When developing an online learning experience that intends to teach learners the skills and knowledge required for digital literacy, high importance is placed on the learning content. However, the design and delivery of the learning activities are critical to the overall course experience: If learners are unable or unwilling to engage with the curriculum and content, learning outcomes are unlikely to be achieved.

In this section of the book, we’re choosing to turn away from digital literacy for a moment, and instead examine the overall quality and effectiveness of the MOOC in its entirety. Garrison et al.’s (1999) Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework is used as the basis for our examination. The CoI model is a popular conceptual framework that aims to identify important factors in a quality online learning experience, and identifies three broad factors: teaching presence, social presence and cognitive presence.

As an online learning experience, was the MOOC effective?

We believe that the MOOC set an excellent standard for online learning. As you’ll read in the following chapter, The course is able to successfully integrate all three aspects of the CoI framework, which is quite incredible, given the global, open parameters of this five-week course.

Image credit: Graphic by the Model eLearning team at Spring Arbour University