What the Heck is a MOOC?!

For those of us working in higher education, the term "MOOC" has become very common. However, if you do not fall into that category, you may have seen this buzz word floating around in cyberspace and wondered - what the heck is a MOOC, anyway!! Well, wonder no more...

MOOC is an acronym for Massively Open Online Course:

Massive - meaning they are typically large classes with high (if any) enrollment caps
Open - meaning they are free and open to the public, and
Online - meaning (you guessed it) the course is delivered online

The basic concept of a MOOC is that it is open online learning that is available to anyone, and it is offered at no cost to the learner. A MOOC is one of many pathways to further one's education, and is viewed by the academic world as an offering to help make higher education more accessible to the public.

A MOOC typically takes the form of free online learning with audiovisual content (videos), automated quizzes, peer–assessments and online discussion forums.A learner enrolled in a MOOC can typically expect more interaction with online content and their fellow learners and less interaction with the instructor.

https://opencourses.desire2learn.com/cat/course/ecore-macroeconomics-7260/

A MOOC can help learners earn certificates, badges and even college credits. A MOOC can also help college students or potential students prepare and review for specific subject credit-courses or for-credit-exams like the CLEP. CLEP stands for College-Level Examination Program which gives students credit-by-examination and is accepted at thousands of colleges and universities.

So - now that you know what a MOOC is - you can start taking advantage of these FREE courses!

Check out some of the MOOCs available right now on Desire2Learn Open Courses, including the eCore Macroeconomics CLEP prep course, which starts November 3rd.

"We believe that making learning available to everyone helps build a better future." - Desire2Learn Open Courses.

Christy Talley-Smith
Director, USG eCore Curriculum & Instruction
ctalley@westga.edu

Comments

USG eCampus Creates USG Resource Guide for Transitioning to Remote Instruction

To limit the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), University System of Georgia (USG) institutions transitioned to remote instruction in mid-March through the remainder of the spring 2020 semester. Institutions will continue with remote classes through the summer, with plans to resume on-campus operations in the fall. This safety precaution, along with several others (i.e., quarantine, social distancing, shelter-in-place, etc.) encouraged across the country and state, has resulted in an adjustment period for innovative e-learning formats. Faculty and students from the USG’s 26 institutions quickly migrated to emergency remote instruction, which differs from traditional classroom settings by regularly including virtual lessons, assignments, and interactions among instructors and students. “We recognize that faculty and students are under a great deal of stress with this quick move to remote learning and that the situation is less than ideal” said eCampus Associate Dean, Dr....

Four Enchanting USG Institutions to Visit During the Holidays

With holiday breaks soon approaching, there’s no better time to hit the road and visit a few of Georgia’s most beautiful college campuses. Whether it’s an old-fashioned postcard scene with snow-capped mountains or a symphony of lights, several colleges and universities are already hauling out the holly. Here’s a few of our favorites: University of North Georgia - With a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, UNG’s main campus is in Dahlonega, which Southern Living has named the “perfect Christmas town.” In addition to a variety of musical performances that you can catch on campus during the holidays, the town itself goes all out with lights, a festival of trees, and daily carriage rides. Georgia College and State University - This beautiful liberal arts college is steeped in tradition and will perform the 25th year of its Nutcracker ballet – right on campus. December 8-10, 2023 University of West Georgia – Just an hour from Atlanta, UWG is a newcomer to the holiday scene. 20...

Professor Broussard: This Georgia College Professor Teaches History from a Very Unique Point of View

Not only is Dr. Ray Broussard a UGA/USG eCore History professor still teaching in his 90s, but he’s also a World War II and Korean War veteran. eCampus visits Dr. Broussard’s home in Athens, Georgia for an update on his love of life and teaching. We last interviewed Dr. Broussard in 2012 , when we learned about his time in the Navy, his early teaching days, and his genuine surprise when he realized you really could teach History online. Today, he is not only the oldest, but also one of USG eCore’s most engaging instructors and consistently receives gushing comments from students in his course evaluations-- many who are amazed to learn world and United States history from someone who helped make the history. At 91 years old, Dr. Broussard and his wife (a retired high school history teacher), haven’t been up for traveling as much, so he invited us to visit with him at his home. We arrived at his peaceful, quaint little house on the Eastside of Athens where he eagerly welc...

Planet eCampus

Search This Blog