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MOOCs are one of the most transformative tools of the 21st century offering scalable affordances such as increased access to quality education and providing new learning opportunities to communities previously disadvantaged by location and time. The outbreak of COVID-19 has magnified the need for remote-based teaching to minimise learning disruptions. Although developed countries have adopted MOOCs as a novel tool for technology-enhanced education, Africa still lags in adopting such platforms. Literature indexed by two databases, the Web of Science and Scopus, was used for a systematic literature review to evaluate research themes on African countries’ opportunities and challenges when adopting MOOCs. The eight-step methodology selected 36 articles published between 2013 and 2021. Results indicate that a few African countries are researching MOOCs. Opportunities for MOOC adoption in Africa are repurposing MOOCs, democratising access to higher education, professional development of teachers, transitions in the workplace and using algorithms to enhance learning. The challenges faced include access to the Internet and educational equipment, lack of skills, pedagogical barriers and MOOCs as a preserve of the Global North. MOOCs provide the potential for universal access to education if African governments could enact policies that support development, adoption and growth.
Information Communication Technology and Services Department, National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Mfowabo Maphosa
School of Information Technology, Varsity College, Independent Institute of Education, Sandton, South Africa
*Address all correspondence to: vusumuzi.maphosa@nust.ac.zw
1. Introduction
The impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on every aspect of human life has been revolutionary and disruptive. ICTs have transformed the creation, acquisition, storage and dissemination of knowledge, allowing knowledge to be shared with a more extensive and disparate audience simultaneously and at little or no cost. Over time, the transformation of ICTs and their pervasiveness in education has allowed governments, researchers and educational technologists to increasingly integrate and create a new paradigm supporting millions, where learning takes place regardless of time and geographic constraints [1]. Higher education institutions (HEIs) face challenges, such as changing roles, the relevance of education, dynamic curricula, rising costs and sustainability [2]. Evolution in education has been slow; notably, changes began with the rise of correspondence courses supported by postal services, and then came the Internet, which supports 21st-century teaching [3].
ICT developments have resulted in developing a new understanding of the idea of open education. This overarching concept has gained popularity since 2002 with the UNESCO definition of the open educational resources (OER) [4]. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) started as open online learning in the form of self-paced web-based courses due to the popularity of email and the web in the late 1990s and early 2000s [5]. Thus, MOOCs were preceded by open online learning and the OER movement. Open education was associated with open admissions and distance education throughout the previous century, marked by the growth of organisations like Open Universities. More recently, open education has been associated with developing OER and MOOCs [6].
The ubiquitous access to learning resources through digital media has transformed education from a distance learning to online and effective personalised learning, such as MOOCs, supporting 21st-century learning pedagogies which are student centred. Technological advances such as the widespread adoption of notebooks, tablets, cloud storage and lower broadband charges have led to the rapid adoption of MOOCs [7]. Top universities responded to the needs of learners by introducing online learning platforms such as MOOCs to the Net and Z generation of today’s learners. These digital natives prefer autonomous and self-paced learning [8].
The introduction of MOOCs as a form of collaborative online learning has transformed how the instructor and learner conduct the business of teaching and learning, supporting the 21st-century learning model [9]. MOOCs are one of the greatest innovations transforming higher education in the 21st century. MOOCs are designed to free students from the rigidity of fixed learning timetables and classrooms by allowing learners to learn independently from wherever they are. Barnes [10] asserts that MOOCs are an online course delivery method with no formal entry requirements and are offered for free to hundreds of thousands of learners. Students follow a curriculum and are awarded a certificate after completing the MOOC, where enrolment is unlimited, there is no tuition and strict admission requirement, and the courses are entirely online [11]. MOOCs democratise access to education by not requiring exclusive prerequisites [12]. MOOCs provide diverse content to multitudes of learners, offering access to new knowledge and skills across all disciplines, which needs to be improved in developing countries [13].
