Open, Mobile and Collaborative Educational Experience. Case study: The European ECO Project

Sara Osuna Acedo (National Distance Education University (UNED), Spain)

Javier Gil Quintana (Catholic University of Avila, Spain)

Carmen Cantillo Valero (National Distance Education University (UNED), Spain)

Abstract: The European ECO Project has contributed to the dissemination of MOOCs by developing an educational model which promotes participation and interaction through social networks and an own virtual platform. Likewise, it fosters students’ empowerment by allowing them to create their own courses. Such training model is studied in this research work, firstly, through the analysis of teachers' and students' speeches posted on forum boards and groups. Then results obtained in several surveys conducted among participants, which consider interactions taking place both in and off the platform, are triangulated. Educational and motivational factors in the students' profile show the advantages and disadvantages found in their perception of the collaborative learning model, as well as the empowerment derived from the participation in the creation of their own MOOCs. This study reveals multiple factors affecting the proper development of these courses, while considering communication as an incentive for the creation of knowledge through the MOOC itself. All this will contribute to improve the quality of education and to trigger a change of paradigm, necessary to understand today's education and society.

Keywords: Europe, collaborative learning, mobile learning, sMOOC

Categories: L.1, L.2, L.3