This paper discusses the findings of an empirical study on learners’ use of different types of knowledge resources for knowledge convergence in the meaning-making process on an outdoor learning setting and the implications on designing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to support “learning anytime, anywhere”. First, we introduce the definition of outdoor learning in the context of situated learning experiences with a focus on environmental interaction, as well as the different types of knowledge resources that learners use in the meaning-making process. Next, we review current research efforts to harness the affordances of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to support ‘learning anytime, anywhere’, i.e., to exploit the contextuality of learning for MOOCs. Thereafter, we present the empirical findings of a study on learners’ use of different knowledge resources on an outdoor learning trail to discuss its implications on the design of MOOCs to support the use of the different types of knowledge resources. The study was conducted with two classes of grade 8 students. Adapting Fischer and Mandl’s (2005) notion of knowledge convergence, we coded two groups’ discourse in the meaning-making process on an outdoor learning setting – to examine the use of three knowledge resource types: contextual resource, prior knowledge resource, conceptual resource, as well as the relationship between these different knowledge resource types. Process analyses showed that contextual resources are mainly instrumental in fostering learners’ capacity to activate prior knowledge resources and to develop new conceptual resources in the meaning-making process. The findings are relevant to inform the design of MOOCs threefold: first, how MOOCs can provide and support the different types of knowledge resources; second, how MOOCs can facilitate the development of new conceptual resources and the activation of prior knowledge resources, third, the provision of scaffolds to guide learners’ use of these knowledge resources to support “learning anytime, anywhere”.
