MOOCs...in a moment

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are, in essence, a online course that is delivered in a way that up to tens of thousands of learners can take the course at any one time. They are are avaialable online, are often free of charge, and are delivered by recognizable institutions. The fact that a learner could enroll in a course offered by MIT or Harvard or Stanford without having to be in attendance or even enrolled at those institutions was one of the primary reasons for the rapid increase in popularity once the present format coalesced. In their current state, MOOCs have four general characteristics:

1. They leverage Web formats, including streamed video (on YouTube or Vimeo) of both pre-recorded and live content. Live-conferencing tools like Google Meet and Zoom are used to offer collaborative spaces.

2. Collaborative learning is emphasized. Drawing on the Open Educational Resource model, MOOCs can form learning communities through forums to allow enriched input into the course by the learners.

3. Assessment is used to assess transfer and retention, using mulitple-choice quizzes, programmed tests, and essays that are corrected either automatically, by instructors, or by peers. Certificates for successful completion can be given–this is the vehicle by which most platforms monetize their offerings.

4. MOOCs have specific start and end dates (which differentiates them from DIY Learning). Sequential delivery of content, a series of mini-events, and a strong communication strategy are used to allow MOOCs to mimic traditional in-person courses.

Royal Roads University and Queen's University are two of many universities offering specific MOOCs that transfer directly towards graduate degrees. Community colleges are not major providers at this time, but there is expected growth to come. Additionally, vocational and professional micro-credentials are one of the fastest-growing fields for MOOCs, with some major platforms specializing in these professional-development courses, like Udacity and Udemy. 

One of the major benefits touted of MOOCs is that the costs to the learner who completes a MOOC is only $US74-$US272 compared to $7,000 or more for in-person courses at the institution (Hollands and Kazi, 2019). As the scope of MOOCs have expanded to include vocational training and certification (micro-credentials) through providers like MicroMasters Programs on edX, or Specializations on Coursera, learners have reported both career and educational benefits. In one study of the outcomes of MOOCs (Hollands and Kazi, 2019),

• 72% of the learners were between twenty-two and forty-four years old, with equal numbers of males and females. 

• The learners were from 154 different countries, with most from the U.S. and India. 

• Half of the learners worked full-time for an employer, and 16% ran their own business.

• 44% expected to improve performance in current job

• 27% wanted help to start their own business

• 26% wanted to learn something new