ICDE:MindtoMOOCsdraftissuesandrecommendationsversion1120131125 1

ICDE:MindtoMOOCsdraftissuesand
recommendations
ByInsGilJaurena,EditorOpenPraxis,andGardTitlestad,SecretaryGeneral,ICDE

TheviewsexpressedinthisreportdonotnecessarilyreflecttherecommendationsofICDEorits
members.

On20October2013,ICDEorganizedincollaborationwiththeOpenUniversityChina,OUC,aThink
tankMindtoMOOCsinBeijingwithcloseto20internationalexpertsfromallpartsoftheworld
(not Australia) and the corresponding number of Chinese experts (Ref. ICDE
http://icde.org/en/.b7C_wRfWY8.ips and UOC http://en.crtvu.edu.cn/news/events/1030think
tankandseminarmindtomoocsheldattheouc.

ThisreportaimstosummarisetheissuesandrecommendationsfromtheThinktankinaforward
oriented way, to be discussed, developed and refined during the ICDE Standing Conference of
PresidentsmeetinginLisbon,Portugal2730November2013.

The issues and recommendations should be read together with the background report MOOC in
an International Perspective: New global agenda for innovation in higher education (by Gard
Titlestad)andtheMindtoMOOCsSummaryReport,(byInsGilJaurena).

Aftermorethanhalfacenturyofmasseducationandtenyearsofthedevelopmentofknowledge
intensive societies, MOOCs celebrate perhaps their biggest global success by uncovering the
colossal need for, and the great joy of learning. The second success is that webbased and open
education is now on the agenda for higher education. Moreover, an even more promising effect
fromtheMOOCphenomenonisthekickstartofinnovationineducationworldwide.Atthesame
time several phenomena may be observed, which develop simultaneously, because higher
education through its immense popularity experiences a great pressure for change. Of particular
importance to this paper is the simultaneous development of the new pedagogy and distance
andonlinelearning.

ThemessagefromtheThinktankMindtoMOOCsis:actionnow.Eventhoughtherearemany
issuestoreflecton,developandrethink,thesituationcallsforaction.

Issuesandrecommendations

The Think tank produced several recommendations from concrete ideas relating to building of
foundations for MOOCs and practical suggestions for their use. These recommendations are
primarily addressed to higher education institutions which provide open, distance and flexible
education (regardless of whether they are open, blended or mainly campus based) and to senior
management at educational institutions. The recommendations are structured around three
strands referred to the principles MOOCs should be based on: equity; diversity; quality and
innovation.

SincethemostpromisingwindowthatisopenedthroughthearrivalofMOOCsistheopportunity
forchangeineducation,thefirstissueis:

ICDE:MindtoMOOCsdraftissuesandrecommendationsversion1120131125 2
Innovation.
Recommendationsregardinginnovationandresearchrelatedaspects.

Innovative educational applications can contribute to better learning, thus research and
management issues have to be dealt with as well. The arrival of MOOCs has opened up new and
excitingareasforresearch,innovationanddevelopment.Althoughinanearlyphaseofevolution,
it is clear that MOOCs are blurring the lines between distance and residential education.
Convergence is happening. Learning analytics,adapted learning, personalisation, radical(and less
radical) education and learning methodologies will pave their way and many smaller (and not so
small)disruptionsshouldbeexpected.InnovationpotentialofMOOCsforeducationalchangeisan
opportunityinthepedagogicallevel:opportunityforlifelonglearning;newinteractionsandroles
between learners, teachers, technology; permeability between previously isolated sectors;
spectrum of formal and nonformal learning opportunities. In this sense, MOOCs represent an
incubator for educational research. They also present a potential for change at a macro level to
achieve the aspirations of qualityatscale that the Open Education movement strives to do, and
for structural change regarding access, cost and quality. MOOCs, within the frame of pervasive
educationalchange,canhelptoensurethatthefruitsofinnovationaremeaningfultoindividuals
and to communities and is structured in such a way that equity, justice, participation and rights
areservedmostefficiently.

