Search

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that being able to learn online is now a crucial life skill and cannot be left to chance. Pedagogical interventions are critical to support students in building their digital skills and confidence, given identified links between online learning readiness and academic success. Based on this premise, the purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of an online learning preparatory MOOC on students' emotions and levels of online learning self-efficacy (OLSE). The paper begins by illustrating how the design and delivery of the MOOC had the potential to provide participants with the necessary mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and affective regulation opportunities to evaluate and develop their online learning self-efficacy beliefs. Students starting or continuing their higher education online because of COVID-19 were encouraged to take the MOOC as part of their development. Students' self-reports of their emotion and OLSE were compared pre- and post-MOOC. Paired sample t-tests found significant differences in all four dimensions of OLSE following participation in the MOOC. Participants reported higher levels of Self-Efficacy Navigating Technology, Self-Efficacy Managing Time, Self-Efficacy Learning at a Distance, and Self-Efficacy Communicating Online. Additionally, changes in learners' emotions were observed post-MOOC. Most participants reported feeling anxious about online learning before the MOOC. This changed, however, post-MOOC, with the majority feeling positive and hopeful about online learning following the two-week course. The paper concludes by discussing the implications for practice.

This article offers a global overview of the burgeoning field of micro-credentials and their relationship to lifelong learning, employability and new models of digital education. Although there is no globally accepted definition of micro-credentials, the term indicates smaller units of study, which are usually shorter than traditional forms of accredited learning and courses leading to conventional qualifications such as degrees. The paper aims to provide educators with a helicopter view of the rapidly evolving global micro-credential landscape, with particular relevance to higher education leaders, industry stakeholders and government policy-makers. It addresses five questions: (i) What are micro-credentials? (ii) Why micro-credentials? (iii) Who are the key stakeholders? (iv) What is happening globally? and (v) What are some of the key takeaways? Drawing on a European-wide perspective and recent developments in The Republic of Ireland, the paper concludes that micro-credentials are likely to become a more established and mature feature of the 21st-century credential ecology over the next five years. While the global micro-credential landscape is currently disconnected across national boundaries, more clarity and coherence will emerge as governments around the world increasingly align new credentialing developments with existing national qualification frameworks. The micro-credentialing movement also provides opportunities for governments and higher education institutions in partnership with industry to harness new digital learning models beyond the pandemic.

Learning a language has become more accessible online butrelatively-few applied studies have explored the implications of technological advances, and the learners who use them (Chik and Ho 2017. "Learn a Language for Free: Recreational Learning among Adults." "System" 69: 162-171, 163). This mixed-methods study explores participation, exclusion and inclusion, in an Irish language MOOC, where participation reflects intrinsic learning (Deci and Ryan 1985. "Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior." New York: Plenum), and cultural-oriented motivations (Van Duesen-Scholl 2003. "Towards a Definition of Heritage Language: Sociopolitical and Pedagogical Considerations." "Journal of Language, Identity and Education" 2 (3): 211-230). Using survey data (n = 1,523) and open-ended comments, learners' participation is conceptualised by exploring their demographic backgrounds. Tensions are demonstrated between the types of learning and motives of course participants, the metrics by which many online courses are viewed as successful, and the real value of learning a language for cultural, humanistic and intrinsic purposes (see Ushioda 2017. "The Impact of Global English on Motivation to Learn Other Languages: Towards an Ideal Multilingual Self." "The Modern Language Journal" 101 (3): 469-482). The case also explores issues of both exclusion, and inclusion, in distance language learning more generally.

Language massive open online courses (LMOOCs) represent an exciting prospect for language teachers and instructors around the globe (Bárcena & Martín-Monje, 2014). In this paper, we report on the dynamics of participation and learner behaviour in an ab initio Irish language course. The course, Irish 101, ran during March 2019, and we used a mixed-methods approach to analyse both typical patterns of behaviour among course participants and learner reflections upon their reasons for doing so. Findings suggest that most learners use the course resources in an assessing and exploratory manner and are far less likely to produce, or to examine, second language (L2) output, either written or spoken. Learners were found to be selective and to demonstrate significant metacognitive awareness (Wenden, 1998) in their interactions and learning methods, displaying agency and exploiting affordances beyond the design of the course itself. Implications for LMOOC design, including the need to question whether courses should emphasise L2 production or resource provision, are considered, in addition to a general need for more granular, dynamic research, so as to better understand the types of learners who engage in LMOOCs and to better cater to diverse learning needs.

This article explores the role of culture and the concept of openness as they relate to learning using a massive open online course which teaches the Irish language and Irish culture to learners around the world. It explores how best to describe the meaning of such learning, and the social, material, and relational tensions that exist in such provision. Using a qualitative case study design, we analyzed a collection of 3507 learner comments placed on key reflective steps throughout the course. From the analysis of learner experiences, motivations, and opinions, we identified five major themes. We then examined the role of inequality, social justice, and lifelong learning in light of the themes. The article concludes with recommendations for further research, in addition to reflections on the value of small-scale case studies to explore the diversity inherent in MOOC provision.