scholarly journals Teachers’ Expectations and Perceptions of the Relevance of Professional Development MOOCs

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 240
Author(s):  
Jaana Kristiina Herranen ◽  
Maija Katariina Aksela ◽  
Maya Kaul ◽  
Saara Lehto

Online professional-development courses such as massive open online courses (MOOCs) could bring relevant content to a wider base of teachers who might not otherwise have access to professional development. However, research on the relevance of such online courses is scarce. The main aim of this study is to investigate the relevance (individual, societal, and vocational) of MOOCs (mostly participatory cMOOCs) from the viewpoint of teachers now and in the future. We examined teachers’ expectations and perceptions of 10 courses before (N = 364) and after (N = 177) the courses, using an online questionnaire developed on the basis of relevance theory. According to the results, the studied teachers had positive expectations for the courses in terms of their usefulness for their prospective teaching (especially vocational relevance). Teachers’ expectations related to the usefulness of the course for the future (individual and vocational relevance) were most strongly met. Effort put into the course was connected to, for example, how the course improved the teachers’ interest. The results of this study indicate that MOOCs can serve as relevant courses for teachers’ professional development in science, mathematics, and technology education.

Author(s):  
Anna Kaushik

This chapter provides the genesis of the massive open online courses (MOOCs) concept and perceptions of library and information science professionals towards the evolution of MOOCs in libraries and the information science domain by using a survey. The results of this study revealed that a majority of library and information science professionals who participated in this survey were working in academic libraries and aware of the MOOCs concept from three years, by scholarly literature. The MOOCs concept was updated and useful in libraries and the information science domain, while a lack of MOOCs related specific to competencies and skills emerged as the main barrier. This survey also showed that the concept of MOOCs will continue to grow in the future. This chapter will be helpful to understand the concept of MOOCs and the insights of library and information science professionals in the MOOCs context.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 522-527
Author(s):  
Emily Player ◽  
Alice Shiner ◽  
Nick Steel ◽  
Veena Rodrigues

Continuing professional development (CPD) is essential for the maintenance and improvement of the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals. GP registrars are required to evidence CPD in their ePortfolio and likewise, GPs are mandated to accrue and evidence a minimum of 50 hours CPD for their annual appraisal. CPD can be delivered in many ways, with an increasing movement towards online learning. Technology-enhanced learning (TEL) encompasses online learning and is ever changing. This article will discuss a type of TEL known as massive open online courses (MOOCs) and the role of MOOCs in delivering CPD.


Author(s):  
Michael O. Fagbohun ◽  
Chrisopher Nkiko ◽  
Basiru Adetomiwa ◽  
Aderonke O. Asaolu ◽  
Nwanne M. Nwokeoma ◽  
...  

Librarian development is the process of constantly strengthening professional attainment, broadening academic knowledge, and enhancing skills. This chapter explores how Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), can be used as continuing professional development of a librarian. This chapter narrates how MOOCs may offer a librarian an opportunity to upgrade their skills or further their education. It explains the benefits and challenges of the adoption of MOOCs for continuing professional development in developing countries and how this can be applied in developing economies. The major benefits of MOOCs to librarians are to help in professional and personal learning, but most librarians who wish to experience progressive career-development are yet to ascertain this fact. The chapter concludes that librarians have the opportunity to leverage this technology to improve their relevant professional skills in the 21st century. It is also established that the adoption and use of MOOCs among professional librarians in Africa is low as in advanced countries.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-144
Author(s):  
Camille Berry ◽  
Avalloy McCarthy-Curvin ◽  
Sharon Bramwell-Lalor ◽  
Schontal Moore ◽  
Mairette Newman ◽  
...  

