What is a MOOC? #edtech
A MOOC is a ‘Massive Open Online Course’ and, as the video from Dave Cormier below introduces it as a
“response to the challenges faced by organisations and distributed disciplines at a time of information overload.”
A MOOC is not for credit, it’s for (networked) learning. You participate in a MOOC because you want to learn about a particular topic or subject. A MOOC is an alternative (attractive?) mode of learning in a flat, technologically interconnected world and supports life-long networked learning.
A MOOC is similar to the traditional courses that we think about when looking at learning and education: it has facilitators, students, resources, start and end date, etc, but it’s about connecting and collaborating.
Watch the video and have David explain better, and fully.
“It used to be that if you wanted to know about something you could do a few things: you could ask someone, you could buy a book, you could try to figure it out for yourself, or you could call a school. If that school offered that course in that thing you were trying to figure out, you could go there and take it. You could get access.”
Other resources you ought to look into, when thinking about this kind of learning, include the “Explore a New Learning Frontier” post from Learning Solutions Magazine, “Is it or is it not a MOOC?” from Rebecca Hogue, and “”Change MOOC” from Doug Belshaw.
Does the idea of a MOOC work (for you)? Have you participated in one, or have you organised one even? Share your experiences by leaving a comment below. At the moment I am interested in furthering my experience and qualifications (see my posts on CMALT and PG Certificate) but I would certainly participate in a MOOC … in fact, I already am – the Codecademy, even if I haven’t started yet!
I read this today: “The Massive Open Online Professor” from the Academic Matters website – http://www.academicmatters.ca/2012/05/the-massive-open-online-professor/
“The challenges faced by higher education around the world are daunting
and cannot be met by the traditional institution-based education system.
For the current model to meet the needs of future generations, we would
need to build and fund thousands of new universities. And yet the past
ten years have demonstrated that there is another way. Scalable
education on the web is increasingly possible, largely through the use
of commodity software that is easy to use and available freely or at low
cost to anyone.”
“The backing of prestigious institutions is clearly a factor in
attracting large numbers of students. Brand recognition is likely to
remain a differentiating factor, but MOOCs also offer opportunities for
professors at smaller institutions to establish themselves as great
instructors. Jim Groom at the University of Mary Washington has been
able to attract thousands of students (and a number of other
institutions) to participate in a digital storytelling course he
designed and teaches with a number of collaborators. Not all professors
will be excited by Thrun’s vision of Wonderland, but MOOCs may offer
opportunities for academics to have their educational cake and eat it,
too, by being the sage on a huge stage while also being a guide who
remains closely by the student’s side—through the power of open and
social technologies.”
Read in full on the link above.
Here’s another useful resource on MOOCs, from Steve Wheeler this time – http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/running-mooc.html
“That is both the strength and the weakness of the MOOC. You see, you
can connect to anyone, anywhere, at any time to learn from each other. But you
can also miss those connections, if certain people decline to join in. MOOCs
are also at their most successful when there is a critical mass of
participants. So what if you gave a party and no-one came? A sparsely populated
MOOC is just …. well….. an OOC, isn’t it?”