sMOOC: A pedagogical model for social inclusion

Area of Science:

• Educational Technology
• Social Inclusion Studies
• E-learning Research

Background:

• The European project E-learning, Communication, Open Data (ECO) launched a massive open online course (MOOC) to promote social inclusion.
• Analysis focused on participants' experiences and the role of social mediators in the educational process.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the social inclusion impact of the ECO project's sMOOC.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of ICT-based training for diverse populations.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative analysis of interaction data from 1,361 participants in the ECO Portal course.
• Focus on participant engagement, knowledge acquisition, and perceived role in the learning process.

Main Results:

• The ECO sMOOC achieved wide geographical reach, including developing countries.
• Participants highly valued the acquired knowledge and their active role, increasing commitment to sharing training.
• The project significantly impacted social inclusion through accessible e-learning.

Conclusions:

• sMOOCs, like the ECO project's offering, can be powerful tools for social inclusion.
• Active participation and perceived value of knowledge enhance the dissemination and impact of e-learning initiatives.
• ECO's model demonstrates the potential of open data and e-learning to bridge educational divides.