Introduction to using Mooc's

1. mooc’s
written by : Mahlatsi Kamohelo
Email: 201143683@student.uj.ac.za
amohelangmahlatsi@gmail.com

2. What does MOOC stand for?
M - Massive
O - Open
O - Online
C - Course

3. What is a MOOC?
 A MOOC is an online course that has unlimited participation and
open access via the website.
 Anyone with an internet can access them.
 Although MOOCs don’t always offer academic credits, they
provide education that may enable certification, employment
or further studies.

4. Characteristics of Mooc
 Allows content online delivery to any
person who wants to take a course.
 Free courses that are online.
 Has no limit to attendance.
 Has materials like videos, readings and
problem sets that students can use for
them to learn effectively.

5. History of Mooc
 The evolution of technology and of new learning experiences have always been
closely related.
 As distance learning specialists affirm, the field of distance-learning had three
main generations: Correspondence study
Multimedia
Computer-mediated
 The first of these distance learning models grew exponentially in Europe and United
States after the Industrial Revolution, especially because a more qualified work
force was needed for the factories.
 In addition, postal services were becoming faster, cheaper and more reliable.
 For example, in the 19th century, students from Australia were already able take
correspondence courses from prestigious universities, such as the London School of
Economics, one of the first in the United Kingdom to offer distance education.

6. History of Mooc’s cont………
 However, this first generation was still far from reaching
massive numbers of students like MOOCs are doing today.
 Correspondence study only predominated until the arrival
of electronic media, which lead to popularization of radio
and television as educational tools in the 20th century.
 Teachers and learners from all parts of the world took
advantage of the new technology.
 Those who did not have access to formal learning could
watch or listen to classes for free, wherever they were.

7. History of Mooc’s cont…….
 The content was adapted to reach different types of audiences, and
even students in remote areas could have knowledge in academic
subjects.
 But a main pedagogical factor was still lacking: students had hardly
any interaction with professors or other students.
 Videotape was used by many distance learning initiatives but was
criticized because of its passivity.
 The multimedia generation had popularized distance learning and
allowed new possibilities, but only computers and the web could unite
forces to provide a new e-learning infrastructure, mainly built upon
networks and communities on-line.

8. Advantages of Mooc
They are a low cost routes to accessing
quality courses.
 They can be combined with other
studies or work.
They are accessed from any computer
and any location including your home.

9. Disadvantages of Mooc
 They do not feed into any degree or other
qualification but they are self contained.
 Few students complete the courses.
 Content from a Mooc offered by a
university outside home country may not
match cultural and other conditions with
which you are familiar.

10. Types of Mooc’s
There are two types of
moocs which are the:
Cmooc,s and xmooc’s

11. Cmooc’s
 Connectivists Moocs.
 This is a MOOC designed for connectivity learners built by
George Siemens.
 Based on a connectivism theory of learning with networks
developed informally.
 Connectivism is the thesis that knowledge is distributed
across a network of connections, and therefore that
learning consists of the ability to construct and traverse
those networks.

12. Cmooc’s continue………
 They include discussion forums.
 They allow people to bounce ideas around and discuss
learning together and one-on-one interaction and easy
back-and-forth questioning.
 they emphasize connected, collaborative learning and the
courses are built around a group of likeminded
„individuals‟ who are relatively free from institutional
constraints.

13. Cmooc’s continue………

14. Xmooc’s
 Developed out of the Open Course Ware and Open
Educational Resources.
 They Follow a more behaviourist approach arguably
dominated by the “drill and grill” instructional methods.
 Behaviourism: a theory of learning based upon the idea
that all behaviours are acquired through conditioning, use
video presentations, short quizzes and testing.

15. xmooc continues……….
 They focus on concise,
targeted video content
with short videos rather
than full-length lectures
to wade through and use
automated testing to
check students‟
understanding as they
work through the content.
 Students intake some
information, then
hopefully engage in doing
something while getting a
little bit of help from peer
learners.

16. Field of interest
 I will be focusing more on life sciences, as to communicate with
learners, giving them a chance to learn, explore and gain more
information.

17. Topics that I would like to persue in
future are:
Mitosis
Human Reproduction
Cellular respiration