An investigation into the perspectives of providers and learners on MOOC accessibility

An effective open eLearning environment should consider the target learner’s abilities, learning goals, where learning takes place, and which specific device(s) the learner uses. MOOC platforms struggle to take these factors into account and typically are not accessible, inhibiting access to environments that are intended to be open to all. A series of research initiatives are described that are intended to benefit MOOC providers in achieving greater accessibility and disabled learners to improve their lifelong learning and re-skilling. In this paper, we first outline the rationale, the research questions, and the methodology. The research approach includes interviews, online surveys and a MOOC accessibility audit; we also include factors such the risk management of the research programme and ethical considerations when conducting research with vulnerable learners. Preliminary results are presented from interviews with providers and experts and from analysis of surveys of learners. Finally, we outline the future research opportunities. This paper is framed within the context of the Doctoral Consortium organised at the TEEM'17 conference

The Identified Informal Learner: Recognizing Assessed Learning in the Open

Badged open courses (BOCs) were piloted on the OpenLearn platform by the Open University (OU) in the UK in 2013. These are free online course upon the completion of which, digital badges are awarded. Based on the evaluation of their impact, they now form a key strand to the OU’s free learning provision, embracing Open Educational Practices at their core. The first permanent suite of BOCs was launched on OpenLearn in 2015 and evaluated for impact, both from an outreach and a business perspective. The application of a branded open digital badge, with associated assessment and feedback has provided a mechanism to motivate and reward informal learners whilst also generating a higher than expected click-through to make an enquiry about becoming a formal student

Refining Open Educational Resources For Both Learner And Institution

The Open Educational Resources (OER) movement over the past ten years has described many benefits of releasing learning for free, including business remunerations to institutions as well as a means to altruistically reach underserved groups. By examining learner behaviour and motivation, the papers collated for this PhD by Published Work bring a critical analysis to the experience of delivering OER addressing the broad research question “How can the refinement of OER benefit both learner and institution?”. A range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and associated website analytics are used to investigate the challenges of repurposing OER together with how the motivations of those wishing to take advantage of OER usage can be better supported. During the five-year time line of these papers, formal students and informal learners, predominantly UK-based, were surveyed by the author generating several thousand responses. These surveys focussed mainly on a large institutional endeavour to deliver OER at The Open University, key findings from which show the business impact of open educational practice where literature had provided only theoretical assumptions. The data also exposes the many and varied motivations of learners using OER where literature has focused largely on the experience and attitudes of educators. The thesis reveals learners’ problems with OER usability more generally, and critically, the desire for certification of OER study against the prohibitive costs of studying in higher education. It describes the development by the author and associated impact of the application of digital badges (or ‘micro-credentials’) to reward users of OER as recognition for informal learning achievements. The thesis includes recommendations that extend beyond one institution’s OER policy, regarding the design and curation of OER globally to better serve the needs of learners, particularly those who cannot afford formal study. It also highlights the need to bring together OER and micro-credentials more cohesively to explore the potential of a framework of core work-related skills needed for a digital economy. It is concluded that there is an economy of scale to the delivery of OER, but that the key to successful impact is through robust open educational practice, instructional design and tangible recognition to learners of their achievements

Who are the Open Learners? A Comparative Study Profiling non-Formal Users of Open Educational Resources

Open educational resources (OER) have been identified as having the potential to extend opportunities for learning to non-formal learners. However, little research has been conducted into the impact of OER on non-formal learners. This paper presents the results of a systematic survey of more than 3,000 users of open educational resources (OER). Data was collected between 2013 and 2014 on the demographics, attitudes and behaviours of users of three repositories. Questions included a particular focus on the behaviours of non-formal learners and the relationship between formal and non-formal study. Frequency analysis shows that there are marked differences in patterns of use, user profiles, attitudes towards OER, types of materials used and popularity of different subjects. The experience of using OER is fairly consistent across platforms in terms of satisfaction and impact on future behaviour. On the whole, non-formal learners surveyed were highly positive about their use of OER and believe they will continue to use them. With regards to this making formal study more likely some degree of polarization was observed: some believed formal study was now more likely, while others felt it made this less likely. On the whole, while non-formal learners are enthusiastic about using free and online resources, the language and concept of OER does not seem to be well understood in the groups surveyed. A range of findings relating to OER selection and use as well as differences between repositories are explored in the discussion

