On mooc

• Author: A. Nechifor/M. Purcaru
• Position: Faculty of Letters, Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania/Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania
• Pages: 31-38

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 7 (56) No. 2 - 2014

ON MOOC

A. NECHIFOR1 M. PURCARU2

Abstract: Living in a world that has brought us to witnessing toddlers

choosing applications on tablets on their own, determined us to approach the

research of a very modern alternative type of education, i.e. MOOC. The

basic aim of the paper, besides offering a general view over this concept, was

that of identifying the positives and the negati ves of this means of online

tutoring, by amassing the latest opinions in thi s field, but also by imparting

from our experience as MOOC followers, as participants in different such

courses. The conclusions brought us closer to supporting th e idea of

introducing MOOC in our higher educational institutions, but the outcomes

are yet to be discovered in a further research, as definitely desired by the two

authors of the present paper.

Key words: massive open online courses, structure, advantages,

disadvantages, future.

1 Faculty of Letters, Transilvania University of Braşov, Romania.

2 Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Transilvania University of Braşov, Romania.

1. Introduction

Considered one of the most modern

alternative types of education, MOOC,

Massive Open Online Courses, represents, at

the same time, one of the most challenging

endeavours of the educational institutions in

point of offer and implementation and

“opens” new territories with every year that

has passed from its inception.

2. History of MOO C

MOOC started to be implemented on a

large scale, as a new concept in education, in

2012, and has developed at a very high speed

ever since. Still, its roots are to be traced back

to 2007 when David Wiley, of Colorado

State University, decided to literally open his

course, on Open Education, and who,

consequently, enjoyed the participation of 50

people from 8 countries [3], [4].

MOOC was first introduced as a concept

in 2008, by D. Cormier, of the University of

Prince Edward Island and Senior Research

Fellow Bryan Alexander of the National

Institute for Technology in Liberal

Education, in response to a course called

“Connectivism and Connective

Knowledge” (CCK08). This was a course

initially addressed to a group of 25

enrolees, fee paying students who were

supposed to study for credits in Extended

Education at the University of Manitoba,

as well as for countless online students

from the general public who were not

expected to pay anything [9]. After using

different platforms to engage the students

with the topic, Facebook groups, Wiki

pages, blogs and forums included, over

2,300 people eventually participated in the

course, without paying fees or gaining

credit and 170 of them created their own

blogs.