage the broad use of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). The necessity for domestic production and advancement of such infrastructure is felt in light of the rising prices of hardware and software produced overseas. The widespread use of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) would open up a massive market for the suppliers of software and hardware components of the Internet's backbone. If the government took proactive measures, there would be a flood of private investments into the online education market.Infrastructure is another barrier to MOOC-based education, say Hauminlun&Madhusudhan (2019). An electronic gadget and access to the internet are prerequisites. MOOCs are designed to be accessible to as many people as possible, yet the cost of providing the necessary infrastructure might be prohibitive. Only until colleges are able to improve their technological infrastructure will MOOCs be able to have a significant impact. Universities may face financial hardships due to the high cost of content production. As a result, there should be a system in place to deal with the costs associated with developing MOOCs. According to Wong (2016), many people utilise social media and other online platforms because they provide a fun and exciting atmosphere for communication. Online tools like chat rooms and message boards may be used to bring together students from all over the world for guided dialogues regarding the course materials (Goldberg et al., 2015; Murray, 2013). Wikis and other types of social networking platforms make it easier for students and their educators to communicate with one another (Conole, 2013). According to Bremer(2012), students' use of Twitter far outpaced that of the course blog as the primary means of interaction amongst classmates. Internet-based communication allows teachers to engage in both individual and class discussions (Kellogg, 2013). Collaborative students outperformed individual students in a study by DeBoer et al. (2013). Rollag (2010) said that students who don't feel comfortable talking to their teachers face-to-face might learn more from using discussion boards than from talking to them in person. Rao& Kishore (2019)suggests that some rapid steps shall be taken to provide minimum education with the help of technology and technology enabled learning irrespective of their age. Digital literacy shall be increased through mobile apps. Specific to Higher Education we need to, set up one central agency responsible to create, maintain and use of digital data for educational and research purpose at all levels. 1.5 Evaluation of Potential Use in Construction And Integration of MOOCs According to Sandeen(2013), one of the most significant issues is that the business model and return on investment for colleges that provide MOOCs are still up for debate. Specifically, this is a concern since it is one of the major challenges.The transition from the expansive and cost-free foundations of the early MOOCs to the MOOC 3.0 era mix of more normal online fee-based programmes highlights the necessity of a strategy that is financially feasible.People have a greater understanding of the benefits of the internet as a result of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).They have prompted developments in educational technology and pedagogy that might be able to assist us in expanding the number of individuals throughout the world who have access to higher education. While Hauminlun and Madhusudan (2019) agree that MOOCs can be an effective tool for addressing some of higher education's most pressing problems; they also point out that very few research have investigated the effect that MOOCs have on the learning outcomes of students and that's true even for the 5 percent of students who successfully complete one. Questions like "Can the students apply the knowledge in a business setting?" are useful for gauging such learning outcomes. How well do they do at synthesising knowledge to tackle difficult problems? In January of 2013, for instance, Students are able to reduce the cost of their education because to a collaboration between San Jose State University and Udacity. This collaboration resulted in the creation of three Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) that may be taken for college credit. At the end of the semester, about 57% of San Jose State students and 73% of non-resident students had failed at least one of their classes.This experiment is no longer being conducted at San Jose State. Since Chatterjee and Nath (2016) discovered that MOOCs operate in a fundamentally different way from the conventional model of higher education, it is necessary to develop new methods of assessing and accrediting candidates.This common misunderstanding has to be cleared up before Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) can be given the same status as more conventional forms of education.Since the MOOC learning system is predicated entirely on an online platform, it stands to reason that the evaluation would also take place in an online context. Due to the varied nature of the course, it is strongly advised that students be assessed on a frequent basis in order to gauge their progress. Final exams may be combined, or they may be given separately. Pujar and Tadasad (2015)says that as a demand of quality education increasing many countries already adopted an Object Based Education (OBE) and they have found better results than the conventional education approach. The main basis of an OBE is producing outputs rather than inputs.An OBE majorly focuses on the students and organizes everything in curriculum in such a way that the student gets maximum learning and it also ensures that every student learn at least essential learning by doing proper and timely assessment of the student learning.According to Sandeen(2013), the business plan and expected return on investment for educational institutions that provide MOOCs are still up in the air. The development of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) from their free and open-ended origins to their current condition as a combination of regular online