The demands to democratise and broaden access to education are only two of Africa’s numerous issues. According to statistics, every year, millions of learners who complete high school in Africa are not admitted to universities [14]. MOOCs are seen as an answer to some of the challenges. For instance, El Said [15] suggests that MOOCs are the solutions to problems such as “overcrowded classrooms, high costs of materials and books, commuting difficulty due to high traffic, and a need for continued education and specialised training for the workforce” (p. 7).
It has been established that Africa’s efforts to adopt MOOCs are still emerging and fragmented [16]. A more recent study found that MOOCs’ successful and efficient implementation in Africa has benefits but is laden with several challenges that need to be overcome [14]. This chapter aims to ascertain the opportunities and challenges of adopting MOOCs in Africa. A thorough, comprehensive literature review method was used to select the thirty-six articles for this investigation. Through a survey of the current literature, this chapter adds to the body of knowledge on the adoption of MOOCs in Africa.
To the authors’ knowledge, there is little research that focuses on the benefits and challenges Africa faces when implementing MOOCs. This chapter seeks to explore the state of research on MOOCs in Africa. In particular, the study aims to identify the opportunities available when implementing MOOCs and the challenges of adopting MOOCs in the African context. The study seeks to answer the following research questions:
What is the prevalence of MOOCs in Africa?
What are the opportunities for adopting and the challenges faced when implementing MOOCs in Africa?
The rest of the chapter is organised as follows. Section 2 provides a brief literature review; Section 3 describes the methodology followed for this study. Section 4 presents the results, followed by the discussion and recommendations in Section 5. Section 6 presents the conclusion of this study.
MOOCs were initially divided into connectivist MOOCs (cMOOCs) and extended MOOCs (xMOOCs) [17]. Less emphasis is placed on what is learned in cMOOCs than on how it is learned [18]. xMOOCs are typically organised around lecturer-centred teaching, recorded in a digital format. Information about predetermined learning objectives is didactically imparted and is primarily evaluated through automated grading or peer assessment [19]. Hybrid MOOCs are becoming increasingly prevalent; they use xMOOC platforms that offer structure, narrative, and resources but also downplay the importance of the teacher as the subject matter expert and promote connectivist ideologies like peer-to-peer learning [20].
MOOCs are easy to use and support self-directed learning, where learners worldwide access open-access educational resources [21]. In line with 21st-century learning needs, MOOCs support collaborative learning that nurtures connectedness, and a sense of belonging, which are good traits for the online learning [22]. For most developing countries where students fail to pay for online courses, MOOCs provide a better alternative as the cost is borne by the institutions [7]. The availability of MOOCs offers students free courses and improves the learning opportunities for most students in developing countries.
Africa’s higher education has experienced exponential growth, with universities increasing from 294 in 1980 to 1682 by 2018, fuelled by immense demand for higher education [23]. Despite this growth, recent research revealed that 660 million people from the ten most populous countries had 740 universities, an acute shortage compared to 323 million people in the United States having 5300 universities [24]. The number of enrolled students in African HEIs grew from 2.7 million in 1991 to 9.3 million in 2006 [2]. The quality of African education has been questioned; as the number one ranked university in Africa, the University of Cape Town was ranked 272 in the world rankings [25].
Despite phenomenal growth, African HEIs are plagued by many challenges, such as limited government support, low tuition fees, and low research grants to supplement income streams. Globally, over 100 million potential students apply to study in HEIs, and due to inadequate infrastructure, facilities and instructors, only half are enrolled by the institutions [26]. Educators, policymakers and governments across the globe responded by bringing innovative ideas that could bridge the gap. This saw the rise in the adoption of OER, online and available learning and MOOCs [2].