Therecommendationsare:

Improve and innovate on pedagogical aspects: methodologies, content formats, and

assessment.
Promote research about MOOCs. Innovation and new practices such as MOOCs can be
improved with research. Suggested topics are learning analytics, sustainability issues,
support services, assessment and credentialing/accreditation improvements, quality
framework.

Relocate innovation in the contextof community and shared ownership and the creation
of a participative and democratic learning environment, where values have equal
importancewithratesofprofitableextraction.
Promote the generation of strategies to empower local human resources to develop
innovationsandqualitystandardsatlocallevels.
Analyse funding and sustainability issues, considering different financing options and
fundingmodels.
Analyse recognition of credit possibilities. It requires previous work on guaranteeing
authenticity(learner'sidentity)duringthelearningandassessmentprocesses.Considerthe
inclusion of MOOCs into existing practices for PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment and
Recognition).
Analyse the impact of MOOCs completion badges or certificates of employment, on the
businessofinstitution/corporatepartnershipsandonMOOCfinancing.

Quality
Recommendations about improving MOOCs considering pedagogical and managerial related
aspects.

ThefuturedevelopmentofMOOCsshouldfocusonpedagogicalquality.Thelearningprocessthat
occurs in a MOOC has to be designed, developed, tracked, assessed and accredited. Pedagogical
ICDE:MindtoMOOCsdraftissuesandrecommendationsversion1120131125 3
and technological aspects are to be improved to promote a better learning experience for all.
ConsideringthatMOOCsarevoluntarycourseswithspecificcharacteristics,thequalityframework
has to be much focused on learners. The evaluation of the quality of MOOCs will need its own
frameworkandindicators.

Therecommendationsare:

Develop and integrate ICT into the learning process according to pedagogical
recommendations. Implement learning analytics as a tool for improving courses. Connect
thelearningprocessandresearchfornewknowledgeandimprovements.
Keepmovingtowardsquality.BeyondquantityofMOOCsandusers,thefocusonqualityis
essentialforsustainability.
WorkonstandardsrelatedtoMOOCs:qualitystandards,technicalstandardsandlicensing
standards.
Be aware of content and interoperability, the option and possibility for communication
betweenplatformsandmovingcontentacrossplatforms.

Equity.
Recommendations about MOOCs and their relationship to inclusion, social justice and social
missionofopeneducation.

Open, distance and flexible education (the focus of ICDE) is founded on democratising and
increasingaccesstohighereducationwithequityasakeyvalue.
EventhoughtheconceptofMOOCswasbornoutoftheOpenEducationmovement,MOOCsnow
are presented as a disruptive initiative that originated in traditional (nondistance education)
universities. They provide access to educational resources and learning opportunities in an open
andmassivemanner.Sofar,sogood,however,MOOCsarenotalwaysopen.ManyarenotMOOCs
but rather MOCs (Online but not Open), and transparency regarding providers, content, users
rights etc. is sometimes poor. The convergence of philosophical underpinnings between distance
education and MOOCs can be regarded as a challenge, an opportunity, as well as a threat. The
usersofMOOCsaresometimesthesamegroupsasservedbyOpenUniversities(OU),andaretoa
lesserdegreesimilartothoseservedbyresidentialUniversities(ECAR2013
1
).However,thismight
changeduetodemographics,studentattractiontoonlinelearning,andindeedcandifferbetween
regions.

Open Universities and distance education universities/institutions are leading and longterm
players in the field of lifelong, open, flexible and distance learning and could be expected to
exploreandexploittheirownstyleMOOCsinitiatives.

There is not yet a proven sustainable business model for MOOCs, although corporate and
commercial interests have emerged around them. MOOCs are part of a complex and evolving
ecosystem of competing economic and academic vested interests. Have the public universities on
theforprofitMOOCbandwagonofferedbysomeinternationalplayersreflectedontheirroleand
the use of public tax money? How will a potential companys movement towards MOOCs impact
revenuefromtraditionallyandvirtuallydeliveredprofessionaldevelopmentcourses?