courses and MOOCs, also known as MOOC 3.0, highlights the necessity of a commercially successful strategy.The benefits of the internet are becoming more known as a direct result of Massive Open Online Courses. As a result, innovations in both teaching methods and technology have been sparked, which might one day assist more people throughout the world gain access to higher education. Although Hauminlun and Madhusudan (2019) agree that Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) can be a useful tool for tackling some of higher education's most challenging issues, they also highlight that few researches have studied the influence of MOOCs on students' academic achievement, and this is true even for the 5% of students who successfully finish one. As an example, questions like "Might the students use the information in a business setting?" can help evaluate the effectiveness of such teaching and learning. How good are they at bringing together disparate bodies of information to solve complex issues? Given the findings of Chatterjee and Nath (2016) that MOOCs function in a fundamentally different way from the traditional paradigm of higher education, new methods of assessment and accreditation are necessary. This myth must be busted, and MOOCs should be given the same status as regular classroom instruction. Given that the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) learning system relies only on an online platform, it stands to reason that the assessment would likewise take place online. It is highly recommended that students be examined frequently in order to judge their progress due to the varying nature of the course. It is up to the discretion of the instructor whether or not to combine the final exams. In addition, the findings demonstrated an increase in teachers' knowledge of and readiness to utilise MOOCs as a viable alternative for professional development of teachers, matching the findings of previously conducted research (Koutsodimou and Jimoyiannis, 2015;Laurillard, 2016; Wang et al., 2018).According to Wong (2016), evaluation is an important part of learning because it requires students to reflect on, retrieve, and apply what they have learned. Students have the option of receiving feedback in order to better understand and enhance their academic achievement. Kulkarni et al. (2015) discovered that providing immediate feedback on students' ongoing work in large courses led to improvements in the students' academic performance. However, evaluation is a significant obstacle for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), since it is difficult to provide thorough and timely feedback to such a vast number of students. In addition to this, the problem of cheating through internet platforms needs to be solved (Chen, 2014).Aparicio et al. (2019) Gamification is one of the most important factors contributing to the success of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), as it has been shown to have a positive influence on use, as well as individual and organisational impacts, and to moderate the significant relationship that exists between organizational and individual impacts. As a result of this, gamification not only has a direct good effect, but it also has an indirect effect, as it leverages the influence of individual impact on organisational impact. Peer evaluation has been widely used in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), in which students evaluate the work of their classmates using criteria such as rubrics or checklists (Sánchez-Vera et al., 2015). Additionally, essays and closed-ended questions are graded by a computer (Sandeen, 2013; Chen, 2014).In addition, several alternative approaches have also been offered, such as the one that was first presented by Kulkarni et al. (2015) and is called PeerStudio. In this method, all of the students participate in giving feedback on the entries made by their peers based on a rubric. Sánchez-Vera etal. (2015) have presented a hybrid peer assessment technique, which combines the evaluations carried out by peers with those carried out by specialists. This strikes a healthy balance between the breadth and depth of feedback provided in MOOCs by shifting some of the marking responsibilities away from the sole responsibility of the instructor and onto those of other individuals.It is possible, however, that the idea of openness, as well as ideal teaching and learning results, will not be accomplished in the absence of innovations for teacher-student interactions (Chiappe-Laverdeetal., 2015). When it comes to successful MOOC instruction, there is no fast way. It is an adventure consisting of research, practise, and introspection into a variety of instructional philosophies, pedagogical approaches, and technological tools. 1.6 MOOC Providers and their Strategies Wong(2015) argues that it is possible to see how the pedagogical strengths of each platform were utilised in their lessons. Some research has found that the distinguishing aspects of MOOC platforms based on different continents are the disparities in pedagogical approaches among platforms. As Bayne & Ross (2014) put it, "the concept of large-scale social learning isn't underpinning the entire architecture of those platforms," despite the fact that both Coursera and edX use "star lecturers who wish to express their expertise to individual learners." Instead, FutureLearn is built with "a type of UK/European pedagogy around social constructivist learning" as its pedagogical goal. This forces us back to a binary classification, like separating courses into xMOOC and cMOOC. According to Porter (2015), the money being put into MOOCs right now is being split between two different parts of the MOOC economy. First, MOOC platforms like Coursera, Udacity, edX, and FutureLearn need sustainable business models to keep running, and second, the institution that is providing the MOOC itself and the support services for its students need to have a solid financial footing. There are a few MOOC platforms that are attempting to monetize their offerings by providing additional services, such as accreditation and certification.Under this arrangement, the