Participants' Perceptions of Learning and Networking in Connectivist MOOCs

MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, Vol. 10, No. 1, March 2014. Abstracts of papers in this issue. SPECIAL SECTION ON MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES (See also Vol. 9, No. 2, which is a full special issue on MOOCs.)
  Participants' Perceptions of Learning and Networking in Connectivist MOOCs - Abstract
By Mohsen Saadatmand and Kristiina Kumpulainen. Massive open online cou rses (MOOCs) are growing exponentially in higher education. They have attracted the attention of higher education institutions, course designers, and policy makers. They challenge the mainstream of higher education and provide global learning opportunities to a huge number of students so they can learn anytime and anywhere. The value and applicability of the MOOC model in the current era of higher education and the nature of learning in such an open online format need to be investigated. This study focused on participants' experiences and perceived value of participation in connectivist MOOCs (cMOOCs) in terms of dealing with an abundance of resources and tools, learning activities, and network engagement. The results suggest a high extent of technology depl oyment for learning and interactions by the participants in cMOOCs. Creating networks and developing professional connections through networking technologies are advantages of participating in cMOOCs. The study's findings contribute to a better understanding of the nature of learning and participation in MOOCs from the perspective of students, who are the main stakeholders of such new learning experiences. See more...