A Case Study: Developing a Micro-College Model Using MOOCs for an Underserved Community

摘要

The purpose of this study is to explore an affordable, accessible, holistic micro-college model that integrates blended learning using MOOCs to increase access to higher education in the developing world. In spite of the phenomenal growth of MOOCs, people in the Majority World fail to take advantage of them due to several challenges that include the cultural relevance of courses, differences in teaching and learning pedagogy, language barriers, and most tangibly, lack of sufficient telecommunication infrastructure. To address these challenges and maximize the potential of MOOCs for expanding access to higher education, a 2-year pilot program was launched in 2015 in an impoverished area of Nairobi, Kenya to explore a new learning modality combining quality online materials and in-class meetings with learning facilitators. This paper discusses the potential of such a model to scale beyond the initial pilot to make higher education accessible to those with the least access.