The MOOC is a format that allows training courses, often free of charge, to be shared with as many learners as possible. This teaching aid has a lot of advantages, but it also has its limits. Ready for a quick tour of the subject?
What is a “MOOC”?
MOOC definition
MOOC stands for”MPassive OPen ONline CBourse”. As its name suggests, a MOOC is an online course, shared with as many people as possible, and free most of the time. Obtaining a certificate or diploma is sometimes a paid option offered by the organization.
History of the MOOC
MOOCs appeared at the end of the 2000s in major American universities. The idea was to share some of their courses with as many people as possible, to allow students to consult their courses at any time, and to make changes if necessary.
The MOOC had its heyday a few years ago. Today, most trainers and learners are looking for personalized learning, on more fun modules to improve the completion rate.
What are the advantages of a MOOC?
For the learner
MOOCs have several advantages, both for the trainer and for the learner. Their flexibility, their accessibility and their free tool for elearning make it a brand choice for learners.
The advantages of the MOOC for the learner:
- he can decide to follow your training at any time, from anywhere, as long as he has a computer and an internet connection.
- he can choose the modules he is interested in and follow them in the order he wants.
- the courses are very often free
- There are MOOCs on very specific specialties
For the trainer
On the trainer side, the MOOC also has many advantages. He is easy to use, drastically reduces the costs, time and energy spent on creating training courses.
The advantages for the trainer:
- he only has to create his content once and share it with thousands of learners.
- putting the modules online is simple and fast
- he does not have to support students in a personalized way, it is a real time-saver.
- it can create content on any topic, in any format.
The limits of MOOCs
But MOOCs don't only have advantages! And that's also why this educational support is no longer necessarily the first choice for businesses today.
A high dropout rate
The first limitation of the MOOC, and not the least: its very high dropout rate. Most MOOCs show a completion rate of only 5 to 10%!
Participants find themselves alone in front of their online course, without support from the trainers, and with modules that are time-consuming to watch. And gamification is almost not present in MOOCs, which does not help with better assimilation!
Low skilled human resources
The second point that is often criticized for the MOOC is its lack of qualified trainers. Be careful though: this is not always the case! It is essential for the learner to choose their MOOC by doing research beforehand on the human resources used.
Today, the MOOC as we knew it in the 2000s no longer fully meets needs trainers and learners. So it is not uncommon to see some companies integrate this educational format into blended learning training for example (a face-to-face part and a distance part).
We are also witnessing the emergence of a multitude of learning solutions: mobile learning, peer learning, blended learning, microlearning, gamification... In short, companies have a choice, and the MOOC will have to be renewed to keep up with the times!
