Keynote talk given by Emeritus Professor Mike Sharples of The Open University at the tenth anniversary meeting of the FutureLearn Academic Network (FLAN) held at the University of Leeds / online on 23 October 2023.

Talk given by Katy Jordan, University of Lancaster (UK) and Fereshte Goshtasbpour, The Open University (UK) at the tenth anniversary meeting of the FutureLearn Academic Network (FLAN) held at the University of Leeds / online on 23 October 2023.

In a New York Times article, Pappano (2012) declared 2012 as ‘the year of the MOOC’. It was a year which saw a surge in interest in this new, open form of online higher education. While the initial hype around Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) subsided and their form has changed significantly from the first large-scale courses, more learners than ever are registered with the platforms, which have attracted substantial levels of investment. In this presentation, we report the findings from a paper that brought together articles published about MOOCs in the Journal of Interactive Media in Education (JIME) over the past ten years. First, the presentation provides an overview of major events and trends in relation to MOOCs over the past ten years. Then it takes a closer look at the 25 papers published in JIME arranged in relation to four main themes, including: situating MOOCs; learning design and roles; MOOCs and languages; and accessibility and inclusion.

Jordan, K. and Goshtasbpour, F., 2022. JIME Virtual Special Collection – 2012 to 2022: The Decade of the MOOC. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 2022(1), p.1.DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/jime.757

Penguin illustration produced by Visual Thinkery for the Go-GN (Global OER Graduate Network) and licensed CC BY 4.0.

FLAN – Leeds – Meaney – Matthew Effect – 2023-10-23

Talk given by Michael Meaney, Head of Learning at Scale at Multiverse.io, at the tenth anniversary meeting of the FutureLearn Academic Network (FLAN) held at the University of Leeds / online on 23 October 2023.

Abstract

Hegemonic design bias describes a series of processes, constraints, and biases that optimise MOOC production toward the already well educated. At the macro level, the relative importance of knowledge production compared to knowledge dissemination among elite institutions of higher education, the tendency for this focus to produce exclusionary admissions standards, and elitist mimicry resulting in institutional isomorphism all influence the design of MOOCs. At the meso-level, “early-adopter iteration bias” – whereby already educated users make up most MOOC participants and produce the data that researchers and practitioners analyse to iterate and improve MOOCs – skews this design further. A separate but related process, “research-praxis bias,” further prevents MOOC development from meeting the needs of underserved learners. At the micro level, a series of pedagogical, curricular, and technological design processes compound these issues (Meaney 2021; 2023), further entrenching advantage for the well-educated.

FLAN – Leeds – Barbara Conde Gafaro and Napat Jitpaisarnwattana – Bridging the Gaps in Language Learning through MOOCs – 2023-10-23

Talk given by Barbara Conde & Napat Jitpaisarnwattana at the tenth anniversary meeting of the FutureLearn Academic Network (FLAN) held at the University of Leeds / online on 23 October 2023.

Abstract

Whenever students are introduced to MOOCs for online language learning purposes, they are anticipated to prepare and implement a study toolkit to support their own learning, without the presence of a teacher. This alternative opportunity to classroom learning requires an active role from the part of the students in which they take responsibility for their language learning process. Integrating MOOCs into classroom language courses not only can help with the development of learner autonomy, but also can be a useful pedagogical practice to address some of the challenges that language teachers face in the global south. We will provide an overview of these language challenges and how these can be addressed through different “LMOOC implementation models” in the language classroom.

FLAN – Leeds – King – Doing MOOCs in Dili – 2023-10-23

Talk given by Monty King of Unthinkable Digital at the tenth anniversary meeting of the FutureLearn Academic Network (FLAN) held at the University of Leeds / online on 23 October 2023.

Abstract

This presentation draws on ethnographic research investigating the potential for MOOCs to provide quality education opportunities in Dili, Timor-Leste. I spent time in and around university campuses and Wi-Fi hotspots in Dili between 2015 and 2017, interviewing students, lecturers, and other education stakeholders, to explore the problems and potential of online learning. I also conducted participatory action research, blending MOOCs with weekly face- to-face meetings. The research revealed that many participants accessed MOOCs to improve their applications for international scholarships. Another key finding was that MOOCs can provide quality professional development opportunities at scale in countries of the global South such as Timor-Leste, providing due consideration is given to local context, languages and knowledge.

Talk given by Ayşe Sunar of the University of Warwick at the tenth anniversary meeting of the FutureLearn Academic Network (FLAN) held at the University of Leeds / online on 23 October 2023.

Abstract

I will present key findings on the personalisation of MOOCs, drawing on two PhD theses conducted between 2013 and 2019. The projection of the past few years will be discussed in terms of the promising results of the PhD theses that helped us better understand students’ social behaviour, and the potentially promising results that we had hoped would have more impact but did not. We will discuss why these ‘successes’ and ‘failures’ are important and can be used for future research in MOOCs.