Before starting this assignment, I had limited knowledge of Open Educational Resources (OERs), which UNESCO (2018) defines as freely available educational materials such as textbooks, courses, syllabi, assignments, and assessments. These resources are cost-free and have open licenses, permitting duplication, reuse, adaptation, and sharing.
Our team has selected the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) OpenLearn (n.d) for a thorough analysis. OpenLearn stands out as a user-friendly platform with an intuitive navigation system and offers more comprehensive filtering options for course length and difficulty levels than other MOOCs, like Coursera.
For example, when browsing Coursera, I found courses that sparked my interest. Still, upon enrollment, I realized the completion time was 4 to 6 months, which is unfeasible as a working professional in graduate school. OpenLearn addresses this issue with better filtering options for individual time constraints and skill levels.
While exploring MOOCs, I was intrigued by the extensive content and courses available to users. This led me to consider using MOOCs to supplement training programs within franchise organizations. By utilizing the information in MOOCs, franchise companies can save time and resources on content creation while customizing the training program to meet the franchise’s and its employees’ specific needs. However, this solution raised several questions about implementing MOOCs in franchise settings, particularly regarding inclusivity.
I aim to examine how OpenLearn, a specific MOOC, accommodates various learning styles and caters to diverse participant needs. As someone with franchise industry experience, I recognize the presence of diverse learners and wonder how a MOOC can effectively cater to their different learning styles and needs.
To evaluate OpenLearn’s inclusiveness, I will examine several factors. These include the availability of multimedia resources, such as videos, audio files, and interactive content. These can cater to different learning styles and make the learning experience more engaging for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. Additionally, I will consider the accessibility features that OpenLearn offers, such as subtitles, transcripts, and adjustable playback speed, which can support learners with disabilities or language barriers. Finally, I will look at the MOOC’s diverse courses, including a wide range of skill levels and time commitments that allow users to personalize their learning experiences based on their needs and interests.
I welcome input from others on aspects to consider concerning my specific issue of inclusivity in MOOCs, as well as the learning event and delivery technology. Your feedback will be valuable as I develop my individual learning plan for conducting a critical inquiry into this issue. I will reflect on the feedback provided in my subsequent blog post.
References:
The Open University. (n.d.). OpenLearn. https://www.open.edu/openlearn/
UNESCO. (2018). Open educational resources. https://www.unesco.org/en/open-educational-resources
Hi Jess, thanks for sharing about the issue you will be exploring related to MOOCs. I have to say that I have only completed one MOOC – the Indigenous Canada one that the University of Alberta offers on Coursera. I was so excited to learn more on this topic and was thrilled when they released this learning opportunity. Although the content was good (and important), I really struggled to get through it. It was long, and I did not find it very engaging. Because I was doing the course out of self-interest (no requirement to complete it), I struggled with motivation to keep showing up to work on it. I found the assessments to be really hard, and in many instances, the questions were worded to be tricky – which I am personally not a fan of. I will look forward to learning what you discover on this topic as I wonder what the limitations are for MOOCs and their ability to create meaningful and engaging learning experiences for all learners. I also wonder what the relationship is between open (free to use) and cost (of production) is and how that might limit the learning experience in terms of technology/tools used for creating MOOCs.
Thanks again!
Leah