The Association of College and Research Librarians Virtual World Interest Group held a panel discussion on MOOCs and the impact on libraries, higher education, and information literacy.

1. MOOCs
&
Librarians
ACRL
Virtual World Interest Group
Feb. 17th, 2013
Panelists:
Valerie Hill, PhD
Michelle Keba
Ilene Frank
George Djorgovski

2. What’s a MOOC?
A MOOC is a massively open
online course (usually free and
without earning credit) aimed at
large-scale participation and open
access on the web.
MOOCs can be described as “webinars on steroids” (Bell, 23).

3. Coursera: Top Universities offer MOOCs

4. Advantages of MOOCs
 No cost (or low cost)
 Personal interest
 Convenient (no travel)
 Access to experts and global participants

5. Disadvantages of MOOCs
 Lack of assessment
 Accreditation & quality assurance
 Future of academic careers
 Potential for isolation

6. Can MOOCs provide high
quality resources and
opportunities to promote
information literacy?

7. Role of Personal Responsiblity

8. Information Literacy
in the Digital Age
 Intellectual freedom
 Intellectual property
 Critical inquiry
 Evaluation of content
 Navigation of the “flood”

10. Anne Frank MOOC
Students “enter”
the cramped
annex where
Anne Frank lived
in hiding.
Fall 2012
Educators met weekly for MOOC
office hours on Wed. evenings.
Assignments presented in
a 3D virtual world.

28. Photo Credits
Creative Commons photos from:
http://www.bigfoto.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daves-f-stop/7255333900/ (librarytradition)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/2537873504/ (innovation)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gforsythe/8028605773/ (moocblob)
Anne Frank Mooc shot at the Islands of Enlightenment

29. References
ALA. (2013). Standards for the 21st- Century learner. http://www.ala.org/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/standards
(accessed Feb. 3, 2013).
Azevedo, A. (2012). Course-Management Companies Challenge MOOC Providers. [Accessed Nov 2012]
http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/course-management-companies-challenge-mooc-providers/40734
Bell, M. (2012). Massive Open Online Courses. Internet@Schools, 19(5), 23-25.
Carey, K. (2012). Into the Future With MOOC's. Chronicle Of Higher Education, 59(2), 29.
Duffy, T., & Cunningham D. (1996). Constructivism: Implications for the design and delivery of instruction. In Jonassen, D. H. (Ed.),
Handbook of Research for Educational Communications and Technology, New York: Simon and Schuster, 170-198. [Accessed
Nov 2012]
http://newmedia.nenu.edu.cn/wyn/chinese/zhidao/07%20%20Constructivism%20Implications%20for%20the%20Design%20and%
20Delivery%20of%20Instruction%20.pdf
Huang, H. (2002). Toward constructivism for adult learners in online learning environments. British Journal Of Educational
Technology, 33(1), 27.
Kop, R., Fournier, H., & Mak, J. (2011). A Pedagogy of Abundance or a Pedagogy to Support Human Beings? Participant Support on
Massive Open Online Courses. International Review Of Research In Open And Distance Learning, 12(7), 74-93.
Lorenzetti, J. (2012). Running a MOOC: Secrets of the World's Largest Distance Education Classes. Distance Education Report, 16(3),
1-7.
Selingo, J. (2012). MOOC's Aren't a Panacea, but That Doesn't Blunt Their Promise. Distance Education Report, 16(16), 6.
Tschofen, C., & Mackness, J. (2012). Connectivism and Dimensions of Individual Experience. International Review Of Research In
Open & Distance Learning, 13(1), 124-143.
What's a MOOC?. (2011). T+D, 65(10), 18.
Will Massive Open Online Courses Change How We Teach?. (2012). Communications of the ACM, 55(8), 26-28.