The document defines and describes Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). It states that MOOCs are online courses that are open to unlimited participation and are often free of charge. They can be delivered on any online platform and use a mixture of videos, slides, links and handouts to present course material. While MOOCs do not offer formal qualifications, they provide a way for anyone with an internet connection to gain skills and knowledge in a variety of subject areas. The document discusses how MOOCs are delivered, who they target, their educational value, whether they offer qualifications, examples of course topics, what it is like to study in a MOOC, and how to participate in one.

1. THAPELO EDOM 201131099
THE MOOC EXPLAINED

3. WHAT IS THE MOOC?
• THE MOOC IS AN ACRONYM FOR ‘MASSIVE OPEN ON LINE COURSE’.
• IT’S A COURSE THAT IS DELIVERED ONLINE
• THE COURSE IS ALSO OPEN TO ANYONE IN THE WORLD
• THIS MEANS THERE IS MASSIVE ENROLLMENT
• AND SO FAR ALMOST ALL MOOC’S ARE FREE

5. HOW ARE MOOC’S DELIVERED?
• MOOC’S CAN BE DELIVERED ON ANY OPEN PLATFORM OR A SPECIFICALLY
BUILT PLATFORM
• THE REQUIREMENT OF THE PLATFORM IS THAT IT MUST BE ACCESSIBLE ON
THE COMPUTER OR ANY BROWSER
• MOOC’S CAN PRESENTED IN FORMS OF MIXTURE OF VIDEO, SLIDES, INTERNET
LINKS AND HANDOUTS
• MOOC’S ALSO HAVE RECOMMENDED TEXTS

7. WHO IS THE TARGET MARKET OF MOOCS
• THE TYPICAL TARGET MARKET FOR MOOCS IS LITERALLY EVERYONE
• ANYONE WHO HAS ACCESS TO A COMPUTER CAN ENROLL IN A COURSE
• PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD ARE TAKING PART
• IT IS A WAY OF FREE QUALITY EDUCATION TO LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
• THE TALENT AND COMMITMENT OF THE LECTURER IS KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL
MOOC

9. WHAT IS THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF THE
MOOC
• THIS DEPENDS ON HOW GOOD THE COURSE IS AND HOW WELL IT IS
DELIVERED
• IT ALSO DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH EFFORT THE STUDENT PUTS INTO LEARNING
• IT’S RELATIVELY EASY TO CONDUCT ASSESSMENTS FOR SCIENCE-BASED
COURSES THAT HAVE ‘OBJECTIVELY’ CORRECT ANSWERS
• ASSESSMENT OF MORE SUBJECTIVE MATERIAL (SUCH AS THAT COMMONLY
FOUND IN THE HUMANITIES) IS MORE DIFFICULT TO CONDUCT.

11. DO MOOCS OFFER ANY QUALIFICATIONS?
• MOOCS DO NOT OFFER RECOGNIZED QUALIFICATIONS
• THEY ARE NOT SUBSTITUTES FOR OTHER KINDS OF COURSES
• THEY ARE USEFUL IN HELPING YOU LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SUBJECT AREA
YOU WANT TO STUDY
• THEY BUILD SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE THAT WILL BE USEFUL FOR YOUR
CAREER

13. WHAT CAN I STUDY?
• FROM PUBLIC SPEAKING TO MEDICAL NEUROSCIENCE IS OFFERED BY MOOCS
NATIONWIDE
• MANY ARE INTRODUCTORY COURSES AND DON'T REQUIRE ANY EXISTING
KNOWLEDGE, BUT OTHERS WILL REQUIRE BACKGROUND SKILLS - ESPECIALLY
MATHS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES
• KEEP IN MIND THAT COURSES RUN AT A SPECIFIC TIME, SO YOU MIGHT HAVE
TO WAIT A WHILE FOR THE COURSE YOU WANT TO COME UP.

15. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO STUDY IN A MOOC?
• MOOC FORMATS MAY DIFFER FROM ONE PLATFORM TO ANOTHER
• THEY USUALLY OFFER DISCUSSION FORUMS, QUIZZES, PEER GRADING
EXERCISES, EXAMS AND READINGS TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE CONTENT.
• ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS ARE INSPIRED TO CREATE STUDY GROUPS AND
NETWORKS ONLINE

16. HOW DO I TAKE PART IN A MOOC?
• SIGNING UP IS SIMPLE - YOU JUST NEED TO REGISTER ON THE PROVIDER'S
WEBSITE
• WHEN YOU ENROLL IN A MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSE AND CHECK THE
FORUM, YOU’LL SEE THAT THE FLEXIBILITY OF MOOCS ATTRACTS A HUGE
VARIETY OF STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT
AGES, NATIONALITIES, BACKGROUNDS, ABILITIES, INTERESTS AND ENGLISH-
LANGUAGE LITERACY

17. ANY QUESTIONS
• E-MAIL TEEDOM941@GMAIL.COM

18. REFERENCES
• BATES, T. (2013) HARVARD’S CURRENT THINKING ON
MOOCS, HTTP://TINYURL.COM/A2UH86Z
• EDUCAUSE, (2012), WHAT CAMPUS LEADERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
MOOCS, HTTP://TINYURL.COM/C7GQJ65
• MEYER, R. (2012). WHAT IT’S LIKE TO TEACH A MOOC (AND WHAT THE HECK’S A
MOOC?), HTTP://TINYURL.COM/CDFVVQY
• WIKIPEDIA, (2012), MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE
COURSE, HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/MASSIVE_OPEN_ONLINE_COURSE
• WILEY, D. (2012), THE MOOC
MISNOMER, HTTP://OPENCONTENT.ORG/BLOG/ARCHIVES/2436