Invited opening presentation at International MOOC Conference: Where are MOOCs Going? The Future of Distance Learning. University of Naples Federico II, Naples/Capri, 25th September.

1. MOOCs
As Social Practice:
The Political Ecology of Online Learning
25th September, 2015
Professor Mark Brown
National Institute for Digital Learning
Dublin City University
Ireland

2. John Pilger reminds us that despite huge
advancements in technology over the last
50 years, the wealth gap between
developed and developing countries has
more than doubled.
Wicked Problems

3. Framing Perspective

4. 2015

5. “An educational change is neither natural nor
normal, constant nor common as it involves a
deeper struggle over who will win control of
the curriculum” (Evans, 1996, p.25).

6. “It is theory that
decides what we
can observe…”
Albert Einstein

8. • Open learning
• Online learning
• Anytime, anywhere learning
E-learning •
Digital learning •
Technology-enhanced learning •
Learning Society
Knowledge Economy
Different interest groups and stakeholders borrow the
same ‘language of persuasion’ to legitimize their own hegemonic agenda
Major Competing Lenses

9. • Open learning
• Online learning
• Anytime, anywhere learning
Reproduction
• Mass education
• Quality standards
• Education as commodity
• Increased market competition
Learning Society
Knowledge Economy
E-learning •
Digital learning •
Technology-enhanced learning •
Different interest groups and stakeholders borrow the
same ‘language of persuasion’ to legitimize their own hegemonic agenda
Major Competing Lenses

10. • Open learning
• Online learning
• Anytime, anywhere learning
ReschoolingReproduction
• Monolingual
• Learning for all
• Global curriculum
• Education in change
• Mass education
• Quality standards
• Education as commodity
• Increased market competition
Learning Society
Knowledge Economy
E-learning •
Digital learning •
Technology-enhanced learning •
Different interest groups and stakeholders borrow the
same ‘language of persuasion’ to legitimize their own hegemonic agenda
Major Competing Lenses

11. • Open learning
• Online learning
• Anytime, anywhere learning
Deschooling
ReschoolingReproduction
• Monolingual
• Learning for all
• Global curriculum
• Education in change
• Mass education
• Quality standards
• Education as commodity
• Increased market competition
• Democratic
• Open access
• Learning webs
• Unbundling learning
Learning Society
Knowledge Economy
E-learning •
Digital learning •
Technology-enhanced learning •
Different interest groups and stakeholders borrow the
same ‘language of persuasion’ to legitimize their own hegemonic agenda
Major Competing Lenses

12. Reconception
• Open learning
• Online learning
• Anytime, anywhere learning
Deschooling
ReschoolingReproduction
• Monolingual
• Learning for all
• Global curriculum
• Education in change
• Diversity
• Just society
• Wicked problems
• Education for change
• Mass education
• Quality standards
• Education as commodity
• Increased market competition
• Democratic
• Open access
• Learning webs
• Unbundling learning
Learning Society
Knowledge Economy
E-learning •
Digital learning •
Technology-enhanced learning •
Different interest groups and stakeholders borrow the
same ‘language of persuasion’ to legitimize their own hegemonic agenda
Major Competing Lenses

13. The current emphasis on education in change
needs to shift to the language
of education for change.

14. What type of
education system
do we want new and
emerging technologies and
models of online learning
and teaching to serve
us in the future?

15. LEARNING
TO BE
LEARNING
TO KNOW
LEARNING
TO DO
LEARNING
TO LIVE
TOGETHER
Digital
Capability
Digital
Inclusion
Digital
Citizenship
RECONCEPTUALIST
FRAMEWORK
Fundamental Principles for Reshaping Education

16. Conclusion…
• Social practice
• A gift to educators
• Where do we want to end up?

17. “MOOCs should
be in the service of
big ideas, not as
a big idea in itself”
(Brown & Costello, 2015;
adapted from Barnett, 2011).
Final point…

18. Thank
You!