What Are MOOCs?

Abstract

This chapter defines MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and other forms of online learning, and describes the history of MOOCs, how they were first developed by George Siemens and Stephen Downes and how they have evolved since. MOOCs are described as having two main types, xMOOCs (traditional) and cMOOCs (connectivist), but this distinction is becoming less relevant as new models for MOOC are rapidly being developed that combine elements of both or extend and change the model for one or the other. MOOCs are set in the context of the growth of online learning more generally, and statistics is provided for this and also for the growth of popularity in MOOCs. Common criticisms of MOOCs are analyzed and described, namely apparently poor retention rates and attempts to make sense of some of the discourse around this.