Discussion Reflections on Learning with MOOCs

[BMint]

The majority of MOOCs scored poorly on most instructional design principles.

What exactly IS "Instructional design"??

 

[Laurence Cuffe]

• Instructional design quality of 76 randomly selected MOOCs was assessed.

• Quality was determined from first principles, using a Course Scan instrument.

• The majority of MOOCs scored poorly on most instructional design principles.

• Most MOOCs scored highly on organisation and presentation of course material.

• Although most MOOCs are well-packaged, their instructional design quality is low.

For access to the full article, go to http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S036013151400178X

Doesnt work, unless I pay $29. I've read the abstract and comentries on this article elsewhere. I'm not convinced. My problem with the methodology is that you are setting the goal posts in the wrong place, by evaluating the MOOC using criteria designed for something its not.
Books score poorly on instructional design criteria. Little student feed back, low interactivity. But most instructional design methodologies that we use were first presented in a flat non interactive text only form with maybe a few static diagrams with little use of color.
Need I go further?

 

[Steven Yee]

I lot of times we associate MOOC to professors at top universities like Stanford or Harvard. Check out this story on how a retried English professor was able to continuing teaching online after retirement by launching his own MOOC. His courses attracted thousands of students in less than a year! Read more about his story at https://s3.amazonaws.com/eduongo-static/release/images/Te_Profi_Qaza_Case_Study.pdf

 

[Carolyn]

 

[Carolyn]

While institutions cannot make money off MOOCs directly, the opportunity to expand the institutional brand identity and bring students in through the “try before you buy” model is lucrative

This quote is taken from the article "Exploring the Advantages of the MOOC Model" which features an interview with Debbie Cavalier and Mike King, senior executives at the Berklee College of Music Online. (Article published on The EvoLLLution http://www.evolllution.com/opinions...ewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nov17)

Do you believe MOOCs are purely designed as a brand awareness marketing tool?

 

[Carolyn]

According to Joseph Burns, dean of the Cornell faculty, the cost of supporting a MOOC instructor, materials, and teaching assistants is an estimated $50,000.

Does the promotional benefit of publishing a free online course truly justify these costs?

 

[Bluebeard]

Although the concept behind free quality education is a wonderful thing, I cannot see how it can be sustainable at costs like these.

 

[Dario De Angelis]

Hi everyone,
my name is Dario and I'm the Digital Marketing Manager at Docebo. Two weeks ago we held a webinar titled "MOOCs: from Academia to Corporate"; during the event a panel of thought leaders explained their point of view on MOOCs, their future, and possible ways to use them for Corporate Training. If you would like to check the recording you can access it here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/1875750707082480898


Best,

Dario De Angelis

 

[Sky]

Many MOOCs use peer reviews of course assignments as a means of assessment.

Do you find this system effective?

What are the pros and cons?

 

[Carolyn]

SMART Technologies EMEA (Education)

 

[Ashish Payasi]

Peer review is definitely a value add, however I feel that it is important to note that while building a system (specially a review) we must respect learner and reviewer's privacy (audience may find it embarrassing if they get to know who reviewed and if their own score is displayed in public).

Secondly I feel that the reviewer should be asked direct questions (survey style) where most of the answers to the review questions are selected from a drop-down list or options and very few questions to have short response type questions.

Pros:

1. Good value add to learner;
2. Learners get to learn from others
3. Less dependency on the System/Trainer
4. Self sustaining eco-system

Cons:

1. Learner Privacy
2. Genuine review Vs. Fake review ( User must be true in giving feedback)
3. Contradictory Feedback (Learner getting feedback from different peers that contradict each other.

 

[Elizabeth]

Great reply Ashish!

I agree with many of your points. I am a big fan of peer reviews. I like being provided with a clear rubric to work with, a scale to base grades upon for specific components of the assignment and having a comment place to share insights. I am also one of those people who will take extra time to think about what comments I will share, to craft the wording just so and to cite any facts that I feel I must share.

What I love best about peer reviews is how much I learn while doing it. Learning new ways to interpret the same question. Discovering new information. Working through another's interpretation of the results. For me, the HUGE pro is that I learn more (Peer Review helps you reach level 6 of Bloom's Taxonomy, one of the higher levels of understanding).

I've struggled to come up with Cons but the quality of the assessments could be one. Not everyone is prepared to dedicate the same amount of effort and time that I am when assessing, so I might get a great grade but little to no insights as to why - which is useless to me.

I prefer courses that don't allow you to get your score until your peer assessments are complete. It's a sneaky trick that motivates people to actually do the assessments

ER

 

[Sky]

Thank you @Ashish Payasi and @Elizabeth for your great replies!

I was a little skeptical about the effectiveness of peer reviews, but from reading your posts, I stand corrected. There seems to be more positive than negative. Thanks for taking the time to reply

 

[Carolyn]

"The U.S. Education Department wants to encourage colleges and the tech companies they work with to protect student data from misuse. But the agency’s power to protect the privacy of people taking free, online courses is essentially nonexistent."

"...people who take free online courses known as MOOCs, or massive open online courses, are not covered under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, known as Ferpa, which stipulates how colleges must protect the "education records" of their students."

"Very few of the millions of people who have taken MOOCs through Coursera and edX probably know how much data on them are tracked in the courses, or how the data are cared for."

These quotes are taken from the article Are MOOC-Takers 'Students'? Not When It Comes to the Feds Protecting Their Data by By Steve Kolowich published in The Chronicle of Higher Education
Source: http://chronicle.com/article/Are-MOOC-Takers-Students-/150325/

 

[Carolyn]

Simon Nelson, FutureLearn CEO, chats with social storyteller Christian Payne about the history of MOOCs, the birth of FutureLearn and what it's like being based at the British Library

http://audioboom.com/boos/2709187-p...-simon-nelson-talks-about-futurelearn#t=1m11s

 

[Carolyn]

 

[Noreen Mullin]

 

[Noreen Mullin]

Although I am still cursed with ignorance about how to function in this site, I do want to comment on this overview of MOOCs. It is straightforward, thorough, and covers the topic from all angles (students, teachers, history, future, etc.). Most of all I would like to point out that the MOOCs not only provide the utilitarian "continuing education" of current professionals, but also provide something far rarer - the opportunity for those of us who have long passed the age and economic ability to stay in university forever, even after we retire from our own functional places in the economy. MOOCs have proved to be a lifeline for me: I am an ex Marketing Manger, Literature Secondary Education teacher; and instructor in research methods in middle school; now highly restricted by a very debilitating illness. I love learning, and have never had enough time in my life to continue structured learning in an academic environment of such outstanding quality.

MOOCs are the ultimate gift of one intellect to another -- a sharing of knowledge and viewpoints that could never occur at this level in any physical university. I am thrilled to be a part of this wonderful project, and look forward to many more courses with incredibly gifted, world-wide, and generous teachers who love to share the knowledge we eat up like hungry little animals!

 

[Carolyn]

Noreen, that's a fantastic account of the positives MOOCs have brought (and can bring) to education and to personal fulfillment/development. MOOCs are so often being attacked by critics for their shortcomings, and, although there are improvements to be made, it's good to read about their greatness. Thank you for sharing.

Regarding the functionality of the site, if I can help at all with some guidance, please feel free to ask. There is a forum called "Help Forum" where you can post questions about the site. Just click on the following link to go to the forum: http://mooclab.club/forums/help-forum.32/. Once you're logged in, click on the tab "Post New Thread". Enter the title of your question in the Title box, and then write your questions/comments in the box provided. When done, click on the tab "Create Thread". You can also Private Message me if you prefer: hover over your name in the navigation bar (top right of your screen), and select "conversations" from the drop-down list that appears. Click on "Start a New Conversation" and write my name (Carolyn) in the box entitled "Participants", add a title and your message, then click on "Start a Conversation" - this will then go into my Inbox. Hope that helps

 

[Nina]

I agree with you, @Noreen Mullin , that MOOCs provide a wonderful opportunity for those you don't have the time or means to enrol at university or simply want to build on their skills. Education is a privilege, and MOOCs have given people globally the possibility to enjoy that privilege if they choose to do so.