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No recent development in higher education has captured the imagination of the media and the attention of university leaders as MOOCs have done. Millions worldwide are enjoying free access to teaching on a wide range of topics, and many institutions are joining in despite the absence of a viable business model. This special issue of the Journal will examine the phenomenon of MOOCs from different perspectives. Are they really a disruptive innovation, and, if so, how are they changing higher education?

Thematic areas

We are interested in receiving research articles on this topic by authors from all educational sectors and around the world. The specific thematic areas of the Special Section are as follows:

• Why and how do institutions decide to offer MOOCs?
• Who are the learners and what are their patterns of behaviour?
• What are the implications of MOOCs for developing countries?
• What changes are MOOCs stimulating in institutions (e.g. more online learning, shorter programmes/courses, public-private partnerships, etc.)?
• How is evolving technology changing the infrastructure required to offer MOOCs?
• MOOCs have spread beyond higher education and are now being offered by a wider range of institutions and organisations – what is their experience?
• Are viable business models for MOOCs emerging?

Submission deadline

Articles should be submitted by 30 June 2014.

Articles will be published in Volume 12, Number 1, in January 2015.