Design for now, but with the future in mind: a "cognitive flexibility theory" perspective on online learning through the lens of MOOCs.

This paper is in response to the manuscript entitled "MOOCocracy: the learning culture of massive open online courses" (Loizzo and Ertmer in Educ Tech Res Dev 64:1013-1032, 2016, 10.1007/s11423-016-9444-7) from the perspectives of cognitive flexibility theory (CFT), in the context of pandemic-induced emergency remote teaching. Our response focuses on one of the questions raised in the call for this special issue on the latter topic: what are the implications of current, urgent work being done in digital learning for the future of online learning? We argue that much of what is important for a better future of online learning can also be done well now.