I’m embarking on a journey without leaving my home office.
I’m about to begin my first MOOC (Massive Open Online Course). I’ve signed up
for E-Learning and Digital Cultures through Coursera (www.coursera.org) and
instructors teach the course from the University of Edinburgh.
Even though the course doesn’t begin until the end of
January, I’ve been floored by the opportunities to connect with others in the
class. Apparently there are over 30,000 signed up- from someone who works in
Higher Education that truly is MASSIVE.
As an instructor in the process of developing an online
degree at Tabor College Wichita, this course promises to help me find new ways
of interacting with students as well as provide content and delivery methods
that speak to people today. As an instructor who has taught pedagogy, I’m very
interested in how the form and content of this course connects with adult
learners.
I’m curious to know how many of the 30,000 actually
participate and at what level(s). I know there are students signed up from
around the globe and I wonder how issues of language will be resolved. I wonder
how I will fit in and learn in this context.
Starting this course has already led to personal benefits. As
a result of this course I’m now on Twitter and have restarted this blog. Two
things on my “to do” list for a long time. The journey continues and I look
forward to seeing where it leads.
#edcmooc
Hi Rick, I'm interested in the data side too. I think so far 32,000 and yet only 160 odd on the fb page. Where are the others? Once we start, I'd love to know how many continue, and how many complete it. I have read that the data associated with MOOCs may be how income might be generated. Angela
ReplyDeleteHi Rick. I'm glad you were able to tick two things of your to-do list. That's a "massive" thing in my eyes! They were on my list too. I'm really glad every time I see that the course is making people active & creative even in little ways. That's very positive.
ReplyDeleteI'm also taking this MOOC. Where did you see there were over 30,000 enrolled? I wonder how this will work? I'm gearing up for a career shift into the world of online course creation. I think this course will bring some good insight (at least I hope!).
ReplyDeleteSee you on 1/28
Thanks for having a look at the blog and making comments! I appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteDot, I saw a reference to the 30,000+ on the Facebook page. I'm curious as well Angela how many of those who start will actually finish. Since I'm also taking this course as 'research' for my job I'm planning on sticking with it till the end.
I'm looking forward to the conversation!
Hi Rick
ReplyDeleteYou pose a really interesting observation - how many of the 30 000 or so participants will actively learn, and how many will lurk? How will the course co-ordinators manage such a huge number of people - does everyone who enrolls automatically get a certificate at the end, or only those who provide evidence of participation and learning? And if all 30 000 submit evidence, how on earth do you review all of this??? MOOCs are fascinating!!
Hi Rick,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that I finally realised that we are a a quad - and that we are now mostly all blogging. I hope I get the hang of it - and wonder if we should have a rota - or, given that the course is only five weeks long (!), just blog away as the mood takes us? Thank you for your comments on my own blogpost. You notice there is just the one on this topic so far - suddenly swamped with busyness at work - including marking. However, the post before the first EDCMOOC one does relate to EDC as well. In there I wrote about the new Study Hub we have built at work for our students, including our Study Chat pages - where we are hoping that students will write about their studies - talk with and to each other - and sort out each others' issues. I called it 'Build it and they will come - will they, will they really?' Because mostly they are not - and I wondered how to get students to engage without the inducement of setting such engagement as an assignment... There were no replies to that - and then we got the email about EDC - the welcome one that launched such a flurry of interaction and engagement that I thought I was going to drown - doubted my ability to cope - and wondered how my self-esteem would hold up! So there is an answer in here somewhere. Thank you for your post - and I do hope that the EDC - and our quadblog - helps you design your course. Best,
Sandra
Hi Rick,
ReplyDeletenice to be together quadblogging! Your post sounds interesting as it is difficult that all theses people onboard in the course should finish.
This keind of connectivity betwwen all of us is as also knowledge sharing and quite useful.
María