Hi All,

Please join us tomorrow at Change.  Maria Garrido from the Technology &
Social Change Group (TASHA) <http://tascha.uw.edu/> at the UW iSchool will
be joining us to talk a recently released study on how MOOCS are being used
in Colombia, Philippines, and South Africa.

*What: *An Examination of MOOC Usage for Professional Workforce Development
Outcomes in Colombia, the Philippines, & South Africa through the Lens of
Social Innovation
*Who: *Maria Garrido
*When: *12pm, Tuesday February 28
*Where: *CSE 203

*Abstract*
This seminar will discuss the findings from a recently released study on
the use of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) in less-developed countries,
and the contribution of these new learning platforms in advancing
employability outcomes of youth analyzed through the lens of social
innovation theory. Based on surveys of 1,400 MOOC users and 2,250 non-users
aged 18 to 35 in Colombia, the Philippines, and South Africa, the research
reveals that low and middle-income youth populations make up 80% of MOOC
users, in contrast to wealthier populations reported in more developed
countries. It also highlights that over 80% of these users only have basic
or intermediate ICT skills level, challenging the belief that MOOCs are
predominantly taken by people with higher level skills, among other
findings. The major obstacle youth who are currently not participating in
MOOCs face is simply lack of awareness of the potential of these learning
environments for both advancing educational outcomes as well as
professional aspirations. The survey was administered online in English and
Spanish from August – October 2015 using the Open Data Kit (ODK) survey
platform. The authors believe this study has made a significant
contribution to understanding MOOC usage in less-developed country contexts
that both provides stakeholders in workforce development and education with
insights and offers a foundation on which future research can be built. The
potential for increasing MOOC uptake and improving employment
opportunities, especially for more marginalized populations, is clearly
there. This is promising, and urges action since the data shows that MOOC
users are savvy in using the knowledge they’ve gained from MOOCs to advance
their professional aspirations.

*Bio*
Maria Garrido is a Research Assistant Professor at the Technology & Social
Change Group, University of Washington’s iSchool.
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