DZone
Thanks for visiting DZone today,
Edit Profile
  • Manage Email Subscriptions
  • How to Post to DZone
  • Article Submission Guidelines
Sign Out View Profile
  • Post an Article
  • Manage My Drafts
Over 2 million developers have joined DZone.
Log In / Join
Refcards Trend Reports Events Over 2 million developers have joined DZone. Join Today! Thanks for visiting DZone today,
Edit Profile Manage Email Subscriptions Moderation Admin Console How to Post to DZone Article Submission Guidelines
View Profile
Sign Out
Refcards
Trend Reports
Events
Zones
Culture and Methodologies Agile Career Development Methodologies Team Management
Data Engineering AI/ML Big Data Data Databases IoT
Software Design and Architecture Cloud Architecture Containers Integration Microservices Performance Security
Coding Frameworks Java JavaScript Languages Tools
Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance Deployment DevOps and CI/CD Maintenance Monitoring and Observability Testing, Tools, and Frameworks
Partner Zones AWS Cloud
by AWS Developer Relations
Culture and Methodologies
Agile Career Development Methodologies Team Management
Data Engineering
AI/ML Big Data Data Databases IoT
Software Design and Architecture
Cloud Architecture Containers Integration Microservices Performance Security
Coding
Frameworks Java JavaScript Languages Tools
Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance
Deployment DevOps and CI/CD Maintenance Monitoring and Observability Testing, Tools, and Frameworks
Partner Zones
AWS Cloud
by AWS Developer Relations
Building Scalable Real-Time Apps with AstraDB and Vaadin
Register Now

Trending

  • Knowing and Valuing Apache Kafka’s ISR (In-Sync Replicas)
  • Essential Architecture Framework: In the World of Overengineering, Being Essential Is the Answer
  • How to LINQ Between Java and SQL With JPAStreamer
  • Structured Logging

Trending

  • Knowing and Valuing Apache Kafka’s ISR (In-Sync Replicas)
  • Essential Architecture Framework: In the World of Overengineering, Being Essential Is the Answer
  • How to LINQ Between Java and SQL With JPAStreamer
  • Structured Logging
  1. DZone
  2. Data Engineering
  3. IoT
  4. What is the purpose of a MOOC?

What is the purpose of a MOOC?

Adi Gaskell user avatar by
Adi Gaskell
·
Mar. 26, 14 · Interview
Like (0)
Save
Tweet
Share
5.35K Views

Join the DZone community and get the full member experience.

Join For Free

Over the past six months or so, many of the MOOC networks have been concerned about the poor completion rates on many of their courses.  There have been numerous attempts to solve that particular challenge, from offline study groups to social learning.  One particular area of focus of course has been that of certification.

Certifying the progress of students carries a number of benefits for the MOOCs.  Firstly of course, it allows the MOOCs to monetize the large numbers of students churning through courses on a weekly basis.  Secondly however, it also provides students with a tangible output from their weeks of study.

The role of these certificates has varied, with some simply providing evidence that the student has completed the course to a reasonable level, whilst others have attempted to offer points towards a more substantial qualification, such as a degree.

Now, this blog isn’t about how valid MOOCs are at validating the learning undertaken during a course.  There are plenty of articles on that topic already.  What I would like to touch on however is the value inherent in the certificates themselves.  It seems that many universities are stuck in the mindset that they’re universities, and therefore the natural desire of students is to consume more of what universities have to offer.

For instance there are numerous ways in which professionals seek to prove their skills and knowledge in the marketplace.  Few of them thus far have any kind of connection with a MOOC.  For instance there’s no way of highlighting the courses you’ve completed on an oDesk or LinkedIn.  There’s no way to link your course completion to your CPD record.

All of these things are arguably more valuable than a bite sized chunk of a degree that most people are likely to never undertake, let alone complete.  Much more needs to be done to communicate both the kind of subject matter learned in each course, and how that might be of any relevance to anyone else.

After all, whilst there will no doubt be many people doing MOOCs purely for the sake of learning something new, there will be many that will be doing them, and indeed might be put off of doing them, that would love a more tangible way of showing off the new knowledge they’ve obtained.

Original post
POST (HTTP) Record (computer science) Connection (dance) Links Blog Network

Opinions expressed by DZone contributors are their own.

Trending

  • Knowing and Valuing Apache Kafka’s ISR (In-Sync Replicas)
  • Essential Architecture Framework: In the World of Overengineering, Being Essential Is the Answer
  • How to LINQ Between Java and SQL With JPAStreamer
  • Structured Logging

Comments

Partner Resources

X

ABOUT US

  • About DZone
  • Send feedback
  • Careers
  • Sitemap

ADVERTISE

  • Advertise with DZone

CONTRIBUTE ON DZONE

  • Article Submission Guidelines
  • Become a Contributor
  • Visit the Writers' Zone

LEGAL

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy

CONTACT US

  • 600 Park Offices Drive
  • Suite 300
  • Durham, NC 27709
  • support@dzone.com

Let's be friends: