Question

Small fight brewing: is it "Massive Open Online Course" or "MassiveLY Open Online Course" Ian Bogost at Georgia Tech tweeted awhile ago that the LY was not needed.

Answer 1

Depends on whether massive modifies open or course. Is it a massive course or a course that is massively open? I think you can make arguments either way ;)

Answer 2

I agree that both words could be correct; however, if I'm not mistaken, the naming of the MOOC is a play on the term "Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games" which is why I prefer this pronunciation. Moreover, the fact that this course is "massively open" is what makes the MOOC unique. You could argue that conducting a class in a packed 300 person lecture hall is "massive" , but the value of the MOOC is in its openness.

Answer 3

exactly what I was going to say

Answer 4

I have to go with Massively Open and EmilyIvey puts it very nicely.

Answer 5

I would defer to the existing use of MMO which is Massively Multiplayer Online (games) which have been around since the 80's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massively_multiplayer_online_game

Answer 6

Ha, I didn't see Emilylvey's response but she had me beat.

Answer 7

I like both our answers.

Answer 8

OK. Ian seems to be outvoted at the moment.

Answer 9

interesting discusion. I've used the term both ways (massive and massively). The link to MMORPG is what initially drew Bryan Alexander to name the course a MOOC. I'm sloppy in my use :).

Answer 10

I knew it! great to hear it from the source though.

Answer 11

Thanks for the clarification George.

Answer 12

hmmm. let me fact check myself. This is Bryan Alexander's first use of the term MOOC: http://infocult.typepad.com/infocult/2008/07/connectivism-course-draws-night-or-behold-the-mooc.html . Dave Cormier termed it around the same time. Can't find his link now. Ultimately, however, language is not what someone else thinks it is but what we negotiate it to be (go Wittgensteinian language games!)

Answer 13

Massiv ein mooc also gives a critcal mass- in fact many critcal masses for learning. People cluster around topics/themes and other attractors and dialogue & sense make and learn.

Answer 14

It says, "Welcome to Change - a Massive Open Online Course" at http://change.mooc.ca/week01.htm

Answer 15

Search for ibogost and any of the 4 words in MOOC did not lead to any tweets. Was he using a different account?

Answer 16

Ian is not part of the MOOC but he is well-known for his work on persuasive games and has written extensively on the synergies between gaming and education. You can find him here: http://www.bogost.com/