MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES (MOOCS): THE PROMISE OF NON-FORMAL EDUCATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have a great potential for contemporary higher education in the era of distance teaching and learning. Learners all around the world enrol on MOOCs to participate in courses which meet their age, skills, interests and study programs. There is a great variability in participants' motivation when focusing on their second language learning skills and knowledge. This paper examines the preference of English language participants for MOOCs and also proposes the courses in English language by the most relevant institutions building on participants' needs. Engagement in MOOCs is one of the strongest predictive features for the course completion, while learners' motivation to be involved in a non-formal education affirms their ability to focus on the lifelong language learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]