MOOCs are not a passing trend and are growing in popularity. While they are effective marketing tools for higher education institutions and can help develop skills, MOOCs currently focus on privileged learners from Western countries with higher levels of education. Barriers like language, lack of variety in offerings, and time constraints limit access. However, work is ongoing to improve recognition of MOOC learning, increase options to cater to different groups, and help more individuals overcome participation barriers in the future.

1. Why MOOCs are not a fad?
Dr. Jonatan Castaño Muñoz
European Commission- Joint Research Centre

2. MOOCs are growing…
Year of the
MOOC
European MOOC Consortium:

3. Are MOOCs a trend that will pass?

4. Do MOOCs serve as marketing tools?
YES
Source: Castaño Muñoz, J., Punie, Y., Inamorato dos Santos, A., Mitic, M. & Morais, R. (2016).
How are Higher Education Institutions Dealing with Openness?

5. Source: Margaryan, A; Bianco, M; & Littlejohn, A.(2015) Instructional quality of MOOCs. Computers and Education, 80.
Are MOOCs effective tools for skills development?
YES
REALLY?
• Online vs F2F education has non-conclusive
results. (non-significant difference)
• MOOCs have good organisation and
presentation of material
• But…low quality instructional design (Merrill,
2013)
• Problem centred (real world)
• Activation of knowledge
Demonstration
• Application (solve problems)
• Integration (discuss and reflect)

6. Source: JRC (2019)- The changing nature of work and skills in the digital age
HOWEVER….
Are MOOCs effective tools for skills development?

7. HOWEVER…
1- MOOCs have positive but diminishing marginal returns
on employment:
Participating in 5 MOOCs (around 100h) is associated with an increase
of 3 to 5 pp. in 2015 workers’ probability of remaining employed in
2017(≈ to traditional on-the-job training)
2- Heterogeneous effects:
a) Similar effect in different geographical areas (travel-well and global
impact)
b) Effects driven by individuals:
- with lower levels of education (complementary to post-graduate
studies)
- who complete a larger share of enrolled MOOCs (signalling and
human capital)
Source: MOOCKNOWLEDGE DATA. Castaño-Muñoz, J. & Rodrigues., M.
(forthcoming): Open to MOOCs, first evidence on their effect on employment.
N=2949 (workers in 2015)

8. • Indirect effects via
Teacher training
– Scalable teacher training
– Good acceptance of MOOCs by
teachers (Moocknowledge data)
– Teachers are active learners in
MOOCs (Seaton, Coleman, Daries, &
Chuang, 2014)
– Up-to-date: over 40-49 y.o.
overepresented in MOOCs for
teachers (Castaño, Kalz, Kreijns and
Punie, 2018)
– Avoid barriers to CPD (Castaño,
Kalz, Kreijns and Punie, 2018)
HOWEVER…
Source: Castaño, Kalz, Kreijns and Punie, 2018

9. • Lack of recognition by HEI and employers is a challenge
but work in progres…
• Several alternatives:
– Without certificate
– Completion certificate
– Specializations, nano-degrees, series, programs…
– Credits for MOOCs
PAYMENT and ID CONTROL OFTEN NEEDED
Is MOOC based learning recognised?
Not yet,

10. • 100-150 h (4-6 ECTS)
• Level 6-7 EQF
• Summative assessment
• ID verification
• Transcript/Certificate of content, learning outcomes, hours, EQF level, ECTS…
Is MOOC based learning recognised?
Not yet, but work in progres…

11. European Universities initiative
• Inter-university campuses
• Student centred curricula
• Multidisciplinary approaches
Digital learning and MOOCs are
mentioned as priority area in
Education and Skills for the new
Commission
Is MOOC based learning recognised?
Not yet, but work in progress...

12. Do MOOCs improve access to education?
A bit now, but will they do better in the future?
BARRIERS
• Language and context
• Variety of offer
• Time
MOOC LEARNERS TEND TO BE…
• Privileged
• With higher education
• From western countries
• Competences
WHY?

13. Language and context
• Transferability across (some) labour markets is feasible… (Castaño-Muñoz &
Rodrigues, forthcoming)
• Automatic translation projects
• International collaboration (e.g. EU MOOC Consortium)

14. Variety
• There is not "one size fits all model" (specially) for adult training
• MOOCs= Flexible learning (orchestrate own learning)
• But… Is there a range of options?
• Different levels
• Different pedagogies and delivery methods
• Blended learning components (vs. lack of skills and
motivation) e.g. learning circles, mentoring…

15. MOOCs4inclusion
1- Awareness
2- Personalization: co-development, technical issues, prior knowledge, language
3- Guidance: vs self-directed. Flexibility, support structures
4- Blending: networking, higher recognition
5- Recognition: QA, bridging FDL and HE. Partnerships with employers
6- Collaboration: public-private, experimentation on what works
Variety- What works for disadvantaged individuals?
Migrants example

16. Variety- Innovation
Non mainstream MOOCs are better suited
for learners with low education levels

17. (At least) four important competences for participation in MOOCs
• Digital competence
• Learning to learn competence
• Entrepreneurship and sense of initiative competence
• Communication in foreign languages competence
Competences

18. NofMOOCSinthepast
Competences

19. EC-JRC COMPETENCE FRAMEWORKS
https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/digcomp
Competences
https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/entrecomp
ENTRECOMP DIGCOMP 2.0 LIFECOMP

20. Time
• Employer support: MOOCs in working hours?
• Evidence: Employers do not know about participation in MOOCs
(Castaño Muñoz, Kreijns, Kalz and Punie, 2017)
• Individual decision and responsibility?

21. CONCLUSIONS
MOOCS are not a fad.. They are:
• Growing
• Effective HEI marketing tool
• Effective skills development tool
• More and more recognised by HEIs
• Focused on a specific target group
• Overcoming barriers for reaching more individuals