Shall We MOOC? A SWOT Analysis at the Program Level

MOOCs have been a fast-paced and well-publicized educational trend. Designing and delivering a MOOC is a time-intensive endeavor and as such requires careful consideration before becoming involved. Our public research university has yet to become a MOOC provider, but we have been pushed to consider what role our Instructional Systems program and faculty members might play should MOOCs become an institution-supported endeavor—or even as leaders or experimenters in this realm. We conducted a SWOT analysis focusing at the program level to assess the conditions related to designing and delivering a MOOC. Our findings show that reputational issues come heavily into play, as does the need for resources. We conclude that for a motivated faculty member who can identify sufficient personal rewards for the time expended on a MOOC, it may be worth the effort.