Student and Teacher Perspectives on MOOCs
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Revision as of 16:39, 7 December 2023
Contents |
Context Statement
The three articles under review offer an insightful exploration into different facets of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) from diverse perspectives. In "Learners’ Perspectives on MOOC Design" by Oh, Cho, and Chang (2023), the focus lies on the design dimensions of MOOCs that learners find valuable, particularly in the context of professional development. The article looks at the evolution of MOOCs from democratizing education to serving as a preferred path for career advancement. Using quantitative research, the authors identify and categorize key design dimensions, providing a comprehensive framework.
On the other hand, "Teaching and Learning with MOOCs: Computing Academics' Perspectives and Engagement" by Eckerdal et al. (2014) addresses the impact of MOOCs on the computer science academic community. The study assesses the views of academics, as well as their knowledge and experience in MOOCs through a mixed method approach which offers a nuanced picture of both positive and negative aspects that have been perceived within the community.
Lastly, "What employees think about MOOCs at work" by Egloffstein and Ifenthaler (2017) shifts focus to the corporate context with a view to understanding how MOOCs are accepted and used for professional learning. The authors focus on understanding the reasons of employees for wanting to learn, their interest in MOOC topics and expectations related to credentials and incentives.
Together, these articles contribute to the broader discourse on MOOCs, offering valuable insights into learners' perspectives on design, academic viewpoints, and employee experiences in different contexts. These articles present a range of perspectives and findings that may be useful to researchers, teachers, educational designers and professionals in the field of online learning.
Learners’ perspectives on MOOC design
Teaching and learning with MOOCs: computing academics' perspectives and engagement
Teaching and learning with MOOCs: computing academics' perspectives and engagement
Eckerdal, A., Kinnunen, P., Thota, N., Nylén, A., Sheard, J., & Malmi, L. (2014). Teaching and learning with MOOCs: computing academics’ perspectives and engagement. Proc. 19th Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, 9–14.
D.O.I: 10.1145/2591708.2591740
Context
The article discusses the impact of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on the academic community, particularly focusing on the computer science academic community. The authors highlight that discussions about MOOCs have mainly taken place in non-scientific forums, making it challenging to assess wider opinions within academia. To gather more rigorous data, the authors conducted a survey among teachers, researchers, and academic managers in the computer science academic community. The study aims to understand their perspectives, attitudes, and experiences with MOOCs. The analysis is based on responses from 137 participants. The findings reveal a mixed set of feelings about MOOCs within the computer science academic community.
Overview
The main focus of the research is to understand the attitudes, awareness, and perceptions of academics, especially in the computer science academic community, regarding MOOCs. The authors aim to investigate academics’ views on the pros and cons of MOOCs concerning teaching and learning.Although, the article doesn't explicitly mention specific theories, it engages with various perspectives and experiences of academics regarding MOOCs. The discussion touches upon pedagogical models, assessment practices, interaction issues, and the impact of MOOCs on traditional teaching methods. Furthermore, to answer their research question, what are the attitudes and perceptions of the computer science academic community on MOOCs they employ an online questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of two parts: one for all academics, regardless of their prior experience with MOOCs, and another for those with more knowledge and experience in MOOCs. The survey received responses from academics on five continents, representing 19 countries and more than 90 universities. The participants included teachers, researchers, academic managers, and other roles within the computing and IT disciplines. To analyze this data in regard to open-ended questions a content analysis was performed. Four members of the research team individually read the open-ended responses, noted emerging themes, and agreed on preliminary categories. To ensure consistency, two researchers analyzed a subset of responses, interchanged their analyses, and discussed any disagreements until harmonization was achieved. Overall, the authors argue that MOOCs in higher education settings are bringing about mixed opinions within the academic community. Positive aspects include increased accessibility to new content, access to expert international teachers, flexibility in time and place for studying, and the potential to provide free education to non-traditional student groups. Negative aspects include poor pedagogical models in MOOCs, lack of interaction between students and teachers, concerns about the quality of assessment practices, worries about plagiarism, and difficulties in authenticating student work.
Strengths and Weaknesses
On the one hand, the article is extremely strong since it provides a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative data from a survey with qualitative insights obtained through open-ended questions. This approach provides a nuanced understanding of the attitudes, experiences, and practices of computer science academics regarding MOOCs. Essentially it provides numerical statistics backed up by reason.