Course Quality and Hosting Platforms: Implications for Massively Open Online Course (MOOC) Design and Delivery

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) began as an experiment in connectivist learning in 2008 (Downes, 2012). While the number of MOOCs offered has risen, as has the number of universities offering MOOCs (Brown, Costello, Donkon, & Giolla-Mhichill, 2015), perceptions of the quality of MOOCs have been mixed (Bali, 2014; Peterson, 2014). From a perspective of Merrill’s first principles of instruction (2013), this qualitative study examined MOOC delivery platforms to determine what learning platforms and what specific characteristics may best promote and sustain MOOC quality. MOOCs selected for this study include those offered in English, open to anyone with Internet access, from accredited institutions of higher education

Literature review: an exploratory study

The increase in the number and quality of technologies has imposed on education in general new forms of learning, some with less relevance, but others with recognized results in the educational and scientific community. The Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC)are an example of one of these technologies with recognized results because that seems to contribute to the acquisition and mastery of digital competences in the context of the realization of the teaching-learning process supported by the networks. It is in these networks that all the participants in the educational process interact and collaborate with all, cultivate connections, debate the themes, present their criticisms, update their knowledge, acquire new skills, make decisions, but generically develop as members of a connectivist community. Based on these assumptions, in this research we intend to make a review of the literature to identify the aspects that, in detriment of regular education, to encourage the teachers to adopt the MOOC as technology for their professional development and to carry out the process of teaching and learning. Thus, through an exploratory research, characterized as documentary, we use the main sources of information, in this case scientific articles published on the subject to understand the relevance and contribution of the MOOC in an educational universe supported by technologies. In general, the results, although preliminary because of temporal limitations issues in accompanying the rapid evolution of the scientific production of knowledge, suggest that on the one hand the teachers opt for MOOC education for the ease of distance learning; on the other hand, adopt the MOOCs for the acquisition of digital skills oriented to the new challenges.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Massive Open Online Courses for Business Learning: Key research, best practices and pathways to innovation

This book contains all you need to know about Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) for the world of business! It was written by academics and business experts from across Europe as part of the BizMOOC project (bizmooc.eu). Inside you will find a detailed analysis of key literature in this field along with a range of practical tips for designing, implementing, evaluating and improving online learning at scale. Use this guide to understand the MOOC potential for you and your organisation!BizMOOC (2016-9) was a Knowledge Alliance project funded by the European Union (Erasmus+ / Key Action 2 / Knowledge Alliance; 562286-EPP-1-2015-1-AT-EPPKA2-KA). The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsi­ble for any use which may be made of the information contained therein

