The impact and reach of MOOCs:a developing countries’ perspective

Liyanagunawardena, T., Williams, S. and Adams, A. (2013) The impact and reach of MOOCs:a developing countries’ perspective. eLearning Papers (33). ISSN 1887-1542

Abstract/Summary

Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a recent but hugely popular phenomenon in the online learning world. They are hailed by many as a solution for the developing world’s lack of access to education because MOOCs can provide learning opportunities to a massive number of learners from anywhere in the world as long as they can access the course through Internet. However, a close consideration of the ability of learn- ers from most developing countries to make use of MOOCs seems to contradict this rhetoric. This paper discusses features of MOOCs and looks at them from a developing countries’ perspective to conclude that due to a complicated set of conditions (‘access’, language, computer literacy among others) prevailing in developing countries, MOOCs may not be a viable solution for education for a large proportion of people in these ar- eas of the world. The paper further shows the need for more data on the demograph- ics of MOOC participants from developing countries to form a better understanding of MOOCs role in educating people from developing countries.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/32452
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science
Uncontrolled Keywords	MOOCs, developing countries, connectivism, online learning
Publisher	eLearningeuropa.info
Publisher Statement	The texts published in this journal, unless otherwise indicated, are subject to a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivativeWorks 3.0 Unported licence. They may be copied, distributed and broadcast provided that the author and the e-journal that publishes them, eLearning Papers, are cited. Commercial use and derivative works are not permitted.
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