Running head: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 1
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 4
8/19/2018
Annotated Bibliography
Ahmad, T. (2015). Preparing for the future of higher education. On the Horizon, 23(4), 323 330.
Given the advent of evolution in the future of higher education, Tashfeen Ahmad offers lecturers, universities and their leadership some form of assistance through information on disruptive innovations that are supported by the internet. In this research, Ahmad reflects on how education should evolve in this age of the internet while ensuring that all stakeholders benefit from its provisions. Given the design of this study as a research review, Ahmad considered the latest research on the subject and also considered practices by institutions of higher education. This research established that educators and institutions could benefit from opportunities that come with incorporating and applying new learning styles. However, Ahmad warns that disruptive innovation can lead to changes that cannot be avoided. The relationship between technology and knowledge is one that continues to reshape the structure of today's and the education system of the future. This research, therefore, provides critical insights as to how educators can utilize the opportunities that come from the influence technology has on education.
Clarke, T. (2013). The advance of the MOOCs (massive open online courses). The impending globalization of business education? Education+ Training, 55(4/5), 403-413.
In this research, Thomas Clarke analyzes the rapid development of MOOCs as well as its implications for business education. To contextualize his research, Clarke focuses on educational and business models of MOOCs. His research objectifies the exploration of the current use of MOOCs, their scalability and how different institutions of higher learning respond to its challenge. The approach used by the researcher involves analyzing the origins, structure as well as the orientation of the MOOCs before delving into its future trajectory. Clarke established that MOOCs not only have significant potential to grow but can also provide quality educational services that can be supported by established and reputable institutions of higher learning. However, Clarke also presents points of caution given that there are many issues about MOOCs that are yet to be solved. Given that MOOCs are still at a developmental stage, more is needed to establish a stable ground and cushion institutions from established challenges. Clarke concludes by offering research, practical and social implications of his findings on MOOCs.
Gasevic, D., Kovanovic, V., Joksimovic, S., & Siemens, G. (2014). Where is research on massive open online courses headed? A data analysis of the MOOC Research Initiative. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 15(5).
As a recent concept potentially affecting one of the most important industries, MOOC has attracted significant research effort. In this article, Gasevic and colleagues evaluate the direction that research on MOOC is headed. The purpose of analyzing research on this subject is to identify what themes or constructs of concern arise. After considering 266 submissions to the MOOC Research Initiative (MRI), the researchers identified five themes pursued by future research on the subject, these are; “student engagement and learning success, MOOC design and curriculum, self-regulated learning and social learning, social network analysis and networked learning, as well as motivation, attitude and success criteria.” These findings are very important in not only evaluating the potential of MOOC in higher education but also identify areas to work on. The researchers established the theme of social learning as the most dominant; this is not strange given the increasing interaction between education and social media. What makes this source important is that it provides a comprehensive view of what research says about MOOC and predicts what future research on the subject will be based on.
Rai, L., & Chunrao, D. (2016). Influencing factors of success and failure in MOOC and general analysis of learner behavior. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 6(4), 262.
In this research, Rai and Chunrao argue that success and failures in the online learning environment are the consequence of personal factors as opposed to factors influenced by either the surroundings or the external environment. These researchers approach an analysis of success or failure in MOOC on the basis of learner behavior. In their view, an individual’s behavior plays a critical role in influencing their success or failure in MOOC. To develop a perspective as to how individual personality becomes a critical factor in learning, the researchers explore comparisons between learner behavior in two systems; traditional classroom learning and online courses such as the MOOC. The researchers use data gathered since the introduction of MOOC from popular universities. The researchers conclude that despite MOOC being a recent trend in the education industry, it has significant potential, particularly in consideration of technological innovation. Additionally, this research affirms the view that factors influencing failure or success in MOOCs are purely individual.
Schuwer, R., Jaurena, I. G., Aydin, C. H., Costello, E., Dalsgaard, C., Brown, M. ... & Teixeira, A. (2015). Opportunities and threats of the MOOC movement for higher education: The European perspective. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 16(6).
In this research article, Schuwer and colleagues explore the implications of the MOOC movement on higher education by delving into the opportunities and threats associated with the concept.
Having realized that MOOCs challenge traditional pedagogy, the purpose of this study is to utilize a subjective approach in evaluating what future this concept holds for higher education based on opportunities and threats posed.
However, the researchers contextualize their study by focusing on literature addressing the origin of the MOOC movement in the United States. This helped to provide a perspective as with regards to the regional use of MOOCs in Europe. Therefore, the scholars undertook a research initiative to identify opportunities and threats of the MOOC movement for institutions of higher learning in Europe. After gathering data from three sources, the scholars established the tremendous potential for institutional collaboration through MOOCs and threats ranging from implementation challenges to too much regulation.