No University Credit, No Problem? Exploring Recognition of Non-Formal Learning William Jobe Department of Computer and System Sciences Stockholm University Stockholm, Sweden william@dsv.su.se Abstract—Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are disrupting traditional, higher education and redefining how learning takes place online. These open courses typically offer some form of recognition, such as a certificate of completion and/or digital badge, to recognize, validate, and in some cases even accredit learning. A general problem with MOOCs is the uncertainty regarding the use and goals of recognition, validation, and accreditation (RVA), and participants’ acceptance and perception of such techniques. This research effort addresses this problem by exploring course participants’ attitudes and levels of acceptance of non-formal learning recognition compared to traditional university credit in both developed and developing countries. The actual study uses both certificates of completion and digital badges to recognize and validate learning in an introductory, university level course in web programming using HTML5/CSS. The course is available to anyone, but was specifically marketed to participants from Sweden and Kenya. Empirical data was gathered using interviews and online surveys in the course. The preliminary results are that participants from developing countries value digital recognition to a greater extent than their counterparts in Europe. However, both Swedes and Kenyans see open courses with digital recognition as a complement to traditional learning to individually construct an education. Keywords— non-formal learning, learning recognition, digital badges, MOOCs I. INTRODUCTION A shift from an instructional paradigm to a learning paradigm is disrupting traditional education and a “post- course” era is emerging [1]. Flavin [2] defines disruptive technologies as those that disrupt established practices, and non-formal education in the form of massive open online courses (MOOCs) is leading the charge to upset the traditional course and program structure of formal educational institutions. “MOOCs are clearly a form of low-end disruption where virtually all of the added value and support of a formal education as well as the resulting high-quality qualification are discarded and the focus placed entirely on learning” [3, p. 218]. The birth of massive courses started in 2008 and their growth has been enormous. Massive courses are growing “faster than Facebook” according to Andrew Ng, the co-founder of Coursera one of the largest MOOC providers [4, p. 223]. The growth and contentious disruption of MOOCs in higher education reached popular debate, when 2012 was crowned “The Year of the MOOC” [5]. The progress of massive courses has not slowed down. For example, in roughly one year over 6.5 million students enrolled in over 800 free MOOCs from over 200 different learning institutions [6]. Furthermore, this MOOC invasion is not strictly a North American phenomenon. In 2013 the Open University in the United Kingdom launched FutureLearn, and the European Union launched OpenupEd as MOOC providers [7]. The expansion of MOOC providers is concentrated in North America and Europe, but the use of these courses is worldwide. In July of 2013 a study of 32 courses in Coursera showed that 64% of all participants were from countries outside of the OECD, such as Brazil, Russia, India, and China, but 80% of these participants were from the wealthiest 6% of the population [8]. Thus, developing countries are participating, but primarily the wealthy. The expansion of MOOCs specifically to developing countries has not yet taking off, but combining these massive courses with mobile phones could be a powerful way to educate large numbers of people [9]. Though the growth and dispersion of massive courses throughout the world is no longer in doubt, the way in which these courses are recognized and validated is not as certain. Participants in MOOCs do not necessarily intend to complete a course and their motivations to complete and actual completion rates differ significantly compared to formal courses [10]. However, assessment provides incentive and certification of learning and proficiency [10]. A key issue is how to recognize and accreditize assessment and completion, and the most common methods are digital badges and/or certificates of completion that are awarded either during or after a course [11]. A key issue with these endorsements is that it is unknown as to exactly what value the participants or society in general place upon them. A traditional university in the United States attempted to grant credit to students who had passed a MOOC, but one year later there were still no takers [12]. This experiment contradicts the proclamation by Sebastian Thrun from Udacity that “job applicants will tout their Udacity degrees. In 50 years, there will be only 10 institutions delivering higher education and Udacity has a shot at being one of them” [4, p. 223]. 978-1-4799-3922-0/14/$31.00 ©2014 IEEE 2420 2014 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference