Exploring the Usage of MOOCs in Higher Education Institutions: Characterization of the Most Used Platforms

This article analyses the current usage of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in HEIs. First, a literature review is performed to identify and classify the recent developments in the area and to characterize the most used platforms and courses. Following this, an analysis of MOOCs offered by some HEIs is carried out to characterize and compare the courses available in the platforms. Concerning the main findings, the literature reveals that usage of MOOCs has been growing in recent years and that Coursera and EdX are the two main platforms used. The analysis of MOOCs available in those platforms shows that the number of universities using them and the number of courses offered have been increasing. The comparison between the courses available through the above-mentioned platforms shows that EdX is more interdisciplinary. The outcomes of this article are valuable for researchers on ICT use in HEI and may help professors implementing MOOCs in their own environment.