2. WHAT IS MOOCS
MOOCs stands for:
M: Massive
O: Open
O: Online
C: Courses

3. WHAT IS MOOCs
 MOOC is a course offered online and is aimed at
exposing any individual who has access to internet to
learn in a collaborative and interactive way.
 It is aimed at supporting a limitless number of
participants-massive
 MOOCs are like distance education e.g. anyone
across the globe can participate in the course for freeopen online

4. What is MOOCs
 Anyone who is computer literate and willing to participate in
MOOCs is allowed to do so.
 Good news: no entry requirements, e.g. its not important
whether you have a matric certificate or degree
 However, it is different from traditional learning because
sometimes there is no instructor when learning takes place.
 Thus; participant create their own content and share
knowledge amongst themselves-it becomes chaotic in this
sense.

5. What is MOOCs
 MOOCs reinforce lifelong learning.
 Encourages critical thinking amongst participants
 MOOCs are sometimes offered by elite universities to
assist in accomplishing their mission.
 Students, professors, teachers and knowledge
experts are often stakeholders in MOOCs.

6. What is MOOCs
 MOOCs require participants to be responsible for their
own learning; self-regulation
 Needs computer/technology/digital literacy
 No accreditation (except when one has to pay to be
accredited by a university that offers the course)
 Participants learn at own pace thus its not compulsory
for one to complete-therefore dropout rate is too high

7. First MOOC was
launched by
educators Stephen
Downes and
George Siemens
It was called ‘
Connectivism and
Connective Knowledge/
2008’(2008)
2,200 people
registered
 2008
Two professors from university of
Stanford namely Sebastian Thrun
and Peter Norvig introduced
another MOOC for free
It was called
‘Introduction to Artificial
Intelligence’.
 2012
Open university built its
own MOOC called
Futurelearn featuring
universities from UK
EdX
2013
Coursera
160 000 people
registered

8. MOOCs
xMOOCs
Teachercentered
Content-based
cMOOCs
Connectivism
Learnercentered

9. xMOOCs
cMOOCs
 Behaviorist approach
 Connectivist approach
 Traditional leaningdiscussions , lectures,
assignments
 Peer learning
 Higher education
schools/colleges
 Coursera and EdX
 Discussion forums
 Individuals, Academics,
Non-profits
 Disruptive
 Participants create own
content

10. My expected MOOCs
experience
 Area of interest: Teaching and learning
 Topics: Biology, Psychology, Constructive
teaching
 I have evaluated a few MOOCs that I would like
to participate in this semester,
 e.g. Constructive classroom conversation and
Foundations of Teaching and learning: being a
teacher.
 Some of the courses will be valuable in my
teaching practices.

11. Possible courses for me!
 Constructive Classroom Conversation( Secondary)
(SA) is offered by Stanford University.
 It commence on 6 March
 Duration: 29 weeks
 Foundation of Teaching for learning 2. Being a teacher
(SA)
 It commences on March 17
 Duration: 7 weeks

12. REFERENCE LIST
 http://moocnewsandreviews.com/a-short-history-of-moocsand-distance-learning/ (Visited on 21/02/2014)

http://moocnewsandreviews.com/ultimate-guide-toxmoocs-and-cmoocso/ ( Visited on 21/02/2014)
 http://reflectionsandcontemplations.wordpress.com/2012/08
/23/what-is-a-mooc-what-are-the-different-types-of-moocxmoocs-and-cmoocs/ (Visited on 18/02/2014)
 http://www.openculture.com/free_certificate_courses
(Visited on 18/02/2014)
 http://www.slideshare.net/oerafrica/the-rise-of-moocs
(visited on 19/02/2014)
 http://www.slideshare.net/LynGoodnight/multmediapresentation-goodnight (Visited on 17/02/2014)