Problem with the Lack of Interaction in MOOCs by Kristy Titensor

The Problem with the Lack of Interaction in MOOCs

Kristy Titensor

Can you remember back to the time when cell phones were almost nonexistent? It was a time when we had to call our friends house phones to ask if they wanted to “play”. It was a time when you would actually talk to someone’s face instead of through a text message. It was a time where we actually interacted with people. It was a time before technology impacted our lives like it does today. We all thought that a touch screen phone was amazing when we first saw it. I know I would sit in awe as I touched random things on the screen. It seemed so futuristic at the time. But now, technology is increasing at such a rapid rate that we not have phone that unlock with an individual’s fingerprint! Technology has grown so much, especially in recent years. It does not only add cool changes to our phone, but it affects a lot of aspects of our lives.

Schooling is a major aspect that has been impacted by the rapid growth of technology. There used to be only one type of school. It was a place where one would go to a classroom and interact with their teachers and the other students. A student could get involved in a classroom discussion. There, they could hear feedback from other students or even give their own feedback. Going to school wasn’t just about learning, it’s also where students can grow and develop mentally, physically and socially. Without learning in a traditional classroom setting, can one still gain all the developmental aspects that come with it?
In recent years, the school system had been enveloped by technology. At first it was a good thing. Many schools began to get computers and projectors added to their classrooms. This helped to increase student resources and gave a new perspective for learning. But newfound technology grew in the educational system. Technology did not only aid in learning, but it started to eventually overtake it. For instance, my high school introduced an online health class that you could take to fulfill that credit. So, instead of going to class everyday and participating in group activities with the class, one could just sit on the computer and do health worksheets. This did not seem like the two classroom types were of equal opportunity. The introduction of these options to do classes online became very common even with higher education. These online classes grew to a point where they became a big deal. Its popularity has also grown as advanced technology came about. Thus, by 2008, the United States had online learning programs available in forty-four states. Yet, that same year the first Massive Open Online Course emerged from the Open Education Resources Movement. An online class called “Connectivism and Connective Knowledge,” was taught by George Siemens and Stephen Downes. The class gave 2,300 students a chance to take the class online at no cost. This online course was considered massive and open, thus the MOOC was born.

What Are MOOCs?

Massively Open Online Courses or MOOCs make learning virtually available to anyone who has the desire to take the course. All a student need is internet access. These courses are open and free to those students who want to be involved in some or all of the course work. The courses usually include watching videos and posting on blogs or social media for discussion on class topics. Since these online classes are “open”, the instructors usually give little feedback to their students. These courses also may not offer a degree, but they could potentially teach students some skills. The term “massive” also shows the fact that a high number of students could enroll in one class at a time. Since Massive Open Online Courses are virtual, a student will not have the traditional interaction with students and teachers. MOOCs have a lack of student-teacher interaction and will therefore not be beneficial for learning and student development.

The Interaction of MOOCs

MOOCs are “open” and can have a considerably large amount of students for one teacher to handle. This makes it very difficult for a student to go directly to a teacher for help. For most students, they want help from the teacher to get the best and most correct answer. Without the opportunity for a student to physically go up to a teacher after a lecture, it makes it tough to get an answer. A student can’t even raise their hand during a lecture because it’s all online. It goes both ways as well because an instructor can’t visibly see their student’s reactions to his or her lecture. In a traditional classroom, most professors would be able to tell if the students were lost or confused about the material. But since this is a virtual type of classroom, teachers are unable to do that. The instructor can’t pause their lesson to explain in detail what the students don’t understand. The professor isn’t even aware that the students are confused. And with the large amount of students involved, it would be difficult for an instructor to help an individual anyways.

Some might object that it is not impossible to gain knowledge and do well in a MOOC even without the interaction between students and teachers. In an online course, students are still able to email their instructors if they have any questions or issues. Students can also resort the others who are also taking the course. Many courses open a blog or discussion board where students can discuss certain topics. One can also email other students to ask specific questions. This may or may not be helpful to the students who are confused. But, the discussions can help broaden ones thinking and help them to develop knowledge or broaden their thinking.

So students can use other resources to ask questions, but they are not reliable sources. First of all, the teachers have a large amount of students. Therefore, they will be less likely to help a student individually. It will be especially hard for one to get the teacher’s attention and get an actual answer back from them. Then, a student would have to resort to his or her other peers for help. These bogs and discussion groups that form through the course may not be the ideal way for one to learn. The other students in the MOOC are most likely not very knowledgeable on the subject- hence the reason why they are taking the class. Students may be helpful at times, but they are not reliable. They do not know the tests and they mostly just know what the instructor taught. These resources may seem to be reliable, but they may not always work out in the end.

Are MOOCs Beneficial?

A lot of people argue that Massive Open Online Courses are actually beneficial. Some say that it’s the perfect option for someone who just wants to gain knowledge on a certain subject. McCully said about MOOCS: “What MOOCs demonstrably do best is knowledge-development and skills-development--that is, technical training, certification and accreditation. No other system has shown greater power and promise in these areas than MOOCs.”So yes, these online courses may be beneficial especially for one who is looking for technical training. One can learn from these Massively Open Online Courses if they are determined and willing to do the work.

Although this is a very good point about how students can gain knowledge and skills, it does not make up for its lack in some areas. McCully’s rebuttal to this counterargument states:

“But that is not the same as self-development, which is to say, education. To be sure, self-development necessarily includes knowledge- and skills-development, but beyond those it focuses on character-development--of personal values, life-experience, qualities of feeling (empathy, sympathy) sensitivity and insight, inspiration and aspiration, interest and concern, love and commitment, inter alia.”

But that is not the McCully shows that education is not just knowledge based. It has to do with development beyond that. How is one supposed to develop their character over an online course? Self-development is key to one’s education. This development must be a largely social and immensely personal process. Years of higher education has shown that the countless personal and social experiences are essential to one’s education (McCully).

What Should Be Done?

MOOCs are a common point of interest and attract a lot of argument. Many have their personal opinions whether these Massive Open Online Courses are effective or not. In the end, it all depends on what aspects you look at. Both sides of the effectiveness argument have valid points. Those who participate in these classes are bound to learn something. The knowledge one gains will be dependent on their involvement and determination with the course. In most cases, a student will complete the course knowing something they did not know before hand. But, that does not mean that these online classes are effective or beneficial. Without the traditional classroom setting, it is difficult for a student in higher education to self-develop. The fact that a student will not interact with their teacher does not promote the best education. A student needs to be able to cooperate with their teacher not only to learn, but also to grow and progress as a student.

As students in a higher education setting, we know that not all teachers are perfect. Most of us also realize that going to class helps us to learn and grow as student. In class, we become socialized through the interaction of our professors and peers. Can you imagine staring at a computer screen and getting lost in a lecture? What would you do? You couldn’t raise your hand to ask the professor. And likewise, the professor couldn’t see your confused face to help you either. See the problem? Student-teacher interaction is something we must strive to keep alive to continue our student development and growth as we persist through our higher education.