ABSTRACT
The term “massive open online course,” (MOOC) although coined in 2008 by Stephen Downes and George Siemens, really came into broad use in 2012. Since then, MOOCs have gained public awareness with a ferocity not seen in some time. World-renowned universities, including MIT and Harvard University (edX) and Stanford University (Coursera), as well as innovative start-ups such as Udacity, jumped into the marketplace with huge splashes, and have garnered a tremendous amount of attention—and imitation. Designed to provide high quality online learning at scale to people regardless of their location or educational background, MOOCs have been met with enthusiasm because of their potential to reach a previously unimaginable number of learners. The notion of thousands and even tens of thousands of students participating in a single course—working at their own pace, relying on their own style of learning, and assessing each other’s progress—has changed the landscape of online learning.
