The research observatory on the massive online open courses: MOOCSERVATORIO®

Antonio Hilario Martín Padilla; Eloy López Meneses; César Bernal Bravo; Esteban Vázquez Cano

Authors

Antonio Hilario Martín Padilla Pablo de Olavide University
Eloy López Meneses Pablo de Olavide University
César Bernal Bravo University of Almería
Esteban Vázquez Cano Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED).

Keywords:

Higher education, Educational innovation, MOOC, Digital Observatory.

Abstract

The new modality of expansion of knowledge (MOOCs), the Massive, Open and Online Courses, which are part of the new educational contexts of most international prestigious universities, can be considered as a dymanic curricular element in the biotic ecosystems of educational institutions, limited in time and space and frequently reserved for social elites. In this way, it will be possible to transcend to new ubiquitous, connective, informal, and horizontal learning scenarios that facilitate the digital inclusion of the most disadvantaged people. Currently, the extraordinary increase in the educational offer of MOOC courses could lead, in most cases, to students’ disorientation. In this sense, the object of this article is to justify the need to design and elaborate a research observatory on MOOCs: MOOCservatorio^®, in order to expand scientific knowledge and social empowerment.