The Maturing of the MOOC

The Maturing of the MOOC
teaching, especially teaching online. A related paradox is that these same
institutions once opposed the accreditation of the University of Phoenix, claiming
that online teaching was inherently of low quality.”
He further accuses MOOC promoters of a “Passchendaele” morality (implying a disregard
for outcomes similar to that of World War I commanders) around recruitment, wastage and
retention.
Regarding accreditation, Daniel contends that MOOC certificates are close to a “mill
racket”, implying they are coining worthless currency. He asserts that other organisations
with track records in accrediting online learning offer a better option for students seeking to
certify attainments gained through distance classes.
Regarding pedagogy, Daniel presents evidence that all their claims to embody modern
learning, xMOOC formats, Coursera in particular, deploy “old and out-dated behaviourist
pedagogy”. What they dress up as educational innovation has a 40-year history.
The final myth deconstructed by Daniel is around MOOC motivation. He dismisses claims
to a philanthropic expansion of free knowledge, and cites evidence that profit and
posturing are the true motives of xMOOC builders. The claim that MOOCs spread learning
globally is also debunked:
“It is a myth to think that providing not-for-credit open online learning from the USA
will address the challenges of expanding higher education in the developing world”.
Daniel’s broadside, as he acknowledges, may in time be tempered by data and reviews
emerging from the first generation of xMOOCs, and from improvements to pedagogy and
retention. Daniel is confident that MOOCs will not evaporate like the previous bubble of
online courses from elite colleges.
The two most important legacies that MOOCs will leave are, says Daniel, improving
teaching and encouraging institutions to develop distinctive missions.
1. The MOOC stampede will force many institutions to focus their offers rather than
competing in a race where they are outgunned by players with deep pockets.
2. MOOCs will create popular and public indices of teaching quality. This may expose
the teaching weaknesses in some elite institutions. The publicity and scale of the
format will oblige institutions to do more than pay lip service to the importance of
teaching and put it at the core their missions. This is the real revolution of MOOCs.
John Casey, a professor at London’s Central Saint Martins School of Art reflects on the
political economy of MOOCs and open education and the implication for Art and Design
education in a 2012 blog post from the digital literacy blog at CSM 16 .
16 http://digitalpresent.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2012/12/12/taking-care-of-business-the-political-economy-of-moocsand-open-education/
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