Abstract
This study delves into the fostering of social language learning in massive online open courses (MOOCs). These have become hugely popular during the pandemic, and it has been deemed relevant to investigate how the MOOC format can be customised, so that it addresses the specificities of foreign languages. To this end, a MOOC on EFL (English as a Foreign Language) strengthened its communication tools through the use of social media (Facebook and Instagram) and reinforced support in forums, with dedicated facilitators. The research methodology adopted was DBR (Design-Based Research) and data were collected through quantitative and qualitative techniques. The use of these communication tools (social media and reinforced forums) was generally low, but these enhanced features were positively received, and course designers are advised to persevere in this trend and consolidate the educational use of social media to promote online social language learning.
TopIntroduction
Language massive online open courses (LMOOCs) have been defined as “dedicated Web-based online courses for second languages with unrestricted access and potentially unlimited participation” (Bárcena & Martín-Monje, 2014, p.1) and have been consolidated as a discipline with distinct characteristics from other areas of knowledge in the massive format (Colpaert, 2014; Perifanou et al., 2015; Sokolik, 2014). The recent pandemic has led to an increased interest in this educational trend (Elena Martín-Monje & Borthwick, 2021; Shah, 2020), with many adults who were not previously keen on online learning now signing up for these courses (Impey, 2020; Lohr, 2020; OECD, 2020). Not only that; in the case of language learning, it has become one of the top 10 subjects of interest in MOOCs, as millions of people, unable to pursue face-to-face classes, have tried to acquire new skills online by enrolling in these free courses (Shah, 2020).
A distinction must be made here, though. Online learning is not the same as the emergence remote learning that took place in 2020 and part of 2021 due to the unexpected lockdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the National Council for Online Education has recently acknowledged (NCOE, 2022). Quality online learning is characterized by thorough planning and preparation (Bates, 2019), which is something that emergence remote learning could not afford, pressed by the urgency of the circumstances. Furthermore, in many cases, teachers attempted to replicate their face-to-face classes in an online environment, which often led to frustration on both sides (teachers and students). This is why reputed scholars, such as Bates (2022), insist on bringing out the best practices in online learning for post-pandemic education. These are: flexible delivery, clear structure, and student learning activities, use of specific online assessment methods and, above all, accommodating the three presences of the Community of Inquiry (social, cognitive, and teaching presence), all of which are precisely the backbone of MOOCs.
MOOCs represent the latest development in online learning, and the potential of these massive courses has been widely documented (see for instance Ferguson et al., 2016; OECD, 2020; or Yuan & Powell, 2013): they are cost-effective -since they can reach a much bigger number of learners with a smaller investment in education infrastructure-, and embody a significant attempt to democratize higher education, offering free access to quality educational resources from prestigious institutions around the world. Their pedagogical postulates are learner-centered and socially oriented, focusing on online social interaction and multimodal resources (Barcena et al., 2014) and leading towards competency-based education (Mazoue, 2013). However, their shortcomings have also been highlighted, and in language learning specifically, Sallam et al. (2020) have recognized various challenges: the (in-)ability to create adequate socialization in online environments, difficulties in interacting with native speakers, and a struggle to keep students’ motivation throughout the course and reduce attrition.
Key Terms in this Chapter
cMOOC (Connectivist Massive Open Online Courses): These courses do not have a centralised core of content on a single platform; the content is distributed on different online locations which can be accessed through a network of connections.
Design-Based Research: This type of research is situated in a real educational context, focuses on the design and testing of a significant intervention, makes use of mixed methods, involves a collaborative partnership between researchers and practitioners and has a practical impact on practice.
xMOOC (Extended Massive Open Online Courses): These courses run on a single platform and are more similar in structure to traditional online courses.
MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses): Courses designed for a large number of participants, accessible by anyone with an Internet connection and offering a full learning experience without access prerequisites.
LMOOC (Language Massive Open Online Courses): They are dedicated online courses for second and foreign languages which are offered by higher education institutions for a limited period of time. They are characterised by unrestricted access and potentially unlimited participation.
Social Learning: According to Vygotsky (1978) interaction with others plays a fundamental role in the development of cognition i.e., the learning process is a social activity.
Discussion Forum: It is a digital space in which participants can leave messages and exchange ideas and opinions related to a certain topic.
Social media: This term is used to describe different websites and digital applications which focus on communication, interaction, content-sharing and collaboration. Some examples are Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.