Educational costs have been rising, while the demand for HEIs has also been surging [27], forcing HEIs to innovate. MOOCs are one of the innovative ways that institutions have introduced to tackle these problems. Widening access to education and creating flexible learning environments have motivated HEIs to adopt MOOCs. MOOCs support tenets of the 21st century which include rich learning and collaborative and peer-to-peer interaction. Over 800 HEIs introduced and pioneered various MOOCs and enrolled millions of learners, altering the delivery of education and accommodating millions of learners who could not be absorbed by formal educational institutions [28]. MOOCs allow students to benefit from content created by top researchers across several universities, thereby allowing cross-pollination of ideas and concepts. Scholars have reported several factors that have led to the massive adoption of MOOCs. These include ease of use, perceived usefulness, zero costs, perceived enjoyment, easy to reach out, collaborative knowledge creation and learner-driven [17, 18].
Most MOOC providers are from the Global North, which limits the learning content’s applicability to the local contexts of nations in the Global South, especially in Africa [29]. Currently, there are three basic methods used for the production of MOOCs used in Africa. Firstly, HEIs in Africa collaborate with an already-established MOOC platform. Secondly, a US or European institution with financing and resources teams up with an African HEI to “co-create” the MOOC. The third scenario is MOOCs made about Africa by a non-African institution without partnerships with any African institution [17]. In light of this, there is a need to understand the opportunities and challenges that the adoption of MOOCs in Africa has.
A systematic literature review study addresses specific research questions and reduces bias by systematically and explicitly setting out how the review will be conducted [30]. There are several ways of conducting a systematic literature review, such as the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses [31] and the eight-step guide to conducting a systematic literature review [32]. The systematic literature review was performed from November to December 2022. The study followed the eight steps methodology by Okoli [32]. This is how the guidelines were implemented for this study:
Identify the review purpose: this study aims to identify the opportunities available when implementing MOOCs and the challenges of adopting MOOCs in the African context.
Create protocol and conduct training: this step involved creating a detailed protocol document for the reviewers and holding a training session to ensure consistency in executing the review.
Define screen criteria: the following screening criteria were used. The reviewers included articles whose geographical location was set to African countries by the bibliometric databases and published between 2012 and 2021. Furthermore, only empirical studies from peer-reviewed journals or conferences published in English were considered.
Literature search: the following search string was used to retrieve articles ((MOOC OR MOOCs OR “massive open online courses”) AND (“opportunities” OR “issues” OR “challenges” OR “threats” OR “problems” OR “risks” OR “obstacle”)). The initial results yielded 5002 articles from WoS and Scopus databases. Filtering was applied for the past ten years (2012–2021), leaving 4445 articles. After that, filtering was applied by geographical location, leaving 202 articles.
Extract information: the titles, abstracts, and keywords of the 202 articles were exported to excel for analysis by the authors. Articles which focused on general education and did not explicitly cover MOOCs and African countries were excluded. Articles that did not focus on the opportunities and challenges faced in adopting and implementing MOOCs in Africa were also excluded. Articles with a combined approach were excluded, such as African and other non-African developing and developed countries, leaving 43 articles.
Evaluate quality: The 43 articles were downloaded and evaluated to ensure they aligned with the research topic. This was achieved by minimising the bias by having two authors work independently to evaluate the articles’ quality, compare their selections, and reach a consensus. Seven duplicates appeared from both databases and were excluded leaving 36 articles that were analysed.
Synthesise data: this step combines the facts extracted from the studies using quantitative and qualitative techniques to analyse the data. This step is described in the next section.
Report the review results: a systematic literature review needs to be reported in sufficient detail such that other researchers can independently reproduce the review’s results. The steps are provided in the next section.
Table 1 summarises the values from steps 4 to 6 above. It shows the results obtained from the initial search to filtering and the final evaluation of the articles.
This section presents the literature review findings on MOOCs research in Africa, focusing on the state of MOOCs research and the opportunities and challenges faced in adopting and implementing MOOCs. Table 2 shows detailed information on the selected articles.
