Using Massive Open Online Courses to Support Human Wellbeing and Resilience

Authors : Saman Ange-Michel Gougou
Pages : 233-252
View : 70 | Download : 14
Publication Date : 2024-05-29
Abstract :In the world, digital revolution and online learning platforms offer new opportunities to support “education for all” and human wellbeing in developed and developing countries for more diversity, inclusion and equity . Simultaneously, shift to Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) changes accessibility to education and increases human resilience and psychological wellbeing in individuals and community’s context for a sustainable growth of societies through human competences enhancement in an intercultural learning environment online. So, in a context of crisis (as COVID19) and globalization, MOOCs support “education for all” principle through lifelong learning to reduce anxiety and illiteracy by providing new opportunities for schooling or professional development conform to 21st century skills applying a lifelong learning approach. Also, many MOOCs use English language in various professional development, as mean to disseminate knowledge, resulting in a “serendipitous” Communication Skills acquisition as an unexplored and unplanned discoveries and fortunate incidents in the process of exploring something else. The aim of this paper is to describe individuals’ wellbeing and human skills enhancement through MOOCs adoption to support lifelong learning in the context of globalization. Through a constructivist approach, and an ethnographic research design, this qualitative study used observation, interviews and focus groups to record and collect data from the experience of 12 non-native English speakers who completed various MOOCs taught in English in Cote d’Ivoire, a West Africa francophone country, during the COVİD 19 lockdown. Findings reveal intrinsic and extrinsic motivators for these Non English Natives to take and complete MOOCs taught in English language, challenges encountered, and outcomes in the learners and community well-being to support them in a perspective of sustainable development. Finally, recommendations are provided to foster a successful MOOCs usage for human well-being through lifelong learning for soft skills acquisition, society sustainability and Global Citizenship .
Keywords : Lifelong Learning- Communication- Wellbeing- Global Citizenship- Serendipity- Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).

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