It seems strange that the MOOC is already subject of a literature review as it is a quite recent phenomenon. But as MOOC’s are seemingly the technology that setting world records running through the hype cycle, it’s not so strange that a lot has been written in a short time. And to be correct: the report is also on other forms of online distance learning, and that has been around for much longer. One thing the different writers seem to acknowledge is that MOOCs are disruptive and possibly threatening to current Higher Education models.

I want to highlight one element from the report: learning practitioners disagree about the value of MOOCs:

Learning practitioners have engaged by contributing extensive critical review literature in peer-reviewed journals, the specialist educational press, blogs, and the general media. Two conflicting strands of opinion run in the critical practitioner literature.

1. A strand of enthusiasts welcomes the shake-up and energy MOOCs bring to learning, teaching and assessment. They report positively on learning experiences and innovative formats of pedagogy, and spotlight themes such as access, empowerment, relationship building and community. This strand is particularly prevalent in the general press. Examples include Shirky and Legon.
2. A strand of sceptics tempers the general enthusiasm along two themes:
   1. The supposed benefits of MOOCs were already realised in previous generations of ODL innovation – and the innovations of MOOCs are the victory of packaging over content
   2. The MOOC format itself suffers from weaknesses around access, content, quality of learning, accreditation, pedagogy, poor engagement of weaker learners, exclusion of learners without specific networking skills

Still “the burning issue in the MOOCosphere is the search for business models – and all the associated sub-issues of scale, sustainability monetisation, accreditation for MOOC learning and openness.”

You can download the report here.