university and MOOC provider split the proceeds according to a predetermined formula (Porter, 2015). Because MOOCs are still in its experimental stages, universities are reluctant to disclose how much money they are making from them. In most cases, universities do not plan to recoup their investment expenses in the near future, viewing the model as a long game. Financial support for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is a major challenge for service providers right now because many traditional financial institutions still lack a thorough understanding of this type of investment. Many MOOC innovations have been sponsored by one-time launch money, with further aid coming through unseen cross-subsidy in the form of faculty time, support staff time, and infrastructure utilisation (digital video studios).According to Arya (2017), the most popular MOOC providers include coursera.org, edx.org, canvas.net, udacity.com, open2study.com, online.stanford.edu/courses, openculture.com, iversity.com, etc. Together they provide 4-8 weeks courses in arts,computer sciences, education, humanities, biology& life sciences; media &communication, food & nutrition, business & management, law, economics,mathematics, medicine, environmental sciences, engineering and other vast kinds of disciplines. Besides the English language, they are also available in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Japanese, Russian, Chinese,etc. It's important to note that several of the courses are time-paced while others are more flexible. There are no costs associated with enrolling in any of these classes, and students are encouraged to take as many as they can handle. There is a permanent archive where students may access course materials such as video lectures, assignments, and discussion forums even after the official course finish date has passed. Through joining Twitter hash tags and user groups created for each course, students are able to continue engaging with each other and the instructors even after the courses have concluded. Leading MOOC providers like Coursera, EdX, and Udacity are considering course specialisations, choices for university credits, researching new income sources, going mobile, etc., as reported by Taneja and Goel (2014). The market share held by Coursera in the Massive Open Online Course sector has grown significantly. EdX is a free and open source software project that is actively seeking community input for future development. Udacity is gearing up to provide its customers with specialised functionality and content (such as vocational training). There will be further changes to the ways in which material is distributed, how new technologies are used (such as mobile apps), and how content is monetized.From the different perspectives of accessibility and participation, Chenetal.(2018) designed a study model to probe MOOC users' persistent intent to use the platforms. Differences between the MOOC platform and a non-MOOC platform were determined based on a comparison of their most important features. The results show that the MOOC platform had higher ratings for perceived satisfaction, interaction, and continuation intent. This demonstrates how the improved performance of the MOOC platform might increase students' intent to use the service. More specifically, the degree to which an individual was regarded to be open to communication had a clear, albeit weak, bearing on their purpose to stick around. The discovery that a MOOC's platform may affect its pedagogy has ramifications for educators' and course creators' leeway in crafting MOOCs.According to Pursel et al. (2016), MOOC design teams might try to foresee how many students will finish the course and come up with strategies to keep them interested in the course. As more data becomes available from Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), it is likely that more relationships will be discovered regarding behaviours and motivations associated with course completion and success. This will open up new opportunities for analytics, such as intelligent tutoring systems and personalised, adaptive learning paths through a MOOC. Justification of the Study After reviewing the past researches, this study has chosen different perspectives of MOOCs for a variety of reasons: 1. Andragogical Perspective i. As per andragogical perspective, Purposefulness of MOOCs should be studied. ii. Learners profile i.e. whether the MOOCs are communicative, collaborative, creative and critical thinking providers, it should be estimated for the success of MOOCs. 2. Pedagogical Perspective i. MOOCs leverage a unique pedagogical model. It needs to be time framed, reflective and inquiry based. ii. Satisfying learning environment improves the performance of learners in MOOCs. 3. Learning Sustainability i. Credits given in MOOCs should be given equivalence to formal courses so as to make learning sustainable. 4. Technical Perspective i. There is a need for investment on Digital literacy and networking for MOOCs success. ii. There is a lack of awareness of different MOOCs according to the need of learners. 5. Potential Use in construction and integration of MOOCs i. Learning Management should be maintained for the construction and integration of MOOCs. 6. MOOC providers and their strategies i. Funding in MOOCs is a great issue for the providers. ii. Different MOOC platforms have different Pedagogic features. |
||||||
Conclusion |
While it's great
that several researchers have examined MOOCs from the students' point of view,
it's also clear that more fundamental factors, such as learner profile and
multitasking, need to be studied in order to provide an effective psychological
foundation for MOOCs. It is reasonable to assume that MOOC instruction would
follow the same constructive, reflective, collaborative, integrative, and
inquiry-based models advocated for use in traditional classrooms. With MOOCs,
professors from different universities can collaborate on the development of a
single course. Besides easing the flow of information, this also paves the way
for students to take classes from the best teachers in any part of the world.
