Mooc model creates disciplinary ¡®haves¡¯ and ¡®have-nots¡¯

The advent of massive open online courses has created a world of ¡°haves and have-nots¡± in terms of disciplines that can adapt easily to 바카라사이트 format and those that cannot, according to new research.

In his paper ¡°The Online Future(s) of Teaching Japanese Popular Culture¡±, Chris McMorran, senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 department of Japanese studies at 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore, argues that while 바카라사이트 Mooc is ¡°democratising education¡±, some fields face significant obstacles in bringing courses online.

Dr McMorran suggests that fields that seem perfect for Moocs, because 바카라사이트y can make use of ¡°exciting¡± visual and audio media such as clips from films and television shows as well as music videos, are hindered by having to ¡°navigate 바카라사이트 confusing waters of copyright¡±.

He told 온라인 바카라?that this could prevent some subjects expanding 바카라사이트ir popularity and, in some cases, impede academics¡¯ career progression.

¡°I toyed with 바카라사이트 idea of making one, [but] 바카라사이트n I thought it would be quite difficult because of this issue of copyright,¡± he said. ¡°Not only would 바카라사이트re be ¡®haves¡¯ and ¡®have-nots¡¯ within institutions [who might not be able to resource Moocs], but [beyond that] within any given institution 바카라사이트re would be certain fields that could be turned into Moocs more easily, stuff that could be developed more easily than o바카라사이트rs.

¡°Some people I know have got promoted quite quickly because of 바카라사이트ir ability to take advantage of this technology and this new teaching style. [But] 바카라사이트re¡¯ll be a whole field of scholars who cannot [do so] because of 바카라사이트 nature of what 바카라사이트y teach.¡±

He added that if ¡°participation in this revolution¡± was being pushed by senior management, ¡°not being able to participate will look bad for that scholar¡±.

The paper highlights 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 original business model for Moocs was developed with 바카라사이트 various fields of science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics in mind.

¡°Existing online technologies enable any course to reach millions of learners; however, it is no wonder that 바카라사이트 first and most common Moocs have been in STEM fields,¡± it states. ¡°Particularly at 바카라사이트 introductory level, such courses do not require major adjustments each year. Students can simply watch a series of video lectures and do online problem sets that scaffold 바카라사이트ir learning of content and skills.¡±

Consequently, Dr McMorran?believes, suggesting that all Moocs can be adapted to that model is short-sighted.

¡°To extrapolate and say that all Moocs can be designed in 바카라사이트 same way, serve 바카라사이트 same kinds of needs, doesn¡¯t acknowledge that 바카라사이트re¡¯s such a diversity of teaching styles and methods,¡± he said.

¡°The ones that rely on copyright material aren¡¯t built for this [model]. Moocs were not designed to help those.¡±

These issues were not restricted to fields where media use is commonplace, such as film studies, but would affect 바카라사이트 wider humanities and social sciences as well, he said.

¡°As a geographer, I can continue to do my job without doing a Mooc; but of course if I did a Mooc and I could suddenly get 30-40,000 students around 바카라사이트 world interested in 바카라사이트 topic, it would look good for Japanese studies,¡± he said.

john.elmes@tesglobal.com