A Far Cry from School History: Massive Online Open Courses as a Generative Source for Historical Research

Abstract

Current research into Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) has neglected the potential of using learner comments for discipline-specific analysis. This article explores how MOOCs, within the historical discipline, can be used to generate, investigate, and document personal narratives, and argues that they serve as a rich platform for historical resource generation. Through these narratives, this research explores changing perceptions of learning; from learning history at school to learning about history in a MOOC. This exploration uses a qualitative thematic analysis of learner comments related to personal narratives of learning history at school from the Trinity College Dublin/Futurelearn "Irish Lives in War and Revolution: 1912-1923" MOOC. These personal narratives were generated both directly and indirectly through four pedagogical tools; reflective questions, multimedia resources, external links, and inter-learner interaction. Broad themes emerged from the analysis of personal narratives including attitudes toward history at school, biased and inadequate teaching, and MOOC teaching compared with school experiences. The analysis demonstrated that MOOCs serve as a generative repository for personal and family historical narratives, and described how MOOCs can change perceptions of teaching and learning history. This paper contributes a novel understanding of MOOCs for discipline-specific analysis, provides a framework for MOOC historical resource generation, and describes changing perceptions of learning from the perspective of MOOC learners.

Reflection on MOOC Design in Palestine

“…However, only limited research has explored the impact of MOOCs and what they can contribute to historical research generation (Gallagher & Wallace, 2016). It was interesting to note how the Discover Palestine MOOC thus offered an unanticipated generative repository for oral history sharing, bringing a number of benefits for adding content to less detailed archival knowledge, as well as serving as an opportunity to invest in new and rich ways for Palestine to tell "its" story.…”

MOOC awareness and utilization among students of selected Polish universities

“…What is unique is that the MOOC content is delivered for free and online, and is supported by multimedia materials and empowered by social engagement tools such as discussion forums (Liyanagunawardena et al, 2013a). Comments and remarks that arise during user discussions are particularly useful not only for evaluating or tracking the degree of involvement in the learning process, but also for expanding the scope of the course itself by gaining knowledge about the participants' experiences (Gallagher & Wallace, 2016). Thus, a synergistic exchange of knowledge between the course provider and its participants is created.…”

Massive Open Online Course

“…Il MOOC, in questo modo, potrebbe diventare un buon strumento per sfidare i preconcetti che gli studenti hanno sui fatti storici e istruirli su nuovi modi di valutare i 'fatti accertati'. Secondo i ricercatori irlandesi il pubblico, rappresentato dai partecipanti al MOOC, appare disponibile ad accettare la complessità della storia e sembra aperto a molteplici interpretazioni, non accontentandosi di letture populiste o banali 415 .…”