MOOC research initiative

There has been a rapid growth of online educational resources – including MOOCs (or Massive Open Online Courses).  MOOCs could potentially transform higher education by opening up affordable pathways to higher education (see Ian Clark’s article) yet there is little research into their impact.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced the launch of the MOOC Research Initiative (MRI) to evaluate the impact of early MOOC models on teaching and learning.  Awards for research funding will be made by the end of August 2013 and an international conference will be hosted in Texas in December 2013.

Further information on how to apply can be found on the MOOC research website.