Types Mooc Integration Into Universities’ Educational Process

The aim of this work was to identify the existing types of massive open online courses integration into the educational process with the help of assessing the practices adopted by foreign and Russian universities. Besides, the authors identified conditions necessary for successful integration of online courses into academic programs of Russian universities and marked basic advantages and limitation of using MOOC in the educational process. Analysis used the data from academic publications, university regulatory documents, university official sites and 5 expert interviews with executives and administrators of online learning centers from leading Russian universities - members of «National open learning platform» (NOLP) Association. The analysis of MOOC integration into educational process allowed for identifying three main types of online courses inclusion into academic programs: 1) MOOC integration into blended format of learning; 2) replacement of several full-time courses by online disciplines; 3) creating a program of an online master course with all courses taught in online format. Foreign universities have made this technology an essential part of training, therefore creating new environment for education. At the same time, Russian universities do not use this method on a wide-scale basis. Yet there is a legislative basis for MOOC integration into the educational process. This might be related first of all with low awareness of both universities and students of the opportunity of using online courses within the framework of the educational process. Despite the advantages of using online courses, this practice has its risks: 1) researchers have not identified a single unified standard for organizing blended courses; 2) there is no standard for evaluating MOOC quality; 3) we do not know economic and educational effects of integrating online courses into the educational process as well as business - model of online education; 4) courses on certain topics cannot be transferred into online format; 5) there are lecturers’ opposing MOOCs integration into the educational process, and they demonstrate low level of interest in using such courses in the academic program; 6) there are many questions concerning the choice of MOOCs, forming a curriculum with a convenient period of teaching and correct calculation of the results of passing an online course. In order to ensure successful integration of MOOCs into the educational process within Russian universities, the article presents three groups of conditions necessary for implementing two types of mixed models, model with replacing traditional courses by online ones and online maser course model based solely on MOOCs: 1) staff; 2) integration process administration, and 3) functional characteristics of the online platform. The results obtained can be of interest for university executives, as there are practical recommendations for implementing MOOCs into teaching activities. The conditions suggested allow for successful implementation of this teaching technology at both selective and non-selective universities, opening new opportunities for using innovational teaching methods in practice.