Abstract:
Closed campuses, working remotely, and physical distancing have changed the way we work, teach, learn, shop, attend conferences, and interact with family and friends. But the Covid-19 pandemic has not changed what we know about creating high-end online education. Two decades of research has shown that online education often fails to fulfill its promise, and the emergency shift to remote instruction has, for many, justified their distrust and dislike of online learning. Low interactivity remains a widely recognized short-coming of current online offerings. Low interactivity results, in part, from many faculty not feeling comfortable being themselves online. The long-advocated for era of authentic assessments is needed now more than ever. Finally, greater support is needed for both underrepresented students and for faculty to move beyond basic online instruction to create a strong continuum of care between the teaching and learning environment and the student support infrastructure. For those who have been long-term champions of online education, it has never been more important to confront the three biggest challenges that continue to haunt online education – interactivity, authenticity, and support. Only by confronting these challenges squarely can instructors, educational developers, and their institutions take huge steps towards better online instruction in the midst of a pandemic and make widespread, high-quality online education permanently part of the “new normal.”
A Message from the MERLOT Executive Director: MOOCs, MERLOT, and Open Educational Services
Gerard L. Hanley
Guest Editors' Preface to the Special Issue on MOOCs: An Academic Perspective on an Emerging Technological and Social Trend
George Siemens, Valerie Irvine, and Jillianne Code
Research Papers
Patterns of Engagement in Connectivist MOOCs
Colin Milligan, Allison Littlejohn, and Anoush Margaryan
Learner Participation and Engagement in Open Online Courses: Insights from the Peer 2 Peer University
June Ahn, Brian S. Butler, Alisha Alam, Sarah A. Webster
Realigning Higher Education for the 21st Century Learner through Multi-Access Learning
Valerie Irvine, Jillianne Code, and Luke Richards
Case Studies
Wrapping a MOOC: Student Perceptions of an Experiment in Blended Learning
Derek O. Bruff, Douglas H. Fisher, Kathryn E. McEwen, and Blaine E. Smith
Liminal Participants and Skilled Orienteers: Learner Participation in a MOOC for New Lecturers
Marion Waite, Jenny Mackness, George Roberts, and Elizabeth Lovegrove
Concept Paper
Evaluating the Strategic and Leadership Challenges of MOOCs
Stephen Marshall
Position Paper
Massiveness + Openness = New Literacies of Participation?
Bonnie Stewart
The Inside Story: Campus Decision Making in the Wake of the Latest MOOC Tsunami
Marilyn M. Lombardi
MOOCs and the Liberal Arts College
Claudia W. Scholz