On the other hand, the article could benefit from a more explicit statement of research objectives. While it is evident that the study aims to investigate academics' perspectives on MOOCs, specifying clear research questions at the outset could enhance the article's focus. Furthermore, although there is a research methodology section, it lacks clarity and transparency. In fact, it simply states “To learn about computing academics’ awareness, attitudes and perceptions concerning MOOCs we constructed an online questionnaire…one researcher categorized the themes found in the responses and then the other researcher reviewed the results”. Providing details on the development of the questionnaire, its validation, and the steps taken to ensure its reliability would enhance the methodological rigor of the study. Moreover, when conducting a content analysis with a human analyst it is important to mention reliability scores to show that there was no biased evaluation which they did not.
Assessment
In my opinion the article is beneficial for understanding perspectives on MOOCs in the computer science community, i believe that it should not be used for future research. The findings, although informative, may be limited in generalizability, and the potential biases in the study should be acknowledged more explicitly. The absence of a codebook or coding scheme raises concerns about the reliability and replicability of the analysis. Without a transparent and well-defined coding process, it becomes challenging to assess the rigor of the study and the validity of its findings.
Ja19kd 20:13, 1 December 2023 (EST)
Employee Perspectives on MOOCs for Workplace Learning
Egloffstein, M., & Ifenthaler, D. (2017). Employee Perspectives on MOOCs for Workplace Learning. TechTrends, 61(1), 65–70.
https://ocul-bu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_BU/p5aakr/cdi_proquest_journals_1855703081
D.O.I: 10.1007/s11528-016-0127-3
Context
The article investigates the acceptance and effectiveness of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in professional learning from the employee perspective in corporate settings. The study addresses gaps in empirical evidence regarding the use of MOOCs for workplace learning, emphasizing the need to consider both employers' and employees' attitudes. The research explores employees' motivations, preferences for learning purposes, interest in MOOC topics, and expectations related to credentials and incentives. The research aligns with broader issues in the evolving landscape of digital workplace learning, where the need for continual, individualized learning is crucial. It contributes to discussions on the potential of MOOCs as a scalable, flexible, and adaptive solution for corporate training. The study addresses challenges in digital workplace learning, emphasizing the importance of informal learning and the role of technology in bridging formal and informal learning environments.
Overview
The article investigates how employees perceive Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) within professional settings and tries to understand the extent to which MOOCs are embraced for learning in the workplace. The authors highlight the limited research on the untapped potential of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in workplace learning. Therefore, their emphasis is on understanding employees' viewpoints on motivation, credentials, and incentives by asking "which learning purposes would employees use MOOCs? Which MOOC topics are of interest for employees? And how important are credentials and incentives for employees when participating in MOOCs?" To do so, the article draws on self-regulated learning theories to highlight the increasing importance of individualized, continuous learning in the rapidly changing work environment. Moreover, Two major MOOC pedagogies, connectivist MOOCs (cMOOCs) and extended MOOCs (xMOOCs), are introduced and briefly critiqued for their different approaches to content delivery and learner engagement. Regarding methodology, the authors use a survey research design to collect data on 119 employee perspectives on MOOCs in workplace learning. A survey instrument with seven sections, including ICT competencies, motivation, online learning, credentials, incentives, interest in MOOC topics, and demographic information was implemented. Overall, the raison d'être of the article lies in shedding light on the acceptance of MOOCs for workplace learning and providing insights for the design and implementation of these courses in digital workplace environments.
Strengths and Weaknesses
On the one hand, the article effectively identifies a gap in the existing research related to Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in professional workplace learning, specifically focusing on the limited empirical evidence on the acceptance and effectiveness of MOOCs in this context. Moreover, it has very clear objectives, the need to investigate the employee perspective on MOOCs, particularly concerning motivation, credentials, and incentives for workplace learning.
On the other hand, the study sample is far too small to be considered representative. The results can be used as a basis for formulating additional hypotheses; however they are too small to be applied to a broader population. Furthermore, the respondents declared that they had a lack of experience with MOOCs and thus, the authors conclusion could be somewhat biased. Essentially, the respondents' lack of experience with MOOCs might influence their perceptions and responses, potentially skewing the study's outcomes and warranting caution to generalization.
Assessment
In my opinion the article provides a valuable exploration of the acceptance of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in workplace learning from the perspective of employees. Despite its commendable insights, the study's limitations, such as a small and potentially biased sample, necessitate careful consideration in drawing broader conclusions. The authors effectively shed light on employees' motivations, preferences, and perceptions regarding MOOCs, opening avenues for further research and practical implications. This article is particularly beneficial for educators, researchers, and professionals interested in the intersection of digital workplace learning, technology integration, and employee development. It offers a nuanced understanding of the potential challenges and opportunities associated with implementing MOOCs in corporate settings. Additionally, human resource professionals, instructional designers, and policymakers can find valuable insights for enhancing the design, implementation, and acceptance of MOOCs in the context of professional learning.
Ja19kd 20:13, 1 December 2023 (EST)
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