Massive open online courses as a knowledge base for teachers

Abstract

This research investigated an initiative to familiarize pre-service teachers with Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as an example of Open Educational Resources (OERs). Student teachers in one faculty in a teacher education college in Israel were given the option to register on an international MOOC for credit. The purpose of the research was to examine the attitudes of the 84 students who chose to study in a MOOC towards their learning experience. Data were collected from students’ reflections upon completion of the course.Findings reveal that all those enrolled in the MOOC successfully completed the course, expressed positive attitudes towards their learning experience and a desire to participate in more courses in the future. Students’ reflections reveal gains not only in content knowledge but also in pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and technological pedagogical and content knowledge. Results indicate that MOOCs hold great potential for teachers’ continuous professional development and lifelong learning.