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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Massive open online courses (MOOCs) and green economy transition: feasibility assessment for African higher education |
Author: | Nhamo, Godwell |
Year: | 2013 |
Periodical: | Journal of Higher Education in Africa (ISSN 0851-7762) |
Volume: | 11 |
Issue: | 1-2 |
Pages: | 101-119 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | Africa |
Subjects: | teaching methods Internet mass education sustainable development |
External link: | https://www.jstor.org/stable/jhigheducafri.11.1-2.101 |
Abstract: | Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a new phenomenon globally and in Africa. MOOCs have attracted student registration in hundreds of thousands per course in certain instances, gaining acceptance across different societies. Many MOOCs are currently hosted by institutions of higher education in the USA, with the first MOOC breakthrough entitled 'Artificial Intelligence' having 'exploded' at Stanford University in California (USA) in the summer of 2011. 'Artificial Intelligence' enrolled 160,000 students, 23,000 of which graduated after 10 weeks. World leaders have confirmed that green economy transition is the way to go if humanity is to remain sustainable on planet earth. The question then is: are MOOCs feasible in educating African masses about green economy transition? This paper presents MOOCs as an emerging area of opportunitiy to enhance learning for green economy transition in general and specifically in Africa. However, this requires massive roll outs of: firstly, learning management systems like MOOCs, and, secondly, the dissemination of massive appropriate content, knowledge and skills related to green economy transition that current formal education systems will not manage given the demand and urgency. The answer to the question raised is therefore a qualified 'yes', mainly due to limited e-readiness in the continent. Bibliogr., sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract] |