An Investigation Into The Accessibility Of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are an evolution of open online learning that enables people to study online and for little or no cost. MOOCs can provide learners with the flexibility to learn, opportunities for social learning, and the chance to gain new skills and knowledge. While MOOCs have the potential to also bring these benefits to disabled learners, there is little understanding of how accessibility is embedded in the creation of MOOCs. The goal of this research has been to understand the accessibility barriers in MOOCs and to develop processes to identify and address those barriers. In the extant literature, the expectations of disabled learners when they take up MOOCs are not discussed and studies on MOOCs that report demographic data of learners do not consider disabled learners. However, disabled learners can face difficulties in accessing MOOCs, and certain learning designs of MOOCs may affect their engagement, causing them to miss out on opportunities offered by MOOCs. Technologies and the learning design approaches for MOOCs need to be as accessible as possible, so that learners can use MOOCs in a range of contexts, including via assistive technologies. This research has investigated the current state of accessibility in MOOCs. It has involved the following: Interviews with 26 MOOC providers; including software developers, accessibility managers, inclusion designers, instructional designers, course editors and learning media developers; Comparative quantitative survey data involving disabled and non-disabled learners participating in 14 MOOCs; Interviews with 15 disabled learners which have captured their experiences; and An accessibility audit was devised and then used to evaluate MOOCs from 4 major platforms: FutureLearn, edX, Coursera and Canvas. This audit comprises 4 components: technical accessibility, user experience (UX), quality and learning design; 10 experts were involved in its design and validation. This research programme has yielded an understanding of how MOOC providers cater for disabled learners, the motivations of disabled learners when taking part in MOOCs, and how MOOCs should be designed to be accessible for disabled learners. A range of barriers to accessibility in MOOCs have been identified, and an accessibility audit for MOOCs has been proposed. An open online learning environment should take into account learners’ abilities, learning goals, where learning takes place, and the different devices learners use. The research outcomes will be beneficial to MOOC providers to support the accessible design of MOOCs, including the educational resources and the platforms where the MOOCs are hosted. The ultimate beneficiaries of this research project are MOOC learners because accessible MOOCs will help support their lifelong learning and provide re-skilling opportunities

Open Educational Resources: Policy, Costs and Transformation

Open Educational Resources (OER) — teaching, learning and research materials that their owners make free for others to use, revise and share — offer a powerful means of expanding the reach and effectiveness of worldwide education. The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and UNESCO co-organised the World OER Congress in 2012 in Paris. That Congress resulted in the OER Paris Declaration: a statement that urged governments around the world to release, as OER, all teaching, learning and research materials developed with public funds. This book, drawing on 15 case studies contributed by 29 OER researchers and policy-makers from 15 countries across six continents, examines the implementation of the pivotal declaration through the thematic lenses of policy, costs and transformation. The case studies provide a detailed picture of OER policies and initiatives as they are unfolding in different country contexts and adopting a range of approaches, from bottom-up to top-down. The book illuminates the impacts of OER on the costs of producing, distributing and providing access to learning materials, and shows the way that OER can transform the teaching and learning methodology mindset. Recommendations on key actions to be taken by policy-makers, practitioners, OER developers and users are also outlined, particularly within the context of Education 2030. Clearly, progress is being made, although more work must be done if the international community is to realise the full potential of OER. Contents Foreword by the President and CEO, Commonwealth of Learning Foreword by the Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO Introduction Open Educational Resources: Policy, Costs and Transformation | Rory McGreal, Fengchun Miao and Sanjaya Mishra Chapter 1 Open Educational Practices in Australia | Carina Bossu Chapter 2 Open Educational Resources Policy for Developing a Knowledge-Based Economy in the Kingdom of Bahrain | Nawal Ebrahim Al Khater, Hala Amer and Fadheela Tallaq Chapter 3 The State of Open Educational Resources in Brazil: Policies and Realities | Carolina Rossini and Oona Castro Chapter 4 Open Educational Resources in Canada | Rory McGreal, Terry Anderson and Dianne Conrad Chapter 5 Caribbean Open Textbooks Initiative | Neil Butcher, Andrew Moore and Sarah Hoosen Chapter 6 Open Educational Resources in Germany | Ulf-Daniel Ehlers Chapter 7 Copyrights in OER Publishing in India: The Case of the National Programme on Technology-Enhanced Learning | Mangala Sunder Krishnan iv Chapter 8 The Promise of Open Educational Resources in Indonesia | Petra Wiyakti Bodrogini and Mohammad Rinaldi Chapter 9 Using Open Educational Resources for Undergraduate Programme Development at Wawasan Open University | Teik Kooi Liew Chapter 10 OERu: Realising Sustainable Education Futures | Wayne Mackintosh Chapter 11 Integrating ICT for Innovative Educational Solutions in Oman: Leveraging OER Policy to Enhance Teaching and Learning | Maimoona Al Abri and Saif Hamed Hilal Al Busaidi Chapter 12 The Polish Open e-Textbooks Project as a Policy Model for Openness of Public Educational Resources | Alek Tarkowski Chapter 13 Open Access to Educational Resources Through Federal Portals and OER in Russia | Svetlana Knyazeva and Aleksei Sigalov Chapter 14 Open Educational Resources for Early Literacy in Africa: The Role of the African Storybook Initiative | Tessa Welch and Jennifer Glennie Chapter 15 Developing an Infrastructure Support for Faculty Use of Open Educational Resources: The Case of the Washington State Community and Technical Colleges System | Boyoung Chae and Mark Jenkins Conclusions | Fengchun Miao, Sanjaya Mishra and Rory McGrea

Promoting Inclusive Higher Education in the digital age: Wrapping massive open online courses (MOOCs) for youth from marginalised communities in South Africa

In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic led to the global shutdown of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) forcing the move from residential campuses to online learning. In South Africa, the shutdown further exacerbated the lack of access to Higher Education (HE) amongst youth, which adds to higher unemployment rates and perpetuates the cycle of poverty with detrimental consequences for society. However, in 2020 the forced move to online learning, and the use of freely available Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) provided an opportunity to rethink accessto HE for youth from marginalised areas. In some cases, a blended learning approach has been adopted by universities to provide more flexible pathways to HE. The wrapping of MOOCs follows a similar process but can be specifically used to be inclusive of students traditionally excluded from HE. The aim of the research explores the extent to which wrapped MOOCs made in South Africa could serve as effective ‘boundary objects' for students to experience HE. This research aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) specifically in relation to the fourth goal that targets inclusive and quality education and promotes lifelong learning for all. It explores how MOOCs, if wrapped or blended in a face-to-face programmes could prepare young people from marginalised communities for the workplace in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The research aims to explore the characteristics of two wrapped MOOCs made in South Africa to make them more accessible to youth from marginalised communities. The researcher utilised a case study methodology and employed ethnographic methods to explore how MOOCs were wrapped to make them more accessible to youth in marginalised communities in South Africa. The cases were two learning contexts where MOOCs were wrapped for the youth from those communities. The data was analysed using concepts from Wenger-Trayner et al.'s (2015) Landscapes of Practice. One of the key concepts is the boundary object, which can ideally play a mediating role between knowledge practices across contexts. It can thus grant different forms of access to those who would otherwise have been excluded from specific ways of knowing, identity work and experience of digital technologies. The data found that some students were unaware that MOOCs existed. Students desired and accepted that MOOCs could be part of an offering of HE programmes or courses but mostly agreed that they would not take it on their own as they required the digital literacy, computer facilities and Internet to complete it. They preferred that it was wrapped within a face-to-face programme. Still, once they experienced taking it, they saw themselves as knowledgeable in taking MOOCs and the confidence to take online courses in the future. They attributed the social and epistemological access they received more to the programme than to the MOOCs. Most participants did not want MOOCs to replace HE institutions as they valued face-to-face engagement, that the wrapped MOOC format made possible. But the opportunity to learn on a digital platform and work online made them feel more equipped to choose their own pathways in the HE landscape. The study culminated in a set of characteristics that could make wrapped MOOCs effective ‘boundary objects'. The research recommends that future MOOCs be wrapped to be inclusive of these characteristics to enhance social and epistemological access to HE for students from marginalised areas. The contribution of this research would be to create a list of principles that allows for relevant MOOCs out of approximately 13500 MOOCs, that currently exist, to be used, adapted and wrapped by the HE sector or various stakeholders that provide training, education and skills to youth in marginalised or refugee communities. The Covid-19 pandemic shutdown impacted on the popularity of MOOCs where platforms like Coursera, edX, and FutureLearn attracted as many users in one month as they did in an entire year of 2019. The significance of the study was evident during the HE shutdown when access to educational resources became crucial in the remote and online teaching format. The research contributed theoretically in terms of applying a landscapes of practice framework to understand and extend online and blended learning provision to marginalised communities. Future studies can take the recommendations of this research and apply the list of principles to wrap MOOCs and other online courses within particular landscapes of practice to explore their effectiveness in promoting access to HE