1 Dahlstrom,E.;Walker,J.D.&Dziuban,C.(2013).ECARStudyofUndergraduateStudentsand
InformationTechnology(researchreport).Louisville:EDUCAUSE.Retrievedfrom
https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERS1302/ERS1302.pdf
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Thereisasmuch,ifnotmore,uncertaintyaboutthefutureofMOOCsasthefutureoftraditional
highereducation.TheboundariesoftheMOOCphenomenonareunclear.

Thefollowingrecommendationsaremaderegardingequityandinclusioninhighereducation,and
MOOCsroleinthis:

Considerthisdisruptiveinitiativeasanopportunitytorethinkourroleasuniversities.Both
open and conventional higher education institutions should reflect on the influence of
MOOCsinthereappraisaloftheirroles.

Place equity as a foundation for renewed emphasis on rights and proactive access to the
potential goods (intellectual, economic and cultural) that education and MOOCs can
provide.

Take the lead by setting an example with MOOCs. Open Universities and their
collaborators, as well as distance education institutions and units should take initiatives,
building on longstanding tradition and missions related to increasing access to higher
education.

Integrate MOOCs in our respective institutions. Link with other open issues (OER, OCW,
Open Access) and with other education and university programmes that we offer and
develop.

BeawareofcorporateinterestsinMOOCsthatmaycompetewithacademicinterestsat
themissionlevel(differentmissions)andatthedeliverylevel(differentcontent,different
methodologies)andresultslevel(differentaudiences,differentcredits,differentrevenue).

Promotetransparencyregardingproviders,content,usersrights,etc.ineducationalMOOC
andMOOClikeconcepts.

Envisagenational,regionalandtransnationalcooperationasagreatopportunityin
developingMOOCsandMOOClikeconcepts.

Diversity.
Recommendationsaboutconsideringcontextualaspectswhenproducing/consumingMOOCS.

Being an international initiative with a global spread in higher education, MOOCs development
and implementation has to be addressed in the context of language, culture and regulatory
frameworks.Whilehavingglobalpotentialtobecomeameansforinclusionandsocialjustice,the
implementation of MOOCs have been increasing but unbalanced among nations, regions and
institutions. Diversity awareness and management are critical skills in a multipolar and complex
worldwherelinguistic,ethnic,religious,culturalandpoliticaldifferencesarethenormratherthan
exception. In this sense MOOCs may have a better chance of impact and survival if they
acknowledgeandengagewiththismilieu.TheprevalenceofEnglishlanguageinMOOCs,resulting
fromthefactthatEnglishspeakinguniversitiesarethemajorproducersofMOOCs,couldincrease
thedangerofeducationalcolonialism.Atthemomentdevelopingcountriesareconsumingbutnot
developing MOOCs. The current finding of the user profile of MOOCs, suggests that those that
have are much better off than those that not have. (ECAR 2013). The open and noncommercial
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character of OER and OCW as the basis for MOOCs could ease contextual, cultural and language
adaptationinbothsides(NorthSouth).

ThefollowingoffersuggestionsforfutureMOOCdevelopment:

Develop contextualization strategies when implementing MOOCs with an eye to national

regulations,institutionalcharacteristics,etc.TherearemanywaysofdevelopingMOOCs.

BeawareofculturalandlinguisticcontexttoavoidanAnglocentriccore,oranew
intellectualcolonialism.

EmpowernonEnglishspeakingcountriestocreatetheirownopeneducationalsolutions
andencourageOERadaptationtoeachcontextallovertheworld.

Movetoarobustengagementwiththelearningneedsandperspectivesshapedby
differentexperiencesaroundgender,belief,valuesandsystemicmarginalization.

Buildontheexperienceofopenanddistanceeducationuniversities,particularlyinareasof
studentsupportandindividualisedlearning,whendevelopingMOOCs.

Promotethedevelopmentofpublicpoliciesaboutopenlearning(includingMOOCs)at
countryandinstitutionallevels.

Encourageuniversityconsortiaandqualityframeworksrelatedtotheidentifiedneedsin
differentregionstosupportaccesstohighereducation,inclusionandequity.