The ever-changing needs of society justify the necessity for teachers to engage in continuous learning. Teachers are encouraged to participate in professional development activities that will help them develop the knowledge and skills that are required to meet the needs of a 21st century society. It is recognised that access to professional development has increased since Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) became an option for in-service teachers who traditionally found it difficult to access certain professional development activities because of distance and lack of convenience.A survey was administered to 72 respondents to capture the experiences of in-service teachers from the Caribbean, who participated in a MOOC offered by the Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN). The survey explored the MOOC participants’ perception of the MOOC as a source of professional development, as well as the extent to which they applied the content learnt in the ITEN MOOC. The findings of this research show that 95% of the participants perceived the ITEN MOOC to be an effective source of professional development and were able to apply the content to their professional context. The findings further suggest that MOOCs across the globe provide an opportunity for in-service teachers to forge partnerships and establish learning communities that will improve their professional knowledge and skills.


Author(s):  
Michael O. Fagbohun ◽  
Chrisopher Nkiko ◽  
Basiru Adetomiwa ◽  
Aderonke O. Asaolu ◽  
Nwanne M. Nwokeoma ◽  
...  

Librarian development is the process of constantly strengthening professional attainment, broadening academic knowledge, and enhancing skills. This chapter explores how Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), can be used as continuing professional development of a librarian. This chapter narrates how MOOCs may offer a librarian an opportunity to upgrade their skills or further their education. It explains the benefits and challenges of the adoption of MOOCs for continuing professional development in developing countries and how this can be applied in developing economies. The major benefits of MOOCs to librarians are to help in professional and personal learning, but most librarians who wish to experience progressive career-development are yet to ascertain this fact. The chapter concludes that librarians have the opportunity to leverage this technology to improve their relevant professional skills in the 21st century. It is also established that the adoption and use of MOOCs among professional librarians in Africa is low as in advanced countries.


2016 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulf Olsson

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse if open courses, including massive open online courses (MOOCs), can be used as professional development despite their openness since the openness not only brings together individuals from different organizations but also may make the results of collaboration public. Design/methodology/approach – The setting is eight companies in different sectors and networks, collaborating with Higher Education Institutions in developing open courses in externally funded projects. The opinions of managers and HR-specialists in the companies are investigated and analysed. Findings – The managers and HR-specialists are positive to open courses that deliver professional development. They consider the openness in this kind of course to be of no significant problem. The employee knows what can be shared and what can be kept secret. The conditions are, however, different depending on the kind of company and the kind of inter-company relationship that exists. Research limitations/implications – Several interesting questions arise for future research about the use of open courses as professional development in different categories of inter-firm relationship and trust. Practical implications – If the openness is not a hindrance open online courses would appear to meet the requirement of flexibility; they have the potential of being suitable for professional development for individuals who want to increase their competence, but also as organized professional development in organizations and businesses. Originality/value – This is one of the first studies of the openness as a potential hindrance when open courses including MOOCs are utilized as professional development.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-71
Author(s):  
Roger Pizarro Milian ◽  
Scott Davies

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyse the prospective impact of the future of work on universities. Design/methodology/approach Several brief case studies of heralded disruptors of higher education (HE) – including digital badges, for-profit universities and massive open online courses – are reviewed to illustrate inertial forces in the system. Findings The results indicate that several social forces will protect most universities from significant disruption, with the impetus for change being felt mostly in the periphery of the system. Originality/value The argument presented in this study serves as a corrective to claims that looming changes in the nature of work will radically disrupt universities. It calls for more nuanced theorizing about the interaction between technical and institutional forces in HE.


2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 197
Author(s):  
Oleksandr M. Samoylenko ◽  
Ilona V. Batsurovs’ka ◽  
Oleksii O. Samoylenko ◽  
Nataliia A. Dotsenko

The article presents the results of experimental work. It is suggested to state and analyze the results of model implementation for masters preparation to educational and scientific activity in the conditions of massive open online courses. There are indicated specialties of the future masters that took part in the experimental work, considered the list of adapted massive open online courses, in which the basis of the technologies of teaching is laid, offered the author's model. There are presented computational tables of the empirical value χ2 of the motivational, cognitive-content, reproductive and operative and productive and creative component at the beginning and at the end of the experiment in control and experimental groups, the graphic correlation on the coordinate axis of the critical and empirical values of the indicated components and the graphs of the results of the assessment of the readiness of masters educational and scientific activity in the conditions of massive open online courses at the beginning and at the end of the expedition rhythm in relative frequencies.


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