Education Commons^™

Exploring Chinese Students’ Learning Experience In Cic Mooc 2.0– A Study With Chinese Online Communities, Qing Zhang, Hengtao Tang, Barbara B. Lockee, Kathryn Jablokow

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This research explores Chinese students’ learning experience in the Creativity, Innovation, and Change (CIC) Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) 2.0 from the cultural, language, and communication perspectives. The CIC MOOC was the first course offered in both English and Chinese in Coursera. Data in this study were collected via online survey, interviews, QQ chat logs, and discussion threads in Guokr platform. Content analysis was performed to identify key themes from the collected data. Findings reveal that differences exist in Eastern and Western societies regarding power distance, individualism versus collectivism, and masculinity versus femininity. Communication patterns also vary in QQ and …

Achieving A Scaled Implementation Of Adaptive Learning Through Faculty Engagement: A Case Study, Constance Johnson, Emma Zone

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

This paper presents a case study describing the implementation of adaptive learning at Colorado Technical University (CTU) with a focus on faculty adoption. A number of barriers to the adoption of technology will be discussed and more importantly, how CTU overcame these barriers. A description of the key elements of faculty support including training will be outlined as well as the information about the adoption of faculty using data to inform teaching strategies. The authors argue that if given the choice, faculty at CTU would prefer adaptive learning technology in their courses and welcome the use of technology and data …

From Instructivism To Connectivism: Theoretical Underpinnings Of Moocs, Matt Crosslin

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

While the first MOOCs were connectivist in their approach to learning, later versions have expanded to include instructivist structures and structures that blend both theories. From an instructional design standpoint the differences are important. This paper will examine how to analyze the goals of any proposed MOOC to determine what the epistemological focus should be. This will lead to a discussion of types of communication needed—based on analysis of power dynamics—to design accurately within the determined epistemology. The paper also explores later stages of design related to proper communication of the intended power structure or theoretical design as these relate …

How The Community Became More Than The Curriculum: Participant Experiences In #Rhizo14, Sarah Honeychurch, Bonnie Stewart, Maha Bali, Rebecca J. Hogue, Dave Cormier

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

The paper outlines participant experiences in a rhizomatic MOOC, #rhizo14. We begin with a brief outline of the structure of the course before presenting our five participant narratives to illustrate our beliefs that, for us, the #rhizo14 community became more than the curriculum. We then discuss some of the common themes in our narratives: the role that the Facebook group held in fostering our feelings of community, how the diversity of voices in the course promoted learning and engagement of group members, the formation of sub-communities with diverse interests, and the flexibility of participation that the course encouraged. While acknowledging …

Moving Beyond Mooc Mania: Lessons From A Faculty-Designed Mooc, Julia Parra

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have attracted fame, perhaps even notoriety, in recent years. However, we have yet to articulate clearly the purpose and potential for MOOCs. Moreover, we lack established best practices in the process of designing MOOCs. We lack models for practical use by faculty and early career instructional designers, whose group members function with limited resources but would like to engage in the intriguing process of MOOC design. The first goal for this case study is to demonstrate how a MOOC titled Adventures in Learning Design, Technology, and Innovation (#LDTIMOLO) was developed following the ADDIE framework and …

What Is It Like To Learn And Participate In Rhizomatic Moocs? A Collaborative Autoethnography Of #Rhizo14, Maha Bali, Sarah Honeychurch, Keith Hamon, Rebecca J. Hogue, Apostolos Koutropoulos, Scott Johnson, Ronald Leunissen, Lenandlar Singh

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

In January 2014, we participated in a connectivist-style massive open online course (cMOOC) called "Rhizomatic Learning – The community is the curriculum" (#rhizo14). In rhizomatic learning, teacher and student roles are radically restructured. Course content and value come mostly from students; the teacher, at most, is a curator who provides a starting point and guidance and sometimes participates as a learner. Early on, we felt that we were in a unique learning experience that we wanted to capture in writing. Explaining #rhizo14 to others without the benefit of traditional processes, practices, roles, or structures, however, presented a challenge. We invited …

Closing The Loop: Building Synergy For Learning Through A Professional Development Mooc About Flipped Teaching, Donna Harp Ziegenfuss

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

This case study describes how a MOOC, funded through an NSF grant, was used to create and assess faculty professional development. The MOOC, designed and developed using a backward design process, guided participants through an online project-based learning experience that integrated learning about the flipped classroom and about how to flip a classroom as the participants designed flipped teaching materials. The course structure involved an introduction to flipped teaching and learning content, experimented with flipped ideas and concepts, and emphasized reflection and sharing of experiences with peers.

Although mentoring faculty in flipped pedagogical design was the primary MOOC goal, the …

Learning Through Design: Mooc Development As A Method For Exploring Teaching Methods, Robin Bartoletti

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

Exploring new pedagogical approaches and technologies in learning experiences such as MOOCs offers educators a clear opportunity to reflect on and expand their teaching methods and document effective practices. However, while research has affirmed the value of self-reflection as an important means to improve one’s pedagogical practices, very limited data about self-reflection during course design exists for online instructors in higher education. A team of MOOC course designers thus seized the opportunity to investigate whether they could improve their teaching practices by engaging in a connectivist and reflective process to create an innovative MOOC. The MOOC design team for Educational …

What's Old Is New Again, And What's The Value Of Open, Apostolos Koutropoulos

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

This is the editor's note for this special issue of Current Issues in Emerging eLearning, where the editor discusses Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), as well as the value of openness in education.

Information Literacy In Moocs, Paul Bond

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

Information literacy is a vital yet under-appreciated part of education. Its advocates recognize it as the foundation for lifelong learning, and as a set of skills that must be developed throughout a person's education. Within academia at large, however, it is barely recognized at all. This paper discusses information literacy in the context of MOOCs, particularly of the connectivist variety. Models of information literacy and their accompanying standards are examined to establish connections to lifelong learning. The spectrum of MOOCs is discussed briefly, with an emphasis on connectivist MOOCs (cMOOCs) and their associated learning activities. These learning activities are then …

Developing A Massive Open Online Course (Mooc) At A College Of Education: Narrative Of Disruptive Innovation?, Dalit Levy, Sarah Schrire

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

A case study involving the establishment of a connectivist massive open online course (cMOOC) at a college of education is presented. cMOOCs are seen to represent an approach to learning that should be of interest to educators preparing their learners (the teachers of tomorrow) for life and work in a knowledge society. In other words, the cMOOC becomes an example of innovation and change, and an object of inquiry into organizational change and leadership. The chapter examines the case of establishing a cMOOC at the college using a methodology for analyzing organizational transformation triggered by the adoption of computing technologies. …

Supportive Technologies For Group Discussion In Moocs, Carolyn P. Rosé, Pam Goldman, Jennifer Zoltners Sherer, Lauren Resnick

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

A key hurdle that prevents MOOCs from reaching their transformative potential in terms of making valuable learning experiences available to the masses is providing support for students to make use of the resources they can provide for each other. This paper lays the foundation for meeting this challenge by beginning with a case study and computational modeling of social interaction data. The analysis yields new knowledge that informs design and development of novel, real-time support for building healthy learning communities that foster a high level of engagement and learning. We conclude by suggesting specific areas for potential impact of new …

Evolution Of The Blendkit Course: Fine-Tