I find the concept of massive open online courses, otherwise known as MOOC’s, to be an interesting concept. Allowing people to access college and university level courses in a flexible online manner open the door for many people and possibilities. In time, this approach to education could make a drastic change on the way some people learn and how we credit students for knowledge learned.

The first thing that came to mind when reading about MOOC’s is that they do have their limits. One of the biggest draw backs is that they require both a computer and internet connection which not everyone can afford. In time, as computers become more affordable and available, it is possible that this problem may be lessened but for now it can be a roadblock for some who want to learn but cannot afford to. Online learning can even be a struggle in the K-12 classroom as not all students have access to a computer or smart phone and schools rarely have computers for all students to use.

One thing that I had not considered about MOOC’s is that even if you do complete a course there is no means of recognizing the time and effort you put in. As far as I know there is no degree which can be obtained by taking a degree worth of MOOC courses. In theory, a person could learn an entire degree through MOOC courses but then receive no accreditation for their work, thus not opening the potential doors that it should. As MOOC courses become more acknowledged, perhaps some for of accreditation will become common. I would posit that by making that an option it would make MOOC based learning far more popular.

An interesting idea posed by Canole and Brown is the potential that in the future students could make their own degrees. Students being able to pick and choose what they learn and gaining accreditation for it instead of being forced into focused degrees sounds very appealing and could create more well-rounded individuals and unique combinations of knowledge. This could be especially useful in a future that appears less certain in its opportunities than the past did.

Readings:

• Friesen, N. (2009). Open Educational Resources: New Possibilities for Change and Sustainability. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 10(5). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v10i5.664
• Conole, G., & Brown, M. (2018). Reflecting on the Impact of the Open Education Movement. Journal of Learning for Development – JL4D, 5(3). Retrieved from http://jl4d.org/index.php/ejl4d/article/view/314