Who are with us: MOOC learners on a FutureLearn course
| Published | May 2015 |
| Type of work | Special Issue: Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs): ‘disrupting’ teaching and learning practices in higher education |
| Journal | British Journal of Educational Technology Volume 46, Issue 3, Pages 557–569 |
| Publisher | Wiley-Blackwell |
ABSTRACT
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) attract learners with a variety of backgrounds. Engaging them using game development was trialled in a beginner's programming course, “Begin programming: build your first mobile game,” on FutureLearn platform. The course has completed two iterations: first in autumn 2013 and second in spring 2014 with thousands of participants. This paper explores the characteristics of learner groups attracted by these two consecutive runs of the course and their perceptions of the course using pre- and post-course surveys. Recommendations for practitioners are offered, including when the audience is different to the one expected. A MOOC is unlikely to please everyone, especially with such large cohorts. Nevertheless, this course, using game development as a vehicle to teach programming, seems to have offered a balanced learning experience to a diverse group of learners. However, MOOC creators and facilitators should accept that a course cannot be made to please everyone and try to communicate clearly who the intended audience for the course are.| Keywords | learner characteristics · learner experience · MOOC research |
| ISSN | 1467-8535 |
| Other number | 3 |
| Refereed | Yes |
| Rights | © British Educational Research Association |
| DOI | 10.1111/bjet.12261 |
| Export options | BibTex · EndNote · Tagged XML · Google Scholar |
Viewed by 73 distinct readers
CLOUD COMMUNITY REVIEWS
The evaluations below represent the judgements of our readers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Cloud editors.
Click a star to be the first to rate this document
▶ POST A COMMENT
SIMILAR RECORDS
Toward the development of a dynamic dashboard for FutureLearn MOOCs: Insights and directions
Chitsaz, Mahsa; Vigentini, Lorenzo; Clayphan, Andrew; Barker, Sandy; et al.
In recent years, many higher education institutions have invested in the development of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). With the increase of available MOOC data, there is an opportunity to provide insights to ...
Match: futurelearn
The emancipated learner? The tensions facing learners in massive, open learning
Littlejohn, Allison; Hood, Nina
MOOCs have the potential to challenge existing educational models. Paradoxically, they frequently reinforce educational conventions by requiring the learners to conform to expected norms of current educational models. ...
Match: learners
Supporting access to open online courses for learners of developing countries
Nti, Kwame; McGreal, Rory
This paper examines how access to, and use of, open educational resources (OER) content may be enhanced for nonnative learners in developing countries from a learner perspective. Using analysis of the open education ...
Match: learners
Adult MOOC learners as self-directed: Perceptions of motivation, success, and completion
Loizzo, Jamie; Ertmer, Peggy; Watson, William; Watson, Sunnie
Despite the increased attention given to MOOCs over the last four years, learners’ voices have been noticeably absent. This virtual ethnographic study was designed to examine the experiences of 12 adult learners with ...
Match: learners
Lessons learnt from a professional development MOOC: Engaging culturally and linguistically diverse learners from low- and middle-income countries
Launois, Pascal; Allotey, Pascale; Reidpath, Daniel; Maher, Dermot; et al.
This article reports on the lessons learnt from the pilot of a professional development massive open online course (MOOC) for a culturally and linguistically diverse student cohort located across low- and middle-income ...
Match: learners
Digging deeper into learners' experiences in MOOCs: Participation in social networks outside of MOOCs, notetaking and contexts surrounding content consumption
Veletsianos, George; Collier, Amy; Schneider, Emily
Researchers describe with increasing confidence what they observe participants doing in massive open online courses (MOOCs). However, our understanding of learner activities in open courses is limited by researchers' ...
Match: learners; mooc research
The impact and reach of MOOCs: A developing countries’ perspective
Liyanagunawardena, Tharindu Rekha; Williams, Shirley; Adams, Andrew; Koskinen, Tapio; Mor, Yishay
Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a recent but hugely popular phenomenon in the online learning world. They are hailed by many as a solution for the developing world’s lack of access to education because MOOCs ...
Match: liyanagunawardena, tharindu rekha
Influencing factors in OER usage of adult learners in Korea
Kim, Byoung Wook; Lee, Won Gyu; Lee, Byeong Rae; Shon, Jin Gon
Open Educational Resources (OER) is terminology that refers to educational resources (content and software) distributed through the Internet, free of charge and freely accessible, expanding learning opportunities for ...
Match: learners
Awareness, attitudes, skills, and open educational resources usage among open and distance learners
Smart, E. Ambrose; Ogbomo, Esoswo Francisca; Akporhonor, Blessing Amina
Background of the study: Open Educational Resources (OER) are adjudged to be of tremendous benefit to open and distance learners due to the nature of their academic programs. However, a number of factors will determine ...
Match: learners
Massive open online courses and economic sustainability
Liyanagunawardena, Tharindu R.; Lundqvist, Karsten O.; Williams, Shirley Ann
Millions of users around the world have registered on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offered by hundreds of universities (and other organizations) worldwide. Creating and offering these courses costs thousands of ...
Match: williams, shirley ann
