This document defines and describes MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). It notes that MOOCs are online courses that are open to unlimited participation via the web, and include video lectures, readings, forums for interaction. The document outlines the history of distance learning and emergence of MOOCs in the 2000s. It distinguishes between xMOOCs and cMOOCs and their approaches. It then focuses on the MOOC platform edX, founded by MIT and Harvard, and how it hosts free university courses worldwide. It also describes open edX which allows other institutions to host their own courses using the edX open source software.

1. NTSHANGASE S.P
MOOCS

2. WHAT IS MOOCS?

3. OVERVIEW…
• AN ONLINE COURSE AIMED AT UNLIMITED PARTICIPATION AND OPEN ACCESS
VIA THE WEB. IN ADDITION TO TRADITIONAL COURSE MATERIALS SUCH AS
FILMED LECTURES, READINGS, AND PROBLEM SETS, MANY MOOCS PROVIDE
INTERACTIVE USER FORUMS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS BETWEEN
STUDENTS, PROFESSORS, AND TEACHING ASSISTANTS (TAS).

4. HISTORY…
• BEFORE THE DIGITAL AGE, DISTANCE LEARNING APPEARED IN THE FORM OF
CORRESPONDENCE COURSES IN THE 1890S-1920S, AND LATER RADIO AND
TELEVISION BROADCAST OF COURSES AND EARLY FORMS OF E-LEARNING.
TYPICALLY FEWER THAN FIVE PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS WOULD COMPLETE A
COURSE.
• 2000S SAW CHANGES IN ONLINE, OR E-LEARNING AND DISTANCE EDUCATION,
WITH INCREASING ONLINE PRESENCE, OPEN LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MOOCS.

5. TYPES OF MOOCS
• XMOOCS- IS THE TYPE OF LEARNING WHERE BY LEARNERS SHARE IDEAS AND
THERE IS ONLY ONE INSTRUCTOR ON THE DISCUSSION.
• CMOOCS- HERE LEARNERS CONTROL THEIR OWN LEARNING AND THEY CREATE
THEIR OWN GOALS. THE LEARNERS ARE NOT ASSESSED OR TESTED, WHETHER
THEY HAVE MET THE OUTCOMES THAT THEY WHERE AIMING AT.

6. DISTANCE & ONLINE
LEARNING

7. MOOCS AM INTERESTED IN…

8. EDX…
• IT HOSTS ONLINE UNIVERSITY-LEVEL COURSES IN A WIDE RANGE OF
DISCIPLINES TO A WORLDWIDE AUDIENCE, SOME AT NO CHARGE. IT ALSO
CONDUCTS RESEARCH INTO LEARNING BASED ON HOW PEOPLE USE ITS
PLATFORM.
• EDX WAS FOUNDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND
HARVARD UNIVERSITY IN MAY 2012.

9. REASON TO CHOOSE THIS
MOOCS
OPEN EDX…
EDX HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AS OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE AND MADE AVAILABLE
TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING THAT WANT TO MAKE SIMILAR
OFFERINGS.

10. CONTINUE…
• OTHER UNIVERSITIES AND EDUCATIONAL CAN HOST COURSES USING THEIR
OWN INSTALLATION OF OPENEDX WITHIN THEIR OWN IT INFRASTRUCTURE OR
BY USING A THIRD-PARTY HOSTING SERVICE.
• OPENEDX AS PART OF ITS COMMITMENT TO ADVANCE CREATIVE TEACHING AND
LEARNING INITIATIVES AND DATA-DRIVEN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH.

11. REFERENCES
• HTTP://ONLINE.STANFORD.EDU/OPENEDX
• ACEMOGLU, D., LAIBSON, D., & LIST, J. A. (2014). EQUALIZING SUPERSTARS: THE
INTERNET AND THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF EDUCATION. NBER WORKING PAPER
SERIES (19851).
• AHEAD. (2014, APRIL). WHAT’S AHEAD KEY TRENDS IN EDUCATION POLL #1:
MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES (MOOCS). ALLIANCE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
AND DEMOCRACY (AHEAD) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA.