The impact of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in HE

The impact of Massive Open Online Courses
(MOOCs) in HE
BCS Hampshire Branch, BCS e-Learning SG and Southampton
Solent University, 26 June 2013
Timos Almpanis
Associate Professor
Learning Technologies
Southampton Solent University
[email protected]
Outline
MOOC history/ definition / context
Types of MOOCs – xMOOCs and cMOOCs
A MOOC example - MOOC Learning Design
MOOC Assessment Tasks
MOOC Future Sustainability
Questions raised by MOOCs for the future of HE
From Open Educational Resources (OERs) to
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
(Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Figure_1_MOOCs_and_Open_Education_Timeline_p6.jpg )
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
M: massive (?) recruitment rates
O: open (?) freely available
O: online
C: courses (?) not just a repository of resources
Infographic: Rise of the MOOC: http://gettingsmart.com/2013/06/infographic-rise-of-themoocs/
‘MOOC, every letter is negotiable’ poster:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MOOC_poster_mathplourde.jpg
Although early MOOCs ran in 2008, they came to prominence in 2012 with the launch of
Coursera https://www.coursera.org/ (for profit)
EdX https://www.edx.org/ and (non profit)
Udacity https://www.udacity.com/ (for profit)
Futurelearn is the UK's response to the USA MOOC platforms named above and their
first MOOC is going to be delivered at some point in 2013. www.futurelearn.com
OpenUpEd – PanEuropean MOOC initiative http://www.openuped.eu/
Open2Study – Australian MOOC Platform https://www.open2study.com/
Dr Precarious Discusses MOOCs
MOOC Types - a simplistic categorisation:
xMOOCs and cMOOCs
Collection of Resources (xMOOC)or Connectivist Pedagogy (cMOOC)?
xMOOCs: resource based, videoed lectures, tasks
cMOOCs: based on connectivism (Siemens and Downes), according to which:
‘Connectivism is the integration of principles explored by chaos, network, and complexity
and self organization theories. Learning is a process that occurs within nebulous
environments of shifting core elements – not entirely under the control of the individual.
Learning (defined as actionable knowledge) can reside outside ourselves (within an
organization or a database), is focused on connecting specialized information sets, and
the connections that enable us to learn more are more important than our current state of
knowing’ (Siemens 2004).
MOOC Grid 12 dimensions
Conole’s evaluation grid
http://e4innovation.com/?p=727&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=bufferdb90c
MOOCs @ Edinburgh on Coursera platform
A MOOC example – #edcmooc
E-Learning and Digital Cultures MOOC by Edinburgh University on
Coursera platform
A MOOC example – #edcmooc 2
(Source:Jeremy Knox webinar)
A Mooc Example (EDCMOOC)- Learning Design
E-Learning and Digital Cultures – #EDCMOOC example (On Coursera,
delivered by Edinburgh University)
Learning resources in various formats (text, images, video)
Weekly formative activities such as discussion forums
Multiple platforms utilised – FB groups, Twitter chats, Google+
Moderators’ Role
Initiate the discussions but then have limited, selective involvement due to time
limitations and moderate the forums only occasionally.
Five people were moderating, spending one day per week each / 25 academic
days spent for delivery + 30 academic days in advance for design
Total 55 academic days (for a 5 week long, level 4 MOOC)
Assessment Tasks and Peer Assessment
Due to the vast numbers of participants, assessments in MOOCs are opting for one of the
following two practices:
a) automated assessments via quizzes or
b) peer assessment of coursework, which may be a short written article or other type of
coursework, such as a digital artefact.
Both practices’ biggest advantage is that they are time effective from the tutors point of
view as they require no tutor intervention.
Some of the limitations of such methods include fitness for purpose, inability to detect
academic misconduct including false identity, plagiarism and collusion, as well as
inconsistent marking.
Example Coursework for the E-Learning & Digital Cultures MOOC:
#edcmooc digital artefacts http://padlet.com/wall/edcmooc_artefact
MOOCs @ Edinburgh 2013 – Report #1
Objectives
- Outreach to new audiences
- Experimentation with online delivery methods at large scale
- Learn lessons that might be applied elsewhere in their portfolio
- Reinforce their position as a leader in the use of educational technology
‘The University of Edinburgh did not enter the Coursera platform with monetisation as an
aim, but we were open to possiblities in this area, unclear as these were in the early
stages’.
The MOOC Quality Project
http://mooc.efquel.org/week-3-forget-the-learners-how-do-i-measure-a-mooc-quality-experience-for-me
Major MOOC stakeholders as seen by Dave Cormier (learners aside)
Researcher/Activist/Community Organizer
Higher Education Institutions
Governments
Venture Capitalists
Stand-alone MOOCs
OLDSMOOC http://www.olds.ac.uk/
Appr. 1000 participants were registered according to McAndrew
ocTEL http://octel.alt.ac.uk/tag/octel/
Appr. 800 participants according to Hawksey
MOOC Future Sustainability
MOOCs are a kind of soft marketing for Universities involved
Private and Public funding: start-up companies working with top Universities to deliver
MOOCs
MOOCs are offered currently for free, but this is not a sustainable solution, since there
are many costs involved (platform, course design and delivery costs)
Some MOOCs have started charging for the final certificate
There is speculation that some MOOCs may provide academic credit in the future
Universities UK MOOC report Areas for consideration
Questions raised by MOOCs
How can learning in MOOCs be measured/quality assured?
Can we trust the future of HE to venture capitalists?
Are the employers globally going to become interested in MOOCs statements of
completion?
If recorded video lectures are as effective as face-to-face lectures, how is that going to
affect learning on campus? Will MOOCs enforce traditional Universities to focus more on
seminars, small group and individual tutoring, coaching and high quality feedback on fitfor-purpose assessments?
Are MOOCs going to create a 'global localisation' where participants study a series of
global MOOCs, then come to a nearby campus to 'top up' their learning, get assessed
and certified?
Will MOOCs have an impact on the paid for, generic, online distance learning courses?
What do Dr Precarious and Dr Gregarious have to say about all this?
Dr Precarious Vs Dr Precarious MOOC Debate
References
Almpanis, T (in press) MOOCs: A first-hand experience on EDC MOOC and a
speculation of their future impact in Higher Education, in Dialogue 4
http://ssudl.solent.ac.uk/2588/
Guzdial, M (2013) MOOCs are a fundamental misperception of how teaching works
http://computinged.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/moocs-are-a-fundamental-misperceptionof-how-learning-works
Hawksey, M (2013) #ocTEL: Outline of an Open Course
http://mashe.hawksey.info/2013/04/outline-of-an-open-course-maximising-emailpush-with-mailpress/
Korn, M (2013) Big Mooc Coursera Moves Closer to Academic Acceptance
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324906004578288341039095024.html
Lederman, D (2013) Inside Higher Ed: Expanding Pathways to MOOC Credit
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/02/07/ace-deems-5-massive-opencourses-worthy-credit#ixzz2KCuQ7KKB
MacAndrew: learning from Open Design: running a Learning Design MOOC, e-learning
papers, 33
http://elearningeuropa.info/en/article/Learning-from-Open-Design%3A-Running-aLearning-Design-MOOC
References
Morrison, D (2013) A Tale of Two MOOCs: Divided by Pedagogy
http://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/a-tale-of-two-moocs-courseradivided-by-pedagogy/
Mazoue, J (2013) The MOOC Model: Challenging Traditional Education
http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/mooc-model-challenging-traditional-education
MOOCs @ Edinburgh 2013 – Report #1
http://www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/1842/6683/1/Edinburgh%20MOOCs%20Report%20
2013%20%231.pdf
Siemens, G (2005) Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age
http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
Universities UK MOOC Report – MOOCs: higher education’s digital moment?
http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/highereducation/Pages/MOOCsHigherEducationDigitalMo
ment.aspx