MOOCs as a Distance Education Contingency Plan: A Moroccan University’s Experience during COVID-19

This scientific paper presents an evaluative study of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in Business Intelligence. These courses were made available through the digital distance learning platform of Sultan Moulay Slimane University in Beni Mellal to maintain educational continuity during the closure of educational institutions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An 8-week MOOC was developed and delivered through the university’s distance learning platform. Data was subsequently collected from server login records, registration logs, and an evaluative questionnaire at the end of the course to provide insights into learners’ behaviors and experiences. The results showed a fourfold increase in participation compared to the pre-pandemic period, although final certification rates remained low at 22%. Participants expressed positive evaluations, indicating that MOOCs supported continuous learning despite lockdowns. Furthermore, the recommendations included improving mobile accessibility, providing flexible deadlines and social features, and personalized assessment for each learner to enhance engagement effectiveness, highlighting the need for pedagogical and technological innovation. This paper presents an educational case study for the use of MOOCs in distance learning in an emergency contextvaluable guidance for integrating MOOCs into emergency planning to enhance distance education capabilities and flexibility in universities worldwide.