In online courses, students, instructors, and course content can all engage in
formal forms of course interaction that promote substantial learning.For the
effectiveness of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), it is important to
evaluate the learner profile, or the extent to which the MOOCs foster communicative,
collaborative, creative, and critical thinking. The
importance of Learning Management in the development and implementation of
MOOCs cannot be overstated.A lack of familiarity with the many MOOCs available
to meet the requirements of individual learners exists. In order for Massive
Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to be successful, there is a pressing need to
engage in digital literacy and networking. Thus the researchers offer a wider range of viewpoints on MOOCs,
including andragogical, pedagogical, technical, learning sustainability,
evaluation of potential use in the development and integration of MOOCs, and
MOOC providers and their strategies. It is hoped that having a thorough
understanding of each of these perspectives will be helpful for all the MOOC
providers, educators, policy makers and holders to establish a successful MOOC
in such a way that could be according to all desirable needs. |
||||||
References | 1. Agrawal, A., Kumar, A., &Agrawal, P. (2015). Massive Open Online Courses: EdX. org, Coursera. com and NPTEL, a comparative study based on usage statistics and features with special reference to India. 2. Aparicio, M., Oliveira, T., Bacao, F., &Painho, M. (2019).Gamification: A key determinant of Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) success. Information & Management, 56(1), 39-54. 3. Arya, U. (2017). The Rise of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and Other Similar Online Courses Variants–Analysis of Textual Incidences in Cyberspace. Journal of Content, Community, 26-33. 4. Baturay, M. H. (2015). An overview of the world of MOOCs. Procedia-Social and BehavioraSciences, 174, 427-433. 5. Beaven, T., Hauck, M., Comas-Quinn, A., Lewis, T., & de los Arcos, B. (2014). MOOCs: Striking the right balance between facilitation and self-determination. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 10(1), 31-43. 6. Chakravarty, R., &Kaur, J. (2016). MOOCs in India: Yet to Shine. International Journal of Information Studies & Libraries, 1(1), 14-21. 7. Chatterjee, P., &Nath, A. (2014, December). Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in higher education—Unleashing the potential in India. In 2014 IEEE International Conference on MOOC, Innovation and Technology in Education (MITE) (pp. 256- 260).IEEE. 8. Chen, C. C., Lee, C. H., & Hsiao, K. L. (2018).Comparing the determinants of non-MOOC and MOOC continuance intention in Taiwan: Effects of interactivity and openness. Library Hi Tech, 36(4), 705-719. 9. Chen, J. C. C. (2013). Opportunities and challenges of MOOCS: Perspectives from Asia. 10. Clarke, T. (2013). The advance of the MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) The impending globalisation of business education?. Education+ Training, 55(4/5), 403-413. 11. Croxton, R. A. (2014). The role of interactivity in student satisfaction and persistence in online learning. MERLOTJournal of Online Learning and Teaching, 10(2), 314-325. 12. Crues, R., Bosch, N., Perry, M., Angrave, L., Shaik, N., &Bhat, S. (2018, June). Refocusing the lens on engagement in MOOCs.In Proceedings of the fifth annual ACM conference on learning at scale (p. 11).ACM. 13. Du, Y. (2014). Massive Open Online Course: The Implication to iSchool Education. iConference 2014, 884-888. 14. Funieru, L. M., & LĂZĂROIU, F. (2016). Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs): A Comparative Analysis of the Main Platforms. InformaticaEconomica, 20(2). 15. Koukis, N., &Jimoyiannis, A. (2019). MOOCS for teacher professional development: exploring teachers’ perceptions and achievements. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 16(1), 74-91. 16. Madhusudhan, M. (2019). An Indian Based MOOC: An Overview. Library Philosophy and Practice, 1-23. 17. Mahajan, R., Gupta, P., & Singh, T. (2019). Massive Open Online Courses: Concept and Implications. Indian Pediatrics, 56, 489-495. 18. Nisha, F., &Senthil, V. (2015). MOOCs: Changing trend towards open distance learning with special reference to India. DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology, 35(2). 