The MOOC Hype: Can We Ignore It? Reflections on the Current Use of Massive Open Online Courses in Software Modeling Education

At the end of the 2014 MODELS Educators Symposium, a panel discussed the topic of the use of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) in model-driven engineering education with the audience. Currently, there are no MOOCs that target software modeling. The panel argued if it would be worthwhile to investigate the idea of using MOOCs for modeling courses. Participants had different positions about the advantages and disadvantages of MOOC use in software engineering and modeling. This paper summarizes our positions on the current use of MOOCs in the teaching of software modeling and on its future use. We identified the need for a MOOC targeted at modeling to evaluate its benefits in the future. We agree about the challenges we face, such as time and costs, when developing qualitative MOOCs. We see possibilities to integrate MOOCs into existing lectures or into flipped -classroom settings. A key focus should be on intensive interaction between students and lecturers.