Abstract:

The potential for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to create opportunities for global workforce development and to remove obstacles related to geography, socioeconomic status, educational attainment, gender, and mobility has not yet been realized. A lack of adequate data on the use of MOOCs in developing countries hampers our understanding of why exactly this is so limiting our ability to develop effective strategies to tap that potential. This research explores the utilization of MOOCs as a resource for workforce development in less-developed countries and the potential for these new learning environments to advance learning and employability goals across different socio-economic contexts. Using survey data from MOOC users and potential users 18-35 years old collected in Colombia, South Africa, and the Philippines in 2015, the paper identifies the most important factors that either facilitate or hinder participation in MOOCs, the motivation for learning in these environments, and the perceived impact of the skills obtained in advancing employability goals.

Keywords:

MOOCs, employability, youth, ICTD.