This paper summarises the Irish response to the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) movement through integrating a number of data sources, including the findings from a recent institutional survey. In reflecting on the Irish experience the paper asks the question what role should governments play in supporting a strategic response to the MOOCs? It describes the wider growth of MOOCs in Europe and presents the Irish experience as a case study to discuss whether or not a more formal policy response is required to harness the potential of new models of open and online learning to promote wider access to higher education. Ireland is used to illustrate how different institutions have chosen to respond to MOOCs by tracing the history of several first generation initiatives. The response of government agencies and policy-makers is then discussed in the context of a number of high-level policy initiatives. Set against the backdrop of a lack of serious policy engagement in the development of MOOCs, the paper concludes by explaining why Dublin City University (DCU) has chosen to launch Ireland’s Open Learning Academy.

Keywords

case study · Ireland · MOOC · OER policy · open learning