Before participating in this research and learning event, I had limited knowledge and experience with Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs): I had taken a few MOOCs (even managed to complete a couple) in the past and read a bit about MOOCs in the readings from previous MALAT classes (e.g., Bates, 2015; Weller, 2020). However, I still had many gaps in my understanding of how MOOCs came into existence — with their grand promises to transform education — and how they evolved to what they are today.

The Impact of MOOCs on Learners and Society

So far, my critical inquiry into MOOC design has been both fascinating and somewhat terrifying. I have come to understand that although MOOCs have indeed increased freedom of choice, offering many student populations seemingly endless learning opportunities. They have ironically restricted the freedom of others through various forms of control, namely the systematic perpetuation of Western ideology and the use of the English language. Of course, MOOCs are a relatively new phenomenon and are still evolving (Weller, 2020). Yet, growing diversity — or increasing differences in language and culture — within online learning environments has made it necessary for MOOC designers to be aware of the role culture plays in learning (Adam, 2019; Taheri et al., 2019).

Culture is an integral part of the human experience. Shaped by our language, environment, and systems of belief, Kinasevych (2010) asserts it provides a unique lens through which we can view the world. While it is necessary to acknowledge that everyone has a culture, it is vital to understand the dominant and privileged position of Western, Anglo-Saxon cultures in most online learning environments (ABLE Research Consultants, 2020). For example, MOOC providers, such as Coursera, continue to use a significant amount of educational content produced by Western universities to export to other parts of the world (Taheri et al., 2019). Consequently, most MOOCs are designed for Western-centric instruction, which assumes the experiences of all learners are the same, despite variations in their cultural and linguistic backgrounds (Rogers et al., as cited in Taheri et al., 2019). This is unfortunate because a growing body of research suggests (Wang, 2007; Zhu et al., 2021) that students’ interaction and academic performance significantly increase when cultural diversity is addressed in online course design.

Although the scope of my research is limited to the inclusivity of MOOC design as it relates to culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students, it would be worth investigating if MOOCs can truly serve a global audience while remaining operationally monolingual. By offering courses in only a limited set of languages, with an overwhelming majority in English, MOOC providers place full responsibility on MOOC participants to adapt to these culturally and linguistically restrictive environments. Over the long term, Adam (2019) argues this can erode local and indigenous knowledge systems, which Lee & Kaluarachchi (2020) state can lead to the destruction of tradition and cultural diversity. The perpetuation of a Western monoculture through the use of MOOCs as a tool for global education, I believe, is a disservice to humanity as a whole.

The colonial nature of MOOCs is an important component that will only briefly be discussed in my research. Nonetheless, it is an important aspect worth further exploration. For anyone interested in the decolonization of OER, especially MOOCs, Taskeen Adam (Adam, 2019) and Sarah Lambert (Lambert, 2020) have done a lot of great work in this area.

The Challenges and Opportunities of MOOCs

There are many complex and challenging issues to negotiate when considering how to reshape MOOCs along fairer and more equitable lines. The focus of my research and key issue presented in this post is that culture may significantly influence the design and use of MOOCs, and a design approach that supposes MOOCs as culturally neutral may not serve the needs of all learners. Again, whether MOOC designers from well-known providers, such as Coursera, choose to acknowledge it or not, most MOOC design that persists today does not appear to reflect the needs of a global audience (Adam, 2019; Gunawardena, 2020; Lambert, 2020), a fact that presents considerable ethical concerns.

Fawns (2022) insightfully asserts that: “ignorance of ethics of technology is not an excuse: we are always part of entanglements, and we are always partly responsible for them.” (p.13). It is therefore worth noting that “Unless educators address the issue of teaching to a diverse body of students, and do so systematically, then online delivery may become just another way of dumping course content, with the assumption that all students, regardless of cultural background, can access learning resources and achieve success.” (McLoughlin, 2001 as cited in Tehari et al., 2019, p. 599).

Technology is not designed culturally neutral, and in fact “can be loaded with racial bias” (Noble, 2018 as cited in Houldan & Veletsianos, 2021, para. 15). Recognizing that technology can both liberate and reinforce inequalities, by deciding who and what is made freer in its application (Houldan & Veletsianos, 2021), I believe is the first step toward real and positive change.

As anyone with an internet connection can sign up for a MOOC, designers are presented with a unique opportunity to employ best practice strategies and what is known about successful online education for culturally and linguistically diverse students to make their courses more inclusive and welcoming for all. By redressing the imbalances of power present in current MOOC design, MOOC designers can begin to acknowledge and leverage the strengths of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Designing with the needs of the most under-represented in mind ensures the needs of every learner are fulfilled (Morris, 2018).

References

ABLE Research Consultants (2020). Removing barriers to online learning
through a teaching and learning lens. BCcampus. Retrieved from https://bccampus.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Report_Removing-Barriers-to-Online-Learning-Through-a-Teaching-and-Learning-Lens.pdf

Adam, T. (2019). Digital neocolonialism and massive open online courses (MOOCs): Colonial pasts and neoliberal futures. Learning Media and Technology, 44(3),1-16. DOI: 10.1080/17439884.2019.1640740

Bates, T. (2015). Chapter 5 MOOCs. OpenBCcampus. Retrieved from https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/teachinginadigitalagev2/part/chapter-7-moocs/

Fawns, T. (2022). An entangled pedagogy: Looking beyond the pedagogy—technology dichotomy. Postdigital Science Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-022-00302-7

Gunawardena, C. (2013). Culture and Online Distance Learning. In M. G. Moore (Ed.), Handbook of distance education (3rd Edition), 185-200. Retrieved from https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1170&context=ulls_fsp

Houlden, S., & Veletsianos, G. (2021). The Problem with Flexible Learning: Neoliberalism, Freedom, and Learner Subjectivities. Learning, Media, & Technology, 46(2), 144-155. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2020.1833920

Kinasevych, O. (2010). The effects of culture on online learning. In F. Sudweeks, H. Hrachovec and C. Ess (eds). Proceedings Cultural Attitudes Towards Communication and Technology, 420-427. Eric Database. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED529665.pdf

Lambert, S. (2020). Do MOOCs contribute to student equity and social inclusion? A systematic review 2014–18, Computers & Education,145, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103693.

Lee & Kaluarachchi (2020, September 19). Western education in developing countries: why it isn’t as beneficial as we might think [Website]. Melbourne Micro-finance Initiative. Retrieved from https://www.melbournemicrofinance.com/new-blog/2020/15/9/western-education-developing-countries

Morris, S. (2018). Critical instructional design. In an urgency of teachers. Pressbooks. Retrieved from https://criticaldigitalpedagogy.pressbooks.com/chapter/critical-pedagogy-and-learning-online

Tehari, M., Hölzle, K., & Meinel1, C. (2019). Towards culturally inclusive MOOCs: A design-based approach. In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU), 597-604. DOI: 10.5220/0007715805970604

Wang, M. (2007). Designing online courses that effectively engage learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. British Journal of Educational Technology, 38(2), 294-311. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2006.00626.x

Weller, M. (2020). Chapter 19: 2012 Massive Open Online Courses. 25 Years of Ed Tech. Athabasca University Press. https://doi.org/10.15215/aupress/9781771993050.01

Zhu, M. & Sabir, N., Bonk, C., Sari, A., Xu, S. & Kim, M. (2021). Addressing learner cultural diversity in MOOC design and delivery: Strategies and practices of experts. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education. 22. 1-25. DOI: 10.17718/tojde.906468.