Investigating the Potential of MOOCs in K-12 Teaching and Learning Environments

The massive open online course (MOOC) is a relatively new concept in K-12 teaching and learning environments. Although significant work has been done with MOOCs since 2008, it has only been recently that MOOCs have been studied with K-12 populations. The purpose of this study was to further examine the motivation of K-12 students enrolled in a MOOC about teaching in the 21st century. This article provides both quantitative and qualitative evidence that suggests MOOCs can be effectively integrated with high school students. The paper concludes with a discussion of the potential value of using MOOCs and other technologies to provide experiences to students they might not currently have in traditional, blended, or online environments