Targeted MOOC captivates students

摘要

In our experience, massive open online courses (MOOCs) can reach non-traditional and disadvantaged learners if they address a recognized need, support the educational requirements of the intended cohort and enable learning with tangible outcomes (see E. J. Emanuel et al Nature 503， 342; 2013). The Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre at Australia's University of Tasmania has developed a MOOC on understanding dementia. This attracted almost 10,000 people from more than 60 countries in July, of which 89% were women, 70% were over the age of 40, and only 17% were educated beyond a bachelors degree (compared with 44% reported by Emanuel and colleagues).