The citations were retrieved from Google Scholar on 15 November 2022. The 36 articles are based on studies done in eleven countries, with one study on Africa and another on Sub-Saharan Africa. One article focused on three countries—Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Regarding geographical representation, Morocco dominates with thirteen articles, followed by South Africa with nine. In terms of citations, three articles had no citations, 22 were cited less than ten times each and two were cited between 10 and 20 times. Four articles were cited between 26 and 30 times. The top four articles were cited 707, 81, 79 and 75 times, respectively. The top-cited paper was published in 2016 and had an average of about 100 citations per year, indicating the importance of understanding the factors affecting MOOC retention.
No article on MOOCs in Africa was published in 2012 and 2014. One article (2.8%) was published in 2013, two in 2015 and 2017, each representing 5.6% and three in 2016 (8.3%). The highest number of publications was in 2020, with nine articles, followed by 2019, with seven articles and 2018 and 2021, each having six articles. Analysis of Figure 1 shows that publications on MOOCs in Africa have been increasing steadily.
Figure 1.
Articles published between 2012 and 2021.
4.1 Research themes covered in the articles
Through an iterative process, we identified research themes on 36 selected articles identifying opportunities and challenges faced when implementing MOOCs in Africa. Eight themes were identified, five were related to opportunities offered by MOOCs, and three were related to challenges with adopting MOOCs. Table 3 shows the themes and the different articles related to each theme. Below, we discuss each research theme’s importance and link to the opportunities and challenges that exist when implementing MOOCs.
Research area
Research theme
Articles
Opportunities
Repurposing MOOCs
A3, A4, A8, A16, A20, A24, A27, A28, A29
Democratising access to higher education
A9, A14, A15, A19, A31, A32, A33
Professional development of teachers
A10, A13, A16, A21, A33
Transitions in the workplace
A1, A7, A12, A22, A25, A28, A34, A36
Use of algorithms to enhance learning
A5, A6, A15, A23, A26
Challenges
Internet and access to educational equipment
A13, A19, A20, A30, A31
Enforcing credibility of assessments by identifying and tracking learners
A24, A26, A33
Pedagogical barriers
A3, A14, A17, A18, A24, A33
MOOCs as a preserve of the Global North.
A2, A4, A11, A14, A15, A35
Table 3.
Mapping of research themes to the 36 articles.
4.2 Opportunities offered by MOOCs
4.2.1 Repurposing MOOCs
For MOOCs to be effective in Africa, collaborations between institutions will be vital to curating and repurposing content to address local contexts and ensure it is more accessible on mobile devices [29]. Ivancheva et al. [40] proposed that high-ranked institutions in developed countries, which are the significant contributors of MOOCs, could allow smaller and lower-ranked institutions to develop socially responsive MOOCs that solve the challenges in developing countries. This unbundling could result in cutting-edge, shorter and industry-oriented MOOCs. Scott et al. [51] acknowledged efforts by the Harvard team that developed lower-resolution video and audio files and provided flash drives containing all the course content to broaden MOOC content access in resource-constrained settings in Rwanda.
4.2.2 Democratising access to higher education
MOOCs display an attempt by top universities in the Global North to democratise access to education to previously marginalised communities in Africa [62]; for greater effectiveness, MOOCs must address the socioeconomic and developmental trajectory of the African continent [16]. Idrissi et al. [41] noted that MOOCs enhanced the quality of training in Moroccan universities by improving learning outcomes. This augurs well with efforts to introduce innovative ways to massify African higher education. A multilingual plugin was developed to aid learners in translating questions and transform the course into a game, where badges are awarded upon completing some milestones [38]. MOOCs have developed a vast network of tutors who have expertly designed courses offered for free, thus shrinking the geographical and time barriers by providing opportunities for learning to everyone regardless of place and time constraints [46]. Ahmed et al. [43] used MOOCs to overcome the location and timing challenges. Studies in Morocco show that MOOCs can effectively solve challenges affecting Africa’s higher education, such as overcrowded classes [61]. Zaatri et al. [62] supported this by highlighting that MOOCs allowed lecturers managing large cohorts with minimum budgets to share learning resources and knowledge and collaborate in reusing and developing educational resources. Nyoni [63] notes that MOOCs can redress challenges with institutional budget constraints by availing affordable access to education suited for resource-constrained environments.
