The terms "cMOOC" and "xMOOC" were coined by Stephen Downes, co-creator of the first MOOC, to hit the web. Launched in 2008, the course was called "Connectivism and Connective Knowledge."
cMOOCs are based on the learning theory of Connectivism, which emphasizes the power of networking with other individuals, gleaning from diverse opinions, and focusing on end-goals as the foundation of learning.
According to George Siemens, co-creator of that first MOOC, cMOOCs are “based on the idea that learning happens within a network, where learners use digital platforms such as blogs, wikis, social media platforms to make connections with content, learning communities and other learners to create and construct knowledge."
xMOOC stands for eXtended Massive Open Online Course. Instead of being structured as an open online community of learners, xMOOCs are based on a more traditional classroom structure. They are a combination of a pre-recorded video lecture with quizzes, tests, or other assessments. xMOOCs are centered around a professor rather than around a community of students.
| XMOOC | cMOOC |
| xMOOC stands for eXtended Massive Open Online Course | The ‘c’ in cMOOC stands for connectivist |
| These MOOCs are based on traditional university courses. | cMOOCs are “based on the idea that learning happens within a network |
| Participant builds the objective of cMOOC | Teacher builds the objective of xMOOC |
| xMOOC examples on platforms like edX, Coursera, and Udacity | cMOOCs often contain content and promote interaction through Blogs, Learning communities, Social media platforms. |
| Lecture is delivered by an instructor to the student. | In this environment, participants are all considered teachers AND learners. |