One of the attention grabbing headlines in the last two years has been of hundreds of thousands of students enrolling on MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) that are being offered by some of the world's top Universities. Large numbers of students are starting these courses, and significant numbers – though only a small proportion of the cohorts – are apparently able to pass these courses. There is considerable momentum behind this movement and it is clearly here to stay in some form. This chapter includes a reflection on how MOOCS can become main stream and considers the requirements that such systems should meet, for students as well as for Higher Education (tertiary) institutions. The chapter considers requirements for students of Open and Free Access and the need for high quality materials. Furthermore, it considers how Computer science approaches for requirements capture can be used to identify features for MOOC and shows how these platforms can fit into blended learning.
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A typical Virtual Learning Environment supports a wide range of teaching activities and concepts.
One of the attention grabbing headlines in the last two years has been of 100 000s of students who are enrolling on MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) that are being offered by some of the world’s top Universities (A complete list of Massive Open Online Courses, 2014). Large numbers of students are starting these courses, and significant numbers – though only a small proportion of the cohorts – are apparently able to pass these courses. There is considerable momentum behind this movement and it is clearly here to stay in some form. Whilst some commentators consider MOOCS a disruptive technology, with the potential to fundamentally alter existing traditional Higher Educational provision, this chapter will reflect on how MOOCS will become main stream and talk about the requirements for individual students as well as for Higher Education (tertiary) institutions such as Universities. The chapter will include the identification of requirements for students of Open and Free Access and the need for high quality materials. What both students and institutions also require is good completion rates and recognized and certified qualifications. For Institutions, whilst they may like the volume of students, they also actually require good completion and pass rates. Linked to this they also need quality delivery material and software, and platforms (internet vehicles) on which to trade.
Some of the concerns about MOOCS have focused on the lack of match to their actual use. This is where requirements capture (Konsynski, 1984) has a role. Requirements capture is a formal approach within the discipline of Computer Science, which enables a systems’ needs to be clearly identified and turned into specifications of a system. Successful requirements capture should lead to a system that meets all of the different user needs functionally, and reflects the processes that the system is intended to support. There are numerous approaches for requirements capture, with techniques such as Use CASE and systems modelling approaches can be used to analyze the requirements for future MOOC like platform. Furthermore, beyond the pure MOOC approach such platforms can fit into blended learning (essentially a clicks and mortar) approach to learning, as opposed to the pure eLearning offered by the ideal MOOC.
Intelligent education systems that cater to the needs of the learner, and that offer appropriate learning materials in a form that is structured is one area where MOOCS may be able to add to and extend the benefits of a traditional university education. Approaches that are considered that are particularly relevant to MOOCS include the following items.