19. Olsson, U. (2016). Open courses and MOOCs as professional development–is the openness a hindrance?. Education+ Training, 58(2), 229-243. 20. Pandit, A. (2016).Can 2016 be the inflection year for MOOCs in India.Retrieved from: https://www.financialexpress.com/jobs/can-2016-be-the-inflection-year-for-moocs-in-india/232269/ 21. Paul, P., Bhuimali, A., Kalishankar, T., Aithal, P. S., & Rajesh, R. (2018). SWAYAM: The Platform for Modern and Enhanced Online and Flexible Education-A Knowledge Survey. International Journal of Applied Science and Engineering, 6(2), 149-155. 22. Porter, S. (2015). The economics of MOOCs: a sustainable future?. The Bottom Line, 28(1/2), 52-62. 23. Pujar, S. M., &Bansode, S. Y. (2014). MOOCs and LIS education: A massive opportunity or challenge. Annals of Library and Information Studies (ALIS), 61(1), 74-78. 24. Pujar, S. M., &Tadasad, P. G. (2016). MOOCs–an opportunity for international collaboration in LIS education: A developing country’s perspective. New Library World, 117(5/6), 360-373. 25. Pursel, B. K., Zhang, L., Jablokow, K. W., Choi, G. W., &Velegol, D. (2016). UnderstandingMOOC students: motivations and behaviours indicative of MOOC completion. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 32(3), 202-217. 26. Rai, L., &Chunrao, D. (2016).Influencing factors of success and failure in MOOC and general analysis of learner behavior. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 6(4), 262. 27. Rao, A. B., & Kishore, M. (2019).The Future of Digital Pedagogy–An Indian Perspective. Phani Krishna, The Future of Digital Pedagogy–An Indian Perspective (April 15, 2019). 28. Reich, J. (2014). MOOC completion and retention in the context of student intent. EDUCAUSE Review Online. 29. Reich, J., &Valiente, J. A. R. (2019).The MOOC Pivot.Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330316898_The_MOOC_pivot 30. Sandeen, C. (2013). Integrating MOOCs into traditional higher education: The emerging “MOOC 3.0” era. Change: The magazine of higher learning, 45(6), 34-39. 31. Shelly, U., & Srivastava, K. (2016).Impact of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on Higher Education. 32. Sinha, M. (2019).Present Scenario of Women in Higher Education in India-Opportunities and Challenges.The Research Journal of Social Sciences, 10(3), 56-63. 33. Speight, S. (2017).Learning for sustainability in the digital world. On the Horizon, 25(1), 1-3. 34. Sullivan, R., Fulcher-Rood, K., Kruger, J., Sipley, G., & van Putten, C. (2019). Emerging Technologies for Lifelong Learning and Success: A MOOC for Everyone. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 47(3), 318-336. 35. Taneja, S., &Goel, A. (2014).MOOC providers and their strategies. International Journal of Computer Science and Mobile Computing, 3(5), 222-228. 36. Tyagi, S. (2019). MOOCs Applied Pedagogy for Outcome Based Education: Application Based Teaching-Learning. In JIS College of Engineering, International Conference on Digital Pedagogies (ICDP). 37. Watson, S. L., Loizzo, J., Watson, W. R., Mueller, C., Lim, J., &Ertmer, P. A. (2016). Instructional design, facilitation, and perceived learning outcomes: An exploratory case study of a human trafficking MOOC for attitudinal change. Educational Technology Research and Development, 64(6), 1273-1300. 38. Wong, B. T. M. (2015). Pedagogic orientations of MOOC platforms: influence on course delivery. Asian Association of Open Universities Journal, 10(2), 49-66. 39. Wong, B. T. M. (2016). Factors leading to effective teaching of MOOCs. Asian Association of Open Universities Journal, 11(1), 105-118. 40. Xing, W. (2019).Exploring the influences of MOOC design features on student performance and persistence. Distance Education, 40(1), 98-113. 41. Yousef, A. M. F., Chatti, M. A., Schroeder, U., &Wosnitza, M. (2014, July). What drives a successful MOOC? An empirical examination of criteria to assure design quality of MOOCs.In 2014 IEEE 14th International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (pp. 44-48).IEEE. 42. Zhu, M., Sari, A., & Bonk, C. (2018, June). A Systematic Review of MOOC Research Methods and Topics: Comparing 2014-2016 and 2016-2017. In EdMedia+ Innovate Learning(pp. 1673-1682). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). |