反思MOOC热潮

Reflections on the Upsurge of MOOC

2012到2013年间,MOOC这一教学形式被世界各地的大学接受,许多外包公司相应成立,为MOOC提供所需的基础设施。本文认为媒体和博客对MOOC发展趋势的讨论,以及各种社会反响,大多数都表现出对MOOC的热情。事实上,人们对MOOC的规模、开放程度以及能否算作课程等认识不一。很多MOOC课程被冠以不同的名字,如xMOOCs和cMOOCs。xMOOCs的课程内容由课程设计者确定,cMOOCs则以学生生成信息为特点。本文最后讨论了MOOC的缘起及其对远程教育机构的意义。

This is a postscript to an article about the evolution of the massive open online courses, or MOOC （ Baggal-ey, 2013b）. In the brief space and time between the previous article＇s completion and publication, attitudes to the MOOC appear to be changing rapidly. The current follow-up discusses the rejection of key MOOC principles by Har-vard University and its replacement by small private online courses （ SPOCs ）, not obviously different from the online education offered by distance education institutions since the mid-‘90s. The article also presents evidence suggesting that the previous widespread acceptance of MOOCs has more myths than realities.