This document discusses MOOCs and quality from the perspective of the European Foundation for Quality in E-Learning (EFQUEL). It notes that MOOCs represent the third digital revolution in higher education, after e-learning and open educational resources. EFQUEL conducted a MOOC Quality Project to discuss quality challenges raised by MOOCs. The project involved 12 experts posting on 12 topics over 12 weeks, and received over 12,000 readers and 150 comments. Key topics discussed include having a clear target audience, supporting self-organization and choice-based learning, and using peer-to-peer pedagogies like assessment. The document advocates for MOOCs to be upfront about their purpose and content to manage

1. www.efquel.org
Quality of MOOCs
Results from The MOOC Quality Project
Prof. Dr. phil. habil. Ulf-Daniel Ehlers
Vicepresident Baden-Wurttemberg Cooperative State
University
President European Foundation for Quality in E-Learning

2. www.efquel.org
EFQUEL
EFQUEL is a European membership
organisation.
• EFQUEL consists of more than 120 member
institutions from all over Europe and beyond
• Members are associations, universities,
companies, vocational training institutions and
local networks.
• All members share the same interest: quality
and innovation in technology enhanced
learning.
• Since 2012 EFQUEL launched the Network of

3. Digital (R)Evolution in HE
MOOCs are the third digital revolution
1. E-Learning hype around new
millenium  Changed learning
environments
2. OER peak from 2007
 Giving away knowledge for free
3. MOOC peak from 2010
 Access to education for free

4. The Quality Challenge
All lead to a quality challenge
• Start from digital and
technological innovation,
• move on to educational
(r)evolution and change, and
• Lead to a quest for quality and
innovation strategies.

6. MOOCs and Quality...?!
• Should we care about the MOOC drop
outs?
• Do MOOCs challenge the current HE
model?
• How will it be looking when learning and
certification will be disaggregated?
• What is it that makes a model with high
drop out, little success rates and
heterogenious target groups popular?

7. The MOOC Quality Project
12 weeks, 12 experts, 12 posts,
12.000 Readers, >150 comments
mooc.efquel.org

8. 1. Massive Target Audience?
• Change from „no target audience“-thinking
to having one in mind, even if it is wide.
Take into acount new participation profiles.
MOOC
Lurkers
Passive
participants
Active participants
Drop-ins
HILL, P. (2013) “The Four Student Archetypes Emerging in MOOCs” [Online] e-Literate
blog post 02/03/13 [accessed 19/04/13]. Available: http://mfeldstein.com/the-four-
student-archetypes-emerging-in-moocs/

9. www.efquel.org
2. Mixing Groups?
• Be aware that inviting the world
means to bring in the worlds
opinion (existing groups might
be disturbed)
• Mixing campus and MOOC
Students might be challenging:
drive in/by learners vs. highly
motivated learners who want a
masters degree.
http://www.teleskop-service.de/Veranstaltungen/ITT2007/Blick_in_die_Berge.jpg

10. 3. Learning Across Contexts
• Be aware that the quality paradigm “fitness
for purpose” is not working for MOOCs
because MOOCs mean learning across
contexts and purposes.
• Quality measures become individualised,
quality methods like self- & peer-
assessment and –reflection are suitable.
http://www.teleskop-service.de/Veranstaltungen/ITT2007/Blick_in_die_Berge.jpg

11. www.efquel.org
4. Support Self-Organization
• Be open about your requirements of self-
organisation, provide scaffolding for those
who lack that self-organisation.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Fugle%2C_%C3%B8rns%C3%B8_073.jpg

12. 5. Declare What‘s in it!
1. the degree of openness,
2. the scale of participation
(massification),
3. the amount of use of multimedia,
4. the amount of communication,
5. the extent to which collaboration
is included,
6. the type of learner pathway
(from learner centred to teacher-
centred and highly structured),
1. the level of quality assurance,
2. the extent to which reflection is
encouraged,
3. the level of assessment,
4. how informal or formal it is,
5. autonomy,
6. and diversity.
Be precise about the content and
purpose of the MOOC (self-
declaration) and keep promises! (Use
a MOOC description model)
(Conole 2013)

13. 6. Peer-to-Peer Pedagogy
• Use peer-to-peer pedagogy: peer-
learning, peer-review, peer-
assessment, collaborative
learning, multiple learning pathways and
exploratory learning
• Understand that teaching is not a
prerequsite of learning.
http://www.naset.org/uploads/pics/choice.gif

14. www.efquel.org
7. MOOCs Support Choice Based
Learning
• Get away from
– the notion that „ending a MOOC early“ means
dropping out
– looking at MOOCs like (structured, paced,
timebound) courses
• Be aware that MOOC learning is an opt-in/out
learning model
• MOOCs follow voluntary sequencing and
are based on choices. The choices they
offer make their attractiveness.
http://www.naset.org/uploads/pics/choice.gif

15. www.efquel.org
WWW.EFQUEL.ORG
EFQUEL office in Brussels
Rue des deux Eglises 35
B – 1000 BRUSSELS
BELGIUM
Tel : + 32 2 639 30 32
Fax : + 32 2 644 35 83
Email : info@efquel.org