Teaching International Relations through the Format of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

Abstract

Since the early twenty-first century, tertiary education has witnessed a dramatic shift with the rise of massive open online courses (MOOCs). Celebrated by some as the ultimate "democratization" of education, this development has not been without controversy. The main purpose of this article is neither to confirm nor dispel the controversies rather it seeks to critically examine one MOOC to encourage more nuanced reflections about teaching international relations through this new format. The case study presented here is of "MEDIAWARx," a MOOC offered on edX in the IR field since 2017. This article provides an in-depth view into the pedagogical aims and design as well as the response to and experience of one specific MOOC. © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Studies Association.