Being Brave in a MOOC World

Abstract

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have been a growing trend recently because thanks to them, many people can be enrolled in a course just through the internet, and it can be noted that they are generally preferred and in use to a great extent. However, the number of studies on the use of MOOCs in blended learning environments is relatively limited. For this specific reason, the current study was carried out as a convergent mixed-method study to provide insights into the pros and cons of using MOOCs for educational purposes. Twenty-four student teachers enrolled in the Department of English Language Teaching participated in the present study. The data were collected through learning journals and an inventory. Thematic analysis was utilised to analyse the qualitative data, whereas descriptive statistics were calculated for the analysis of quantitative data. The results were motivating for extending the use of MOOCs as self-guided learning tools.