{"id":4896,"date":"2015-06-24T10:30:41","date_gmt":"2015-06-24T09:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsletter.alt.ac.uk\/?p=4896"},"modified":"2015-09-01T22:49:02","modified_gmt":"2015-09-01T21:49:02","slug":"education-online-en-masse-lessons-for-teaching-and-learning-through-moocs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2015\/06\/education-online-en-masse-lessons-for-teaching-and-learning-through-moocs\/","title":{"rendered":"Education online en-masse: lessons for teaching and learning through MOOCs"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 24 April 2015 forty educators from 19 institutions discussed key issues in MOOC design and implementation at a one-day workshop hosted and funded by the University of Reading, a leading member of the FutureLearn MOOC consortium. The workshop offered the opportunity to evaluate practical lessons from the design and delivery of MOOCs, particularly those encouraging skills development. The focus was on problem-based discussion of approaches to teaching and learning, and the extent to which MOOC learning outcomes can be defined, measured, or achieved.<\/p>\n

Four presentations explored a particular issue related to the central theme, and were followed by group discussion around questions suggested by the presenters.<\/p>\n

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  1. Dimensions of MOOCs.<\/strong> Shirley Williams (University of Reading) provided an overview of MOOC statistics and taxonomies, and highlighted MOOC issues viewed from the \u2018outside\u2019 and from the provider\u2019s view. She asked participants to extend her list of MOOC dimensions, discuss how the measurement of success, and consider whether and how courses can be compared.<\/li>\n
  2. Pedagogy as a service: lessons and challenges from the perspective of the platform.<\/strong> David Major from FutureLearn shared some key lessons and challenges and led discussion of two major questions: Are MOOCs platforms for content and courses, or for learning and pedagogy; and\u00a0How can we coalesce individualism (i.e. effectively reconcile the inherent variedness of individuals\u2019 goals) from the view of courses, platform, educators and learning?<\/li>\n
  3. Repurposing MOOCs for language learning purposes<\/strong>. Liam Murray (University of Limerick) shared the results and recommendations from the evaluation of a number of MOOCs to determine the potential for repurposing for second language acquisition. Liam asked us to consider aspects of specialisation and adaptability in relation to both content and audience.<\/li>\n
  4. Designing assessed group work for MOOCs<\/strong>. Marion Waite, Elizabeth Lovegrove and Abigail Ball (Oxford Brookes University) shared their experience with group work on the TOOC15 MOOC. They asked us to discuss why and how we assess in a MOOC and consider issues and practical challenges associated with grouping students and peer review.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The round-table at the end of the day helped establish key lessons learned and provided some useful tips.<\/p>\n

    Lessons learned:<\/strong><\/p>\n