News【Trends: MicroMasters Vol.1】Shift from Individual Single MOOCs to MOOC-Based Programs
2020.06.09
In "Trends," we will present various topics related to the current form of education that uses Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The "Series: MicroMasters" consists of three articles that describe MicroMasters, which has become a focus of attention as a novel MOOC-based approach.
- Vol. 1: Shift from Individual Single MOOCs to MOOC-Based Programs (this article)
- Vol. 2: Regional/Disciplinary Trends in Offered Programs
- Vol. 3: First Graduating Students: MIT's Supply Chain Management
Do you know the MicroMasters programs?
In 2016, these programs began as educational programs combining MOOCs and offered by the MOOC distribution platform edX.
This article outlines MicroMasters.
MicroMasters Overview
Since 2012, "the first year of MOOC," various platforms have offered MOOCs and the number of courses and enrolled students have dramatically increased.
At the same time, in recent years, blended teaching and learning approaches have evolved, utilizing MOOCs, OCWs, and other online educational resources. Along with this development, active efforts have been made to develop new systems for obtaining credit hours, academic degrees, and professional certificates, using online educational systems, including MOOCs.
edX offers MicroMasters programs using a scheme of providing a set of graduate-level MOOCs as a program. When a student has taken and completed all MOOCs in a program, and additionally meets a set of conditions comprising taking and passing the final examination, a MicroMasters credential (at cost) is granted to certify that the student completed the entire program.
The MicroMasters credential is specified as an application requirement, or a criterion for credit certification by universities and graduate schools taking part in the MicroMasters programs. Use of these programs within regular courses is on an increasing trend. Moreover, each program receives recommendations from stakeholder businesses or organizations. By completing a program, industry regards the student as having acquired the necessary knowledge to carry out business tasks. As this suggests, MicroMasters programs are currently anticipated to offer an opportunity for professional re-education or skill improvement.
MicroMasters programs have become a focus of attention as a novel attempt made by edX, which has offered the Xseries and other programs. More specific information includes what courses are offered by what institutions.
Currently offered programs will be described for each region and field in Vol.2.
(Written and edited by: KONO Wataru/ SUZUKI Takeo)
