Using Mooc to Improve Rural Education

* Using MOOC to pass on Education in Rural Areas UNISA has made standoffishness learning a common practise in S bug outh Africa. Its position is entrenched more than so after the 2004 merger with Technikon RSA. The next evolution in distance learning beyond e-learning or computer-based training is Massive Open Online Courses or MOOC. This is made possible with the pervasiveness of broadband Internet.MOOC is a virtual delivery baffle that allows participation in learning activities at convenient attitudes and convictions,rather than forcing students into set time frames blended learning, which can facilitate widespread, often global collaboration with other students and teams of specialized instructors (Bujak,K,R, et al, 2012). Recently we enrolled for three modules on Coursera. org. The initial appeal to exploitation this broadcast was the flexible time schedules and immediate access via the Internet. Weve already opted out of one and there was no real downside because ther e was no monetary commitment in contrast to traditional universities. Benefits for Teaching E-learning has been around since the soonest stages of the Internet. It is well know the origins of this global inter-connected network began in the military and expand quickly into academic research facilities in the US before worthy in stock(predicate) to the general public in the 1990s. Expanding access to and the availability of e-learning programmes for students, teachers and governing body is an important step in furthering continental development and growth (Rupp, 2012).Even though Rupp (2012) points out the availability of e-learning technologies provides expanded opportunities for countries in Africa to make education available to their whole population. Clearly these same information and communication technologies (ICTs) allow students from the awkward or remote beas to access opportunities for scholarships to academic institutions they may non other than have identified. * Benefits for Learning MOOC introduces students to a new type of experience called intermix Learning by Bujak,K,R, et al. (2012). It combines face-to-face interactions with communication enabled by ICTs.A key term is that ICTs compliment not replace traditional pedagogy. Whereas e-learning was online only experience, more intermix the online and offline experience takes shape in self organised groups meeting confusable to traditional self organised groups of students who attend the same campus, except this takes place even easier in the virtual world. Initial research suggests that students are not only accepting blended learning approaches, but also they are improving learning outcomes. * Conclusion Two challenges reduce the word sense of MOOC.Firstly they do not lead to a widely recognized credentials and executable revenue models are not available at present (King, J. W. & Nanfito, M. 2012). Until two are addressed by institutions and investors in the platforms, MOOC, may be a blip on the radar and future of online learning solutions. Even though MOOC have caused well established institutions from UCT in South Africa and MIT in joined States to invest resources, clear impact in Africa continent remain limited. i segment that stands the most to fetch, are people who do not gain entry to traditional universities for reasons financial or otherwise.Internet literacy will delay the adoption further among the rest of the population in Africa irrespective of the availability of broadband Internet. As with all technological innovations MOOC will take a turning a few years before we know whether it is viable platform or not. * Reference Bujak,K,R, Baker, P. , & DeMillo, R. (2012) The University Disruptive Change and Institutional Innovation union for 21st Century Universities. Paper number 22012. Available online http//c21u. gatech. edu/sites/default/files/u21/C21U_22012__University. pdf 03 declination 2012 Rupp, S. 2012) Technology, e-learning and educati on in Africa. In Consultancy Africa Intelligence. Available online http//tinyurl. com/9dul5he 04 December 2012 King, J. W. & Nanfito, M. (2012) To MOOC or not to MOOC? Available online http//www. insidehighered. com/views/2012/11/29/essay-challenges-posed-moocs-liberal-arts-colleges 05 December 2012 Koutropoulos, A. & Hogue, R. J. (2012). How to Succeed in a MOOC. Available online http//www. cedma-europe. org/newsletter%20articles/eLearning%20Guild/How%20to%20Succeed%20in%20a%20MOOC%20-%20Massive%20Online%20Open%20Course%20(Oct%2012). pdf 05 December 2012