4.2.3 Professional development of teachers
HEIs in Africa are slowly taking advantage of the potential of MOOCs to support quality education and lifelong learning to meet growing educational demands [29]. MOOCs support lifelong learning for individuals coming from underserved communities [45]. Batchelor and Lautenbach [42] used MOOCs to foster lifelong learning habits for pre-service teachers, and this promoted personal and professional development. Teachers used MOOCs to identify opportunities for improvement, identify knowledge gaps and stay current in an environment where there are few options to address the needs of the teachers. Junior lecturers use MOOCs for knowledge and skills acquisition [45]. MOOCs are unlikely to displace the traditional classroom. Still, the disruptions caused by MOOCs provide an opportunity for teachers to rethink and remodel their teaching to serve the needs of students [63]. MOOCs foster and deliver quality education, supporting the needs of the instructors and learners [29]. In Kenya, the TESSA MOOC was used to promote teachers’ lifelong and professional development, offering self-regulated learning with flexible commencement dates. Certificates of participation were awarded upon completion of the course, which motivated participants [52].
4.2.4 Transitions in the workplace
Small et al. [39] researched how working people used MOOCs to transition in the workplace. They proposed a framework to assist MOOC developers in capturing these transitions between careers and work roles. The study concluded that MOOCs were excellent for marginalised and remote communities. Walji et al. [66] studied transitions taken by individuals between learning and work. The authors noted that individuals applied what they learnt to their work, while others used MOOCs to transition into a different field. Walji et al. [66] pointed out that these individuals were beyond the reach of the traditional university. Quatiq et al. [64] noted that it was essential to enact pedagogical policies that guide teachers before they are introduced to technology. A model was developed to mentor academics using MOOCs and Open Education Resources in Eswatini, and the model can be adapted to other countries with the same educational contexts [56].
4.2.5 Use of algorithms to enhance learning
Algorithms are being developed to predict learners’ behaviour using MOOCs through classifying, clustering, visualising and data mining. Riyami et al. [57] proposed a cartographic synthesis tool for allocating ICT tools in collaborative tasks in MOOC courses at Moroccan HEIs, and this improved adoption and utilisation. Due to large amounts of data produced, teachers are using MOOCs to personalise learning, recommend learning paths and detect possible dropouts, thus improving course completion rates [54]. These guide teachers in providing personalised education and supporting interventions that stimulate and enhance the learning process [37]. The algorithms assist in determining learner participation and interaction during the learning process. These interventions can reduce dropouts and increase course throughput. Researchers developed an e-assessment plugin and gamification-based learning to attract the learner’s attention and also allow learners to choose between different learning platforms [38]. Big data analytics and artificial intelligence are being applied in MOOCs to foster personalised learning and prepare learners for jobs in the future [46].
4.3 Challenges with MOOC uptake
4.3.1 Internet and access to educational equipment
Two-thirds of the African population is rural, where network connectivity is a challenge, high-cost bandwidth, and access to higher education is a challenge [60]. In most developing countries, the uptake of MOOCs is low due to slow Internet speed, lack of technology, lack of recognition of acquired certificates, lack of time and rigid learning resources that cannot be reused [34, 50]. Deacon et al. [60] noted that evaluating MOOC usage experience can assist designers in addressing issues that affect the learning experience and future adoption, such as balancing flexibility and keeping track of milestones such as assignment deadlines and time constraints. Scott et al. [51] conceded that limited Internet access and rigid course content were barriers to MOOC adoption. African universities face challenges in implementing MOOCs due to a weak ICT infrastructure and low Internet penetration [61]. A study at the University of Johannesburg revealed that students relied on institutional resources to access MOOCs; only 18% used their devices to access a MOOC, and only 16% used their data for the MOOC [42]. There is a need to address the digital divide in Africa by developing the teacher’s and students’ 21st-century skills to allow them to participate in innovative pedagogies supported by MOOCs [29].
