The rapid rise of massive open online courses (MOOCs) has renewed interest in the broader spectrum of open online teaching and learning. This “renaissance” has highlighted the challenges and potential associated to the design of such educational environments.

Arguably, the accelerated expansion of open online education creates risks for pedagogical quality and the learner experience. We are witnessing a wealth of different approaches to the delivery, pedagogy, functionalities and support mechanisms for Open Online Learning. Some have these have been successful and others not so successful and consequently we find a pressing need to articulate, share and critique design knowledge in this field.

The papers in this issue respond to this challenge in a variety of ways. Read the eLearning Papers issue no 42 here

eLearning Papers is a digital publication on eLearning by openeducationeuropa.eu, a portal created by the European Commission to promote the use of ICT in education and training.