Begin the begin

We must all begin somewhere and this is where i begin my research project, examining the nature and construction of knowledge in MOOCs.

MOOCs are Massive Open Online Courses. They have sprung up in the media since around 2011 when traditional online learning type tools were 'transformed' (ironic italics) into something big. No, something MASSIVE (ironic caps). 100, 000 learners enrolled on a Stanford MOOC in Artificial Intelligence. Around 10% of these people completed the course, watched the videos, did the tests etc., although no credit was granted. This was just for fun, right?

Something extraordinary was happening here, or so it was claimed. Even 10% of 100, 000 is more than Peter Norvig had probably taught in 10 years, and all in one go. Wasn't this going to change the way we think about learning, and access to higher education?

I guess the answer to this question is kind of where I began: What do we mean by learning? I previously italicised the idea that traditional online learning tools were transforming educational experience, but no new tools or innovation were added to what was already there. Virtual Learning Environments have been a mainstay of more traditional higher education for well over a decade up to 2011, with all the possibilities of self-marked tests, video lectures, discussion forums. Arguably traditional VLEs had (and still have) plenty more digital tools in their box than is offered by the MOOC platforms, so plenty more potential for learning, right? So why did we have to wait over a decade to see these 'break through' so strongly with their 'transformative' nature? I think the answer is more complex, and I'll start by unpacking 3 concepts, which are crucial to understanding how I will conduct my research project.

1. the numbers of learners involved in the learning experience
2. to what degree their participation can count as learning
3. the digital tools that are available as enablers for learning