El papel de los MOOCs en la formación continua de aprendizaje

In the context of a globalized and digitalized society, continuing education has become essential to maintain professional competitiveness. However, access to quality education remains unequal due to economic, geographic, and technological factors. In response to this reality, MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) have emerged as an innovative alternative that offers open, flexible, and large-scale access to knowledge without traditional limitations. This study aimed to analyze the role of MOOCs in continuing education, assessing their effectiveness, accessibility, and inclusive potential in various educational and professional settings. A qualitative methodology with a narrative and inductive-deductive approach was adopted, supported by a documentary review of recent academic literature. Through the analysis of articles, books, and previous experiences, the main characteristics of MOOCs were identified, along with their use in higher education and their impact on teacher training. The findings show that MOOCs promote autonomous learning, self-training, and professional development, contributing to educational democratization and pedagogical innovation. Additionally, they allow for the diversification of academic offerings and the development of new digital competencies. It is concluded that MOOCs are key tools in the consolidation of continuous, inclusive, and adaptable educational processes to meet the challenges of the 21st century.