Research Trends in K–12 MOOCs: A Review of the Published Literature

Abstract

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) appeared in the area of educational technologies in 2008. Until 2013, academic research into MOOCs focused mainly on their application to adults as well as students or graduates of tertiary education. However, since 2013, the rising number of K–12 students enrolled in higher education MOOCs made MOOCs a de facto reality in pretertiary education and triggered universities, governments, and MOOC providers to (a) develop MOOCs specifically designed for pretertiary education, and (b) research their potential and value in K–12 educational settings. This resulted in a notable number of K–12 MOOCs and pilot research works in the literature that focused on the potential of MOOCs in compulsory education settings, as well as on their ability to reshape and transform the current educational K–12 framework. This work seeks to (a) trace, analyze, and review the existing literature on K–12 MOOCs, (b) identify representative MOOC implementations, (c) classify and organize research trends and patterns, and (d) reveal MOOCs’ potential value and impact on K–12 settings. The research used a narrative literature review methodology in order to critically review and qualitatively analyze twenty-one research publications in a systematic manner. Analysis of relevant works demonstrated that MOOCs, under a set of prerequisites, can be effectively incorporated into and positively affect pretertiary education.

Revisión sistemática de literatura: MOOC K-12 y STEAM

“…Another work [14] addresses the recommendation systems in MOOCs, emphasizing the need for this type of system, the proposed systems, and their implementation through videos, books, and the application of artificial intelligence. Finally, this year's study [15] focuses on the K-12 MOOC model, in which consistency is sought with pedagogical methods that best suit how these types of students learn. A blended MOOC model can enhance learning and ensure teaching efficiency in introductory courses, which could help students prepare for college or as capstone courses for underachieving students or advanced courses that offer new teaching subjects.…”

“…Regarding the characteristics of MOOCs aimed at K-12 teachers and students, studies have appeared in the literature. Since 2013 [32,42,52,54], there have been studies on interaction in K-12 MOOCs and their benefits, as to the great potential in the enrichment of learning opportunities and the adaptation of pedagogical models according to this population [15].…”

“…Given that only 20% of related studies have directly incorporated computer science curriculum or subject matter in K-12 education by educational regulation in some countries, it is necessary to study the research done as supplemental courses offered as electives or as course work in secondary education. In general, many of the studies cited [15,19,28] show that MOOCs have the potential to be part of the positive influence in secondary education, presenting a reduction in dropout and support students in the preparation of their university studies. Among these is the preparation for future learning assessments with the MOOC FACT [21] for secondary education, hosted on OpenEdX; in which the outcome of the test is evidenced as promising, as well as positive indicators in the computer science curriculum, which triggered the curiosity to learn more in students.…”

Learners don't know best: Shedding light on the phenomenon of the K-12 MOOC in the context of information literacy

“…Despite the widespread attention given to (blended) MOOCs in higher education, there is little evidence about K-12 1 MOOCs. The literature review of Koutsakas, Chorozidis, Karamatsouki, and Karagiannidis (2020), covering the years 2013-2020, identified only twenty-one studies on K-12 MOOCs. Most of these address STEM-related topics.…”

“…Evidence from higher education may not be directly helpful to gain an understanding of the phenomenon K-12 MOOCs: K-12 learning processes are different from those at the tertiary level (Briggs & Crompton, 2016;Koutsakas, Chorozidis, et al, 2020). Moreover, it may be suboptimal to use MOOC content tailored to tertiary education at the K-12 level: high quality instruction should consider learners' prior knowledge and background (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000).…”