Qualitative meta-analysis on the conducted researches in the field of MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses)

Subject Areas : Research in Curriculum Planning

Esmaeil Jafari ¹ , Kourosh Fathi vajargah ² , Mahboobeh Arefi ³ , Morteza RezaeiZadeh ⁴

1 - PhD, Faculty of Education and Psychology,Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
2 - Professor, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
3 - Associate professor, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
4 - Assistant professor, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

Received: 2017-10-17 Accepted : 2017-10-17 Published : 2017-08-23

Keywords: Keywords: MOOC (massive online open course), meta-analysis, connectivism,

Abstract :

Since 2008, MOOC as an educational tool is not only used by educational institutions and also universities and it is interesting subject for many scholars and researchers. The aim of the current research was to provide a comprehensive picture of the conducted researches in the field of MOOC. In order to achieve the aim, the qualitative meta-analysis was used to examine and analyze 40 research in the field which each of them had a different perspective and methodology. The results showed that all conducted researches have predominant features both structurally, methodologically and contextually. Theoretical orientation of more than half the researches were based on connectivist paradigm which indicated that if Iranian educational institutions and universities want to implement MOOC, it need to transform structuralism paradigm to connectivist paradigm. Namely, education and higher education policies should move towards an approach which is based on dialogue, interaction, knowledge creation and emergent learning

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