My context is a mixture of public libraries conducting learning programs for adults in their community, and for university students studying an information and library management course totally online. In my context public libraries are continually reinventing themselves to remain relevant and adapt to their community's changing needs. This added to challenges faced with rapidly changing technology I can see that MOOCs can be utilised by public library staff or library management students seeking to extend their knowledge in new areas or specialised areas that may not have been included in a university course curriculum. These courses would most likely be short in duration. An example of this would be 'Makerspaces' a concept in use in US libraries which Australian libraries may wish to (if they haven't already) adopt. See http://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2012/12/what-is-a-makerspace-creativity-in-the-library.html. Another example would be a program on how to conduct a Skpe author talk. I could see a potential for individual libraries who are innovators or are notably successful in particular areas to present individual short courses in their area of specialty through a collaborative world-wide library run MOOC course.
Some library and information studies units would fit well into the content-based, instructivist pedagogy (Lisa Lane online teaching blog). Universities could adapt this by assigning these type of units (an example would be an information literacy unit) and freeing up time and resources (Massive Open Online Courses, aka MOOCs, Transform Higher Education and Science p.2) to spend on units that would do better with individualised teaching and learning. Some benefits of MOOCs in a global context is the access to a mulitude of resources including online libraries and books. Other advantages are that potential students can sample a course at no cost before deciding to commit to a full course, similar to single study units offered by universities but without the cost. In a global context for librarians in remote or isolated area I believe the same would apply, content-based, instructivist type units could easily be utilised by accessing MOOC courses but for most of their library studies I believe more contextual and individual study would be more appropriate, something I think would be difficult in a MOOC environment. From personal experience I think the dropout rate of networked based and task based library units would be high on a Massive Open Online Course. In remote areas there would be so many contextual and individual situations that could not be applied very well across a massive impersonal platform.
Although I acknowledge that network based MOOC courses can contribute to global understanding most of the networking and scaffolding is with other students. Although this can contribute to effective learning tool I believe that is in conjunction with the mentoring and knowledge provided by teachers experienced in the field, rather than to replace it.
References
Three Kinds of Moocs. Downloaded 12th October 2013 from
http://lisahistory.net/wordpress/2012/08/three-kinds-of-moocs/
MOOCs are a fundamental misperception of how teaching works. Downloaded 12th October 2013 from
Massive Open Online Courses, aka MOOCs, Transform Higher Education and Science. Downloaded 12th October 2013
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=massive-open-online-courses-transform-higher-education-and-science
What is a Makerspace? Creativity in the Library. Downloaded 12th Ocotber 2013
http://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2012/12/what-is-a-makerspace-creativity-in-the-library.html
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=massive-open-online-courses-transform-higher-education-and-science
What is a Makerspace? Creativity in the Library. Downloaded 12th Ocotber 2013
http://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2012/12/what-is-a-makerspace-creativity-in-the-library.html
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