Since the emergence of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) about 10 years ago, several changes have taken place in how they are viewed by researchers and the general public. The most significant is that they evolved from a somewhat utopian perspective to a more realistic understanding of the educational challenges and financial implications associated with this new mode of learning.

The spread of MOOCs is remarkable, with enrollment growth rates approaching 100% and an increasing supply of courses. It is not an exaggeration to say that they have become a social phenomenon: The New York Times declared 2012 as the Year of MOOCs. The authors of this book invite you to explore this phenomenon with them, based both on analyses of the rich scientific literature and on their own experience as MOOC creators.

The book offers useful tools for those who wish to engage in this adventure, but also serves as a basis for reflection on the emergence of this new type of courses in the global educational landscape.

Christian Depover is a Professor at the University of Mons (Belgium) and at the Free University of Brussels. He leads a research and development center for educational technology, specifically distance learning, and regularly contributes to topics related to educational policy, project evaluation, and remote teaching in developing countries. Along with Bernadette Noël, he is co-creator of the MOOC platform Apprendre et faire apprendre in collaboration with the Francophone university organization, Agence universitaire de la Francophonie.

Thierry Karsenti heads the Interuniversity Research Center for Education and Teaching (CRIFPE) and holds the Canada Research Chair in Information and Communication Technologies in Education. He is a Professor at the University of Montreal in the field of educational technologies and a member of the Royal Society of Canada (Société royale du Canada).

Vasilis Komis is a Professor in the Department of Educational Sciences at the University of Patras. His research focuses on designing digital environments for human learning, the digital training of educators, and the teaching of Computer Science.