MOOCs as Lifelong Learning Programs – The case of University of the Aegean: A preliminary Evaluation

Abstract MOOCs, although not a new educational phenomenon, have not seen much development in the Greek educational landscape. In May 2023, University of the Aegean, through its Lifelong Learning Center has launched its own OpenEdx platform for providing MOOCs to the public. Eleven courses were developed and offered in the pilot phase of the program and almost 3.000 participants were enrolled. Outcomes of the evaluation study on the participants showed that there was a high completion rate and high satisfaction levels and main reasons for participation were work and professional development, Moreover, it was found that the main obstacles they faced regarding their participation were related to work and family obligations. Keywords: MOOCs, participation barriers, quality