Role Play: Emergent Role of the MOOC Instructor
Abstract: The role of the online instructor in a MOOC could be compared to directing a film or producing a concert; only the outcomes in MOOCs are ongoing and interactive. MOOC instructors may serve many roles: producer, director, facilitator, subject matter expert, content manager, multimedia supervisor, quality assurance supervisor, and researcher. Are MOOC instructors also the lead actor or musician with a rock star following? What are some of the roles of the MOOC instructor and how do these roles change when teaching in a MOOC environment? The purpose of this study is to conduct qualitative research with MOOC instructors, some who have been pioneers in the MOOC world and others who may have entered the field more recently. A survey will be distributed to a sample of MOOC instructors to gather their perceptions on instructional assets that a MOOC instructor possesses or needs to possess to make MOOC facilitation a success.