Connectivity of learning in MOOCs: Facilitators’ experiencies in team teaching
Authors
Mercado Varela, Martín A.Beltran Jesús
Villegas Pérez, Marisol
Rivera Vazquez, Nohemi
Ramírez Montoya, María S.
Country
Turquía / TurkeyIssue Date
2017-01Department
Universidad Autónoma de Baja CaliforniaDiscipline
Ciencias Sociales / Social SciencesKeywords
MOOCconnectivism
distance facilitators
open educational resources
open education movement
Metadata
Show full item recordJournal
Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDEVolume
18Issue
1Start Page
143End Page
156Abstract
The role of facilitators in distance learning environments is of substantial importance in supporting the learning process. This article specifically discusses the role of the facilitator in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC), which are characterized by their stimulation of learning connections. The study analyzes the experiences of 135 facilitators in hybrid courses (cMOOC + xMOOC) where the following are explored: (1) the strategies used by the facilitators to encourage learning connections, (2) the challenges they faced in their activities, and (3) the basic skills required. A mixed method was used with a convergent design, through the application of a questionnaire qualitative and quantitative data were collected simultaneously. It was found that the collaborative construction of knowledge is the most widely used strategy to promote learning connections in MOOCs and that its design is the biggest challenge that facilitators faced while carrying out their activities.