4.3.2 Enforcing credibility of assessments by identifying and tracking learners
Some scholars designed applications to manage risks associated with deploying and managing online learning platforms such as Moodle and MOOCs [44]. Zaoudi and Belhadaoui [35] raised concerns about the credibility of MOOCs and developed a model that can detect unusual behaviour, actions and responses from the learners. The authors noted that if learners are not recognised during examinations and tests, then students are likely to cheat and bring the assessment results into disrepute. They developed Learner Behaviour Analytics (LBA), an AI-based model to identify and ensure that learners do not cheat during assessments [35]. Fotso et al. [37] developed a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) model that could classify and predict learner behaviour and participation in a MOOC. This model can be extended to identify and track learners and is useful when conducting assessments.
4.3.3 Pedagogical barriers
Rambe and Moeti [16] contended that the low uptake of MOOCs in Africa is symptomatic of philosophical and operationalisation challenges as administrators are yet to grasp the transformative affordances of MOOCs. MOOC adoption is influenced by attitudes, perceptions and knowledge levels [29], which requires more outreach to promote MOOC uptake in Africa. Unlike learning management systems, the pedagogical tools offered by MOOCs, such as discussion forums, quizzes, and videos, are ineffective and do not foster collaborative work [49]. Scholars established that instructor interaction and learner retention significantly affect MOOC adoption, which challenges MOOC creators to pay attention to these human elements, including producing excellent content [48]. Rambe and Moeti [16] noted that large classes in MOOCs diminish student-to-teacher interactions, resulting in high dropout. Therefore, MOOCs must be adapted to the African context for pedagogical relevance. Others fear MOOCs will destabilise the current education system, thus resisting adoption [63]. Riyami [49] also noted that in most instances, MOOCs are optional and used to reinforce course content.
4.3.4 MOOCs as a preserve of the Global North
There are concerns that, in their current state, MOOCs are perpetuating neo-colonialism and making higher education elitist [16]. Although top universities in the Global North have begun sharing MOOCs with previously marginalised African communities, they still fall short in addressing Africa’s socioeconomic development needs [35, 53]. Rambe and Moeti [16] noted that top universities in the Global North were reluctant to offer credits and certificates to graduates in developing countries as they see this as lowering and weakening their academic standards and brands. This calls for African countries to create their own MOOCs. Students are affected by cultural, national and religious holidays as most MOOCs overlap and collide with classrooms and examination timetables. Unless African institutions play an active role and collaborate in the development of MOOC content, the success rate of MOOC completion will remain low, as Poncho [46] noted that completion rates of 5 per cent by African learners.
Research on MOOCs in Africa is scarce but growing. The adoption of MOOCs by HEIs in Africa is expected to increase. This study sought to explore the state of research on MOOCs in Africa by identifying the opportunities and challenges available when implementing and adopting MOOCs in the African context.
The benefits of MOOCs may only be relevant to learners in Africa if connectivity challenges affecting the continent are addressed. The African continent has remained technologically backward, and the Internet and social network penetration have remained low at 18 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively [7]. Garba [67] noted that only 6% of African youth have access to education due to a lack of funding, poverty, and inadequate facilities. Recent studies show that Internet penetration in Africa has increased to 42%, lower than the global average of 57% [68]. Other scholars highlighted misaligned curricula, poor ICT infrastructure, incapacitated lecturers, undependable electricity and poor Internet bandwidth [26]. African countries struggle with funding research, attracting top academics, and commercialising higher education and governance [69]. Israel [70] challenged HEIs to enact frameworks and policies that foster constructive learning that significantly impacts student outcomes, invest in infrastructure, lower learning costs and train lecturers. Most MOOC providers are universities based in the Global North, with limited experience and knowledge of the socioeconomic challenges affecting the Global South [29]. African countries can invest and collaborate in creating MOOCs that inculcate African philosophies and values to develop content that responds to the socioeconomic needs of the continent.
Very few universities in Africa are using MOOCs to supplement their educational programmes. This makes Africa a fertile ground for partnering with developed countries in developing MOOCs that ensure contextual issues are integrated for effectiveness [7]. Research reveals that about 82% of research on MOOCs comes from North America and Europe; there is a need to expand the adoption of MOOCs across the world, especially in developing countries [71]. Since most MOOCs are created in the Global North, millions of learners in Africa are socio-culturally excluded as most of the content is in English, and some of the content is not contextually relevant [17]. Scholars believe MOOCs can increase access to knowledge and skills for communities that were once disadvantaged, leading to improved socioeconomic development, skills, wealth and prosperity [72].
Evaluating its implementation, Razmerita et al. [22] noted that MOOCs are disruptive and innovative with a promise to transform the delivery and management of education, which had become stagnant and irrelevant over the years. MOOCs support self-directed learning, where students choose their learning path independent of the lecturer’s lesson and course plans in their own time and space [73]. Pedagogical materials developed using multimedia content are broadcasted to a global audience irrespective of time and geographical constraints, thereby liberating access to education. MOOCs use digital content, quizzes, tests and other assessments. MOOCs are at the centre of knowledge sharing to eliminate barriers associated with access to the education [74]. MOOCs support independent, self-paced, and self-organised learning, where learners use universal interest, prior competencies and knowledge to develop their learning interests [73]. One major drawback of MOOCs is that they create a pressure-free environment where most learners fail to finish their courses.
Scholars noted how emerging economies were using technology to disrupt geographic barriers and foresaw a timeless future, and these concepts extended to the higher education [75]. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the future of education in digital and online technologies and emphasised MOOCs’ critical role in achieving some of the Sustainable Development Goals [76]. The mobile phone has been transformative, enabling many people once alienated from the digital super highway to participate in the knowledge economy. Higher education funding in Africa is a challenge, resulting in high dropouts; the successful rollout of MOOCs promises to serve previously disadvantaged learners [77]. Technological, cultural and administrative hurdles must be addressed before developing countries enjoy the benefits of MOOCs, such as infrastructure expansion, increased bandwidth, training and accreditation of courses [7]. MOOCs provide an opportunity for educators in developed countries to capacitate educators in developing countries in producing content for MOOCs.
African governments should enact policies and legislation that support MOOC development and deployment in higher education. MOOC providers in the Global North should partner with their peers in the Global South to broaden their skills and accommodate their socioeconomic development needs. MOOC developers should accommodate the technological limitations and low bandwidth that characterise most African countries. Universities should put strategies to improve access to fast Internet, provide access to technological devices, and come up with clear programs to enhance the digital skills of the lecturers and learners.
This systematic literature review identified 36 studies on current research themes on the adoption and challenges faced when implementing MOOCs in Africa in the past ten years. The findings of the study indicate that few African countries are researching MOOCs. Eleven countries are featured in the 36 articles reviewed. The number of citations of the selected articles shows a limited impact on the research community. Only one article was cited more than 100 times, with most articles cited less than ten times.
Eight research trends within the two themes were also identified, and the relevant studies were mapped to them. The research themes identified regarding opportunities for MOOCs are repurposing MOOCs, democratising access to higher education, professional development of teachers, transitions in the workplace and using algorithms to enhance learning. The research themes identified regarding the challenges when implementing MOOCs are access to the Internet and educational equipment, pedagogical barriers and MOOCs as a preserve of the Global North. MOOCs provide a potential for universal access to education if African governments could enact policies that support the development and tailor MOOCs for the African context. This will improve adoption and growth. The research challenges identified in this study also provide potential directions for future research in overcoming the challenge of implementing MOOCs and taking advantage of the identified opportunities.
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Written By
Vusumuzi Maphosa and Mfowabo Maphosa
Submitted: 23 December 2022Reviewed: 15 February 2023Published: 15 March 2023
Open access peer-reviewed chapter
