MOOC is a Massive Open Online Course.
I don’t need to explain and retell what MOOC is exactly because Dave Cormier has done it in a perfect way, so I am just uploading the YouTube videos.
However I would like to share how I see MOOCs, although I am a newbie.

I like MOOCs because:

• they are open to everyone who is curious and wants to study.
• they have a structure of a course with teachers and students, course materials, tasks, start and end date, learning platform.
• they make you a more responsible learner as it is up to you how much and how fast you will study and participate.
• they help you to build your own network and connect, communicate and collaborate with people and ideas you like.
• they teach you how and where to find information on a topic you are interested in.
• participants can learn from each other and get peer feedback on their work and ideas.
• they help you acquire new skills and overcome your uncertainty on how to work online or use computer-based programs and tools.
• they provide so much information that you can continue studying and make a collaborative or individual project after the course in finished.
• they follow the principle of rhizomatic learning and berry-bush approach.
• they build a modern attitude towards learning, gathering and processing information
• they encourage life-long learning.

I don’t like MOOCs because: 

• participants  are so many that it is very time-consuming and difficult to find like-minded people and form a qualitative personal network.
• your email gets overloaded with messages and dull ideas or comments.
• the classmates tend to be more friendly and polite than objective and critical.
• you can get addicted and spend all your time reading the threads.
• participants  form groups based on religious, national or gender principles.
• rhetorical questions are often asked and participants still rely on spoon-feeding teaching.

image courtesy of antpkr at FreeDigitalPhotos.net