Swazi NontobekoMHLONGO201221007Professional studies 3adate: 23 February 2014

Name : swazi Nontobeko mhlongo PROFESSIONAL STUDIES 3A 23/FEBRUARY /2013

Content

IntroductionWhat is a MOOC?The history of MOOCThe purpose of MOOCSThe Role of MOOC in education systemThe advantages and disadvantages of

MOOCDifferences between cMOOC and

xMOOCSReferences

Introduction

A MOOC is a massively open online class – a class that is free, has a huge following, and includes all of the components you need to learn away from the traditional classroom. MOOCs usually have strong communities and connect learners with instructors that can help them master the content. MOOCs also provide more than just a course syllabus or a few lecture notes. Instead they provide activities, quizzes, or projects for learners to engage with the content.

What is a mooc?

MOOC stands for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) It is an online course aimed at large amount participation and

open free access to internet They are similar to university courses , but do not tend to

offer academic credit. MOOCS provide interactive user that assist to build a

community for students, professors and teaching assistance. It is a program of learning offered by a university open via

internet to users world wide, its free of charge MOOCS may include teaching materials such as videos , set

reading , problem to solve and forum are self-directed, meaning you follow the course materials,

complete the readings and assessments, and get help from a large community of fellow learners through online forums

The history of MOOCS

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

The purpose of the moocs

The purpose of MOOCS is to increase access to higher education

To reduce cost and give a boost to teaching and learning

MOOCS makes learning occurs at times and locations that best suit the participant.

MOOCS make participants interact with other people with a shared interest and are exposed to a diverse range of perspectives and ideas that can stimulate reflection and further interest in a topic.

MOOCs are often based on part of an existing degree course, by giving students an opportunity to sample the experience of studying at prestigious institutions like MIT

The role of moocs in education system

Moocs play role in open and online education

It play the role in open sharing of the context, tools and technologies.

They are seen as the base for transformation of our secondary and higher education system.

MOOCS allow students to complete full course of study in non-traditional format, particularly with international students , which have made part of the student body.

They are situated in the long history of university extension, open education and widening.

ADVANTAGES OF moocs

MOOCs offer the entire learning community equal rights to education.

People can choose from the wide-ranging of programs and enrol for the course of their choice from the convenience of their homes without spending a dime. Although students study independently in these courses, they at the same time collaborate with their peers from different parts of the world.

MOOCs are a benefit for people who have faced obstacles in pursuing education due to lack of funds, no proper opportunities, un-accessible geographical location, etc.

Pedagogically, MOOCs are designed to be extremely interactive.

It uses all the interactive media available on the internet to engage students, the various tools such as blogs, videos, podcasts and forums that are embedded into the programs seamlessly.

These tools collaborate learners and help them solve real world problems rather than discussing hypothetical material.

Disadvantages of MOOCS

In MOOCs, the teachers and professors deal with a huge audience, as a result, they are unable to give active feedbacks for assignments and tests to the students.

At times if the professor taking the course teaches it in an uninteresting way or the students find the classes boring, there is absolutely no way one can interact with the faculty to give feedback.

There is no way teachers can interact directly with students and engage them.

Only students with a lot stubbornness and self-discipline can complete these courses, students who are unable to manage their time often drop out of these courses.

These courses can be coupled with certificates and badges as an encouragement for completing the course, however one cannot ensure whether the student will complete the course or not.

Differences between CMOOCS AND XMOOCS

CMOOCS

cMOOCs are courses, based more closely on the original connectivist distributed to peer learning model.

They are typically developed and led by academics through open source web platforms.

xMOOCS

Typically, xMOOC design is used on the large MOOC platforms and is based on a format of minimal, asynchronous support, with a subject expert recording content and planning assessment for example multiple choice quizzes, programming assignments or peer-review exercises for the student cohort to ingest at a time of their choosing.

My field of interest

My area of interest in education is life sciences. Therefore I am going to enrol in MOOCs, broaden my perspective on the topic through the use of technology, and enhance my understanding of the pedagogy.

The only thing to consider is the additional time and devotion needed to research the available courses that can help me and my learners to further our information.

My only limitation is based on my time; I could sit in front of a computer in the cosy of my personal office and visit all the activities and assessment all in the same weekend to see where my students went wrong. Information about moocs is everywhere at no price that can’t be access by any students . MOOCs are free, at least to the student. A student must have self-discipline to succeed in a MOOC.

Topics I would like to pursue in my future MOOC experience

In order for me to improve my skills In MOOCS.I would prefer to choose photosynthesis because learners will be able to explore information on internet

Refferences

http://conference.eadtu.eu/about-the-programme/masterclasses/81-masterclass-on-the-role-of-moocs-in-higher-education. Accessed on 20/02/2014

http://iite.unesco.org/pics/publications/en/files/3214722.pdf. Accessed 18/02/2014

http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/massively-open-online-course-MOOC. Accessed 19/02/2014

http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/online-learning/moocs/moocs Accessed 19/02/2014

http://www.minglebox.com/article/moocs/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-moocs. Accessed 18/02/2014

Wikipedia, (2012), Massive open online course, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_open_online_course. Accessed 20/02/2014