Massive Open and Online Courses and Open Education Resources in Singapore

Abstract: This paper looks at the increasing popularity of massive open and online courses (MOOCs) and open educational resources (OERs) offered in Singapore. Despite being a relatively new phenomenon, the Singapore government has collaborated with different organizations to improve the quality and accessibility of MOOCs, and many institutions of higher learning (IHLs) are spearheading efforts to improve OERs to facilitate greater public access to educational resources. It will also explore the benefits and potential problems that MOOCs and OERs face. For example, both MOOCs and OERs are able to lower the costs of university-level education and increase public access to such courses. They also provide skills and job training for members of the public as well as encourage lifelong learning. However, both MOOCs and OERs may not be sustainable in the long run, as the financial gains of both may not be able to cover the costs of mounting them. Each system also has its own set of problems. For example, formal structures to guarantee the quality of MOOCs offered remain lacking. MOOCs also tend to have low completion rates and there have been issues regarding plagiarism with the use of MOOCs as learning platforms. OERs pose challenges to traditional copyright policies while lack of sustainable funding prevents them from being adopted more widely. Even though both systems may potentially transform the traditional education system, a deeper understanding of MOOCs and OERs as well as their implications on learning will be useful.