Abstract:

In this paper, we present the results of a digital research, which comprised an survey on Massive Online Open Courses (MOOC), dedicated to language education (LMOOCs), developed by Higher Education Institutions around the world, between 2014 and 2019. In order to make a comparison, clarifying results to have more specific conclusions, we developed a comparative analysis between the findings of this research and the survey presented by Martín-Monje and Barcena (2014).

In this survey, we consulted the databases presented by the Class Central and Mooc List search engines. Among the occurrences, we considered MOOCS whose learning objective was stated as: learning, practice or improve fluency in a foreign language (L2) through study of writing and grammatical techniques; improve oral fluency, or master an foreign language, studying on specific situational context (work, academic studies, daily practices). In the results, were neglected courses whose linguistic objective was not the teaching-learning of a Foreign Language (LE).

In the analysis, the findings indicated a growth of LMOOCs, in the order of 604% between 2014 and 2019. In the last survey by Martin-Monje and Barcena (2004), used for comparative purposes, the LMOOCs scenario was dominated by countries such as the United States and Spain, at the time China was represented by only 1 LMOOC (3%), developed in partnership with Australia. Currently (2019), the finding indicated that there are 183 courses developed by 17 countries, suggesting the LMOOC format stood out for its settings and affordances, fostering the participation of a greater diversity of countries in the international e-learning scenario. Over the period examined, the number of LMOOCs tripled and China became the 2nd most profitable country in LMOOCs development; Coursersa, EdX and Future Learning stood out out among the chosen platforms, revealing a preference for more robust, closed and stable design platforms.

The findings indicated that Chinese is the most offered language for language education in MOOCS (24%), followed by English (17%) and Spanish (15%). In addition to the study done by Martin-Monje and Barcena (2014), we created an extra category in order to register the instructional languages applied to the teaching-learning of foreign language (L2). The analysis revealed that while English has lost the most widely offered language position to Chinese, English still remains the preferred Instructional Language for language education of foreign language (L2). This fact reinforces the status of English as a “lingua franca”, because it assumes the mastery of English in order do master a second or third language.

In our interpretation, we believe that these findings reflect a global economic political scenario: China's search for political and commercial insertion in the market occurs through language policies, which are reflected in the creation of e-learning courses and in a fruitful ground for university partnerships. The economic expansion of Asian countries and the existence of trade exchanges favor a cultural exchange, which not only gives visibility to the languages of partner countries, but it is also part of a project that promotes Chinese language and culture in the world through these LMOOCs.

Therefore, the research indicated the LMOOC became a strong tool that is linked to language policies, highlighting geopolitical factors of language as an instrument of power.

Keywords:

Mooc, survey, LMOOC, language, policies.