mooc’s written by : Mahlatsi Kamohelo

Email: 201143683@student.uj.ac.za

amohelangmahlatsi@gmail.com

What does MOOC stand for?

M - MassiveO - OpenO - OnlineC - Course

What is a MOOC? A MOOC is an online course that has unlimited

participation and open access via the website. Anyone with an internet can access them. Although MOOCs don’t always offer academic credits,

they provide education that may enable certification, employment or further studies.

Characteristics of Mooc

Allows content online delivery to any person who wants to take a course.

Free courses that are online.Has no limit to attendance.Has materials like videos, readings and

problem sets that students can use for them to learn effectively.

History of Mooc The evolution of technology and of new learning experiences have always

been closely related.

As distance learning specialists affirm, the field of distance-learning had three main generations: Correspondence study

Multimedia

Computer-mediated

The first of these distance learning models grew exponentially in Europe and United States after the Industrial Revolution, especially because a more qualified work force was needed for the factories.

In addition, postal services were becoming faster, cheaper and more reliable.

For example, in the 19th century, students from Australia were already able take correspondence courses from prestigious universities, such as the London School of Economics, one of the first in the United Kingdom to offer distance education.

History of Mooc’s cont………

However, this first generation was still far from reaching massive numbers of students like MOOCs are doing today.

Correspondence study only predominated until the arrival of electronic media, which lead to popularization of radio and television as educational tools in the 20th century.

Teachers and learners from all parts of the world took advantage of the new technology.

Those who did not have access to formal learning could watch or listen to classes for free, wherever they were.

History of Mooc’s cont…….

The content was adapted to reach different types of audiences, and even students in remote areas could have knowledge in academic subjects.

But a main pedagogical factor was still lacking: students had hardly any interaction with professors or other students.

Videotape was used by many distance learning initiatives but was criticized because of its passivity.

The multimedia generation had popularized distance learning and allowed new possibilities, but only computers and the web could unite forces to provide a new e-learning infrastructure, mainly built upon networks and communities on-line.

Advantages of Mooc

They are a low cost routes to accessing quality courses.

They can be combined with other studies or work.

They are accessed from any computer and any location including your home.

Disadvantages of Mooc

They do not feed into any degree or other qualification but they are self contained.

Few students complete the courses.Content from a Mooc offered by a

university outside home country may not match cultural and other conditions with which you are familiar.

Types of Mooc’s

There are two types of moocs which are the: Cmooc,s and xmooc’s

Cmooc’s Connectivists Moocs. This is a MOOC designed for connectivity learners

built by George Siemens. Based on a connectivism theory of learning with

networks developed informally. Connectivism is the thesis that knowledge is

distributed across a network of connections, and therefore that learning consists of the ability to construct and traverse those networks.

Cmooc’s continue………

They include discussion forums. They allow people to bounce ideas around and

discuss learning together and one-on-one interaction and easy back-and-forth questioning.

they emphasize connected, collaborative learning and the courses are built around a group of likeminded „individuals‟ who are relatively free from institutional constraints.

Cmooc’s continue………

Xmooc’s

Developed out of the Open Course Ware and Open Educational Resources.

They Follow a more behaviourist approach arguably dominated by the “drill and grill” instructional methods.

Behaviourism: a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviours are acquired through conditioning, use video presentations, short quizzes and testing.

xmooc continues……….

They focus on concise, targeted video content with short videos rather than full-length lectures to wade through and use automated testing to check students‟ understanding as they work through the content.

Students intake some information, then hopefully engage in doing something while getting a little bit of help from peer learners.

Field of interest

I will be focusing more on life sciences, as to communicate with learners, giving them a chance to learn, explore and gain more information.

Topics that I would like to persue in future are:

MitosisHuman ReproductionCellular respiration