Investigating Massive Open Online Courses through the Eyes of Moroccan Master Students: the case of Sultan Moulay Slimane University

Abstract

The advent of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has generated discussions around their potential to disseminate knowledge and make lifelong learning accessible for all. This academic study provides a critical overview of the emergence and development of MOOCs and their role in transforming the formal educational landscape. In the age of advanced technology, open learning continues to gain popular currency among scholars, researchers, and practitioners who are confident of its capacity to bridge geographical, socioeconomic and institutional divides. The paper also enquires into the transformative potential of open-access learning and how it has impacted ‘traditional’  educational paradigms. To initiate a dialogue between theory and practice and foster reliability, a survey is conducted to gauge a group of Master’s students’ familiarity and experience with MOOCs and juxtapose their reactions with the growing popularity of online learning in recently produced literature. Set in a mixed-methods framework, the research is both a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the surveyed data. One key finding highlights the universal dimension of MOOCs, which makes knowledge within reach of a diverse spectrum of learners beyond the confines of physical, cultural and socio-economic spaces. One more research outcome elaborates on the idea that while MOOCs promote open learning opportunities that are free of access charges and other barriers, catering for the principles of Open Educational Resources (OER), they have to grapple with several challenges as they strive to fulfil their goals. The most prominent of these interfering hurdles consist of low completion rates, and assessment integrity and credibility. More importantly, the participants’ responses reveal that MOOCs can supplement, but never supplant the conventionally-oriented education.