The A.C.A. MOOC Model: Integrating MOOCs into Blended University Teaching

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) represent a major innovation in higher education, yet they are often perceived as supplementary and cognitively demanding tools, detached from formal learning pathways (Laurillard, 2013; De La Roca et al., 2018). This study presents a proposal for a pedagogical model for the structured integration of MOOCs within a blended university framework, grounded in dialogical, situated, and reflective approaches. The model is structured into three types of MOOC (Anticipatory, Consolidating, and Amplifying), each aligned with a distinct phase of learning. Therefore, based on their integration and combination, it develops into a cyclical instructional design seamlessly connecting the MOOCs to the in-class activities. Once the course is designed, targeted asynchronous materials can support the content in harmony with face-to-face teaching, enabling class time to focus more on deeper exploration and interactive activities. Within this framework, learning is conceived as a student-centered and adaptive process, while the teacher assumes the role of a “shadow facilitator,” ensuring continuity between digital and physical spaces.