MOOCs - mass marketing for a niche audience?

Context The Gateway Project extends the MBA Plus through the development of a key module as an open learning MOOC. This work in progress consider the issues involved in developing open learning suitable for a broad and unknown audience with a view to encouraging users to sign up for a formal MBA. Rationale The MOOC has two intentions: to give the student insight into the demands of postgraduate study while introducing the core area of Critical Issues in Business. This will be achieved through a series of key topics from expert speakers that leads into a reflective and collaborative activities that allows students to engage with others to consider key issues while simultaneously assessing the demands of undertaking an online postgraduate programme before making a full commitment. There are risks in this strategy, we may lose students that would have previously signed up for the MBA programme but the Module Team also see a potential to introduce and market the MBA to a global audience through open online learning. Discussion This MOOC is an ideal platform to introduce potential students to Northampton Business School’s flagship MBAPlus Programme and raise the profile of the University of Northampton worldwide. There is some evidence that MOOCs are being used as a strategic tool to explore alternative models of course delivery (Allen & Seaman, 2013). This short paper will discuss progress and introduce a range of discussion topics including the issues with learning design for open learning, planning for engagement and the generic topic of developing MOOCs in higher education, is it education for the masses or just edu-tainment (Scott, 2013) where do we go from here ...