Learning Theories Supporting Massive Open Online Courses

2015 ◽  
pp. 125-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denis A. Coelho
Keyword(s):  
Learning Theory ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learner Autonomy ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
The Core ◽  
Critical Literacies ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Educational Paradigm

Learning theories lay at the core of every educational paradigm; especially applicable to MOOCs are the ones that originate in constructivism. Connectivism is a de facto learning theory that is framing the growing enthusiasm surrounding the design and the worldwide dissemination of MOOCs. This chapter shows how connectivism has become the digital age's natural successor to the stream of learning theories that preceded it, despite its questionable ability to fulfill the totality of pre-digital requirements drafted for learning theories. As a disruptive phenomenon, several obstacles to materializing the promise of inclusiveness and equality in access to learning that is signified by MOOCs remain, including learner autonomy, presence (cognitive, social and teacher's) and critical literacies, as well as recognition, validation and accreditation. Finally, fostering the widespread development of the set of educators' skills essential to fully implement connectivism is needed in order to fully reap the potential benefits of MOOCs.

scholarly journals Connectivism and dimensions of individual experience

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Tschofen ◽  
Jenny Mackness
Keyword(s):  
Learning Theory ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Individual Experience ◽  
Distributed Environments ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Effective Learning ◽  
New Learning ◽  
Insight Into

<p>Connectivism has been offered as a new learning theory for a digital age, with four key principles for learning: autonomy, connectedness, diversity, and openness. The testing ground for this theory has been massive open online courses (MOOCs). As the number of MOOC offerings increases, interest in how people interact and develop as individual learners in these complex, diverse, and distributed environments is growing. In their work in these environments the authors have observed a growing tension between the elements of connectivity believed to be necessary for effective learning and the variety of individual perspectives both revealed and concealed during interactions with these elements. In this paper we draw on personality and self-determination theories to gain insight into the dimensions of individual experience in connective environments and to further explore the meaning of autonomy, connectedness, diversity, and openness. The authors suggest that definitions of all four principles can be expanded to recognize individual and psychological diversity within connective environments. They also suggest that such expanded definitions have implications for learners’ experiences of MOOCs, recognizing that learners may vary greatly in their desire for and interpretation of connectivity, autonomy, openness, and diversity.</p>

The Role of Virtual Worlds for Enhancing Student-Student Interaction in MOOCs

2016 ◽  
pp. 208-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa Reis ◽  
Paula Escudeiro
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Interaction Model ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
The Core ◽  
Constructive Process ◽  
Core Concepts ◽  
Changing Role

This theoretical chapter attempts to clarify interaction role in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS) and increased emphasis on utilization the virtual worlds, as tools to a constructive process where the learner should be actively involved. An overview of the core concepts of the MOOCs and Virtual Worlds is provided and an explanation of how these environments can be used for helping in creation more authentic learning activities. The chapter presents an interaction model based on collaboration, so as to elucidate the major design differences. In conclusion, we want explore the changing role of formal learning in an era open education, where the Massive Open Online Courses can allow access, in many cases completely free of cost to the learner.

scholarly journals Why Study on a MOOC? The Motives of Students and Professionals

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Milligan ◽  
Allison Littlejohn
Keyword(s):  
Data Science ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Career Progression ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Formal Knowledge ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Future Learning

<p class="3">Massive Open Online Courses have emerged as a popular mechanism for independent learners to acquire new knowledge and skills; however, the challenge of learning online without dedicated tutor support requires learners to self-motivate. This study explores the primary motivations reported by participants in two MOOCs: <em>Fundamentals of Clinical Trials </em>and <em>Introduction to Data Science </em>(n=970). Each MOOC drew a diverse cohort of participants ranging from professionals working in the field to students preparing to enter it. Across both MOOCs, a similar profile of primary motivations emerged, with respondents identifying the potential benefits to their current role, or future career, alongside more general responses reflecting casual interest in the topic or a simple desire to learn. Professionals were primarily motivated by current needs, describing how the course could fill gaps in their formal knowledge, broaden their skillset to increase their effectiveness at work, or enable them to innovate. Professionals also saw the benefit of MOOC study in preparing them for new roles and career progression. Students, meanwhile, used MOOC study to complement their other learning. It is clear that MOOC study represents a popular mechanism for professionals to address both current and future learning needs.</p>

scholarly journals Massive Open Online Courses as an Augmentation of E-Learning: A Review

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Mohamed Ali Mahmod ◽  
Asma Md. Ali ◽  
Asadullah Shah
Keyword(s):  
Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Scientific Papers ◽  
E Learning

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are considered as important trends in electroniclearning (e-learning) in higher education. Many universities offered MOOCs to any learners who preferlearning via the internet and benefiting from the offered courses online. Massive Open Online Courses areopen learning to anyone to enrol and study and many offered courses are free which do not require payingfees. MOOCs are delivered as video-based content via the internet offered by educational institutions anduniversities to many international learners. There is a lack of previous studies and scientific papers thatinvestigates the global role of MOOCs in e-learning. MOOCs has emerged due to learning theories relatedto learners whether individuals or networks of learners. Therefore, this paper reviews Massive Open OnlineCourses characteristics, it spread around the world, its practical implementation in e-learning LearningManagement Systems (LMS) and its theoretical contributing roles to enhance e-learning through its rolesin promoting e-learning theories.

Information-Technology-Enabled Teaching Paradigm Reform Based on Massive Open Online Courses and Flipped Classroom

2014 ◽  
Vol 635-637 ◽  
pp. 2081-2084
Author(s):  
Bin Shen ◽  
Shu Qin Li ◽  
Yuan Yuan Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
The Core ◽  
Teaching Paradigm ◽  
Technical Framework

In this paper, we propose a novel teaching paradigm called "MOOCs + flipped classroom" and discuss the adoption of information technology to support this teaching paradigm. The core ideas, the technical framework, the key supporting technologies and the advantages of this paradigm are introduced. The practice shows the validity of this emerging teaching paradigm.

scholarly journals «Talgenism» in the Digital Age: A Domestic History of cMOOC

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (8-9) ◽  
pp. 71-84
Author(s):  
M. A. Babaeva ◽  
E. B. Golubev
Keyword(s):  
Learning Theory ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Learning Technology ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Mutual Learning ◽  
New Learning ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The Creation

The authors consider the questions of the transformation of educational space in the modern digital era. They focus on the weakness of the theoretical foundation of e-learning in the context of mass practice of its implementation and application and discuss the legitimacy of applying traditional theories to e-learning in a radically changed educational space and the need to develop a new theory. Cognitivism, constructivism, and behaviorism are the basis of the traditional pedagogical system (class-lesson in school and lecture-seminar in universities). It is shown that a different pedagogical system is represented by connectivism – the theoretical construction of G. Siemens who created it as a “theory of the digital age.” On the basis of connectivism and for its study, G. Siemens and S. Downs have developed the first massive open online courses (cMOOC) – and this theoretical design was put into practice. One more learning technology similar to the connectivism was discovered, which is also based on a pedagogical system different from the traditional one. This made it possible to give the “learning theory of the digital age” a noticeable “historical volume”. The roots of the modern connectivism of massive open online courses have been discovered in Russia. One hundred years ago, the famous teacher Alexander Rivin for the first time realized the idea of collective mutual learning. This method which he called “talgenism” (a derivative of “talent” and “genius”) relied on “dialogical communication” in variable pairs and allowed to achieve incredible results in the joint training of people of different ages and different levels of training. The article traces the historical milestones of the development of the method of collective mutual learning in Russia and adduces the documentary evidence of experiments on the creation of a fundamentally different pedagogical system. The authors argue that the method of collective mutual learning (talgenism) of the Russian teacher A.G. Rivin and the technology of modern connectivism implemented in the massive open online courses with cMOOC of Canadian researchers G. Siemens and S. Downs have common key features. Despite the time and geographical gap (Russia, 1918 and Canada, 2008), each of these technologies makes it possible a fundamentally new learning process focused on the needs of a student, the organization of which is practically unattainable with a traditional class-lesson or lecture-seminar system. Both technologies are presented as effective practical implementations of the new education paradigm, which allows us to carefully and comprehensively study its elements. A conclusion is drawn on the prerequisites for the creation of a new learning theory which would become the foundation for a new time alternative pedagogy which could claim the status of a general theory, a base not only for distance, electronic, but also for classroom learning.

scholarly journals Connectivism: Its place in theory-informed research and innovation in technology-enabled learning

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances Bell
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Emerging Technologies ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Research Evaluation ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Previous Learning

The sociotechnical context for learning and education is dynamic and makes great demands on those trying to seize the opportunities presented by emerging technologies. The goal of this paper is to explore certain theories for our plans and actions in technology-enabled learning. Although presented as a successor to previous learning theories, connectivism alone is insufficient to inform learning and its support by technology in an internetworked world. However, because of its presence in massive open online courses (MOOCs), connectivism is influential in the practice of those who take these courses and who wish to apply it in teaching and learning. Thus connectivism is perceived as relevant by its practitioners but as lacking in rigour by its critics. Five scenarios of change are presented with frameworks of different theories to explore the variety of approaches educators can take in the contexts for change and their associated research/evaluation. I argue that the choice of which theories to use depends on the scope and purposes of the intervention, the funding available to resource the research/evaluation, and the experience and philosophical stances of the researchers/practitioners.

Education and the Relation to the Outside: A Little Real Reality

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 273-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Savat ◽  
Greg Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Transformative Teaching ◽  
Control Society ◽  
Brave New World ◽  
Radical Transformation

One of the more dominant themes around the use of Deleuze and Guattari's work, including in this special issue, is a focus on the radical transformation that educational institutions are undergoing, and which applies to administrator, student and educator alike. This is a transformation that finds its expression through teaching analytics, transformative teaching, massive open online courses (MOOCs) and updateable performance metrics alike. These techniques and practices, as an expression of control society, constitute the new sorts of machines that frame and inhabit our educational institutions. As Deleuze and Guattari's work posits, on some level these are precisely the machines that many people in their day-to-day work as educators, students and administrators assemble and maintain, that is, desire. The meta-model of schizoanalysis is ideally placed to analyse this profound shift that is occurring in society, felt closely in the so-called knowledge sector where a brave new world of continuous education and motivation is instituting itself.

cMOOCs and Global Learning: An Authentic Alternative

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Yeager ◽  
Betty Hurley-Dasgupta ◽  
Catherine A. Bliss
Keyword(s):  
Online Courses ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Research Review ◽  
Press Coverage ◽  
Open Educational Resource ◽  
Educational Resource ◽  
Global Learning ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Definition Of

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) continue to attract press coverage as they change almost daily in their format, number of registrations and potential for credentialing. An enticing aspect of the MOOC is its global reach. In this paper, we will focus on a type of MOOC called a cMOOC, because it is based on the theory of connectivism and fits the definition of an Open Educational Resource (OER) identified for this special edition of JALN. We begin with a definition of the cMOOC and a discussion of the connectivism on which it is based. Definitions and a research review are followed with a description of two MOOCs offered by two of the authors. Research on one of these MOOCs completed by a third author is presented as well. Student comments that demonstrate the intercultural connections are shared. We end with reflections, lessons learned and recommendations.

Massive Open Online Courses: Potential Implications for Advancing the Field of Family Science

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Doneker ◽  
Bethany Willis Hepp ◽  
Debra Berke ◽  
Barbara Settles
Keyword(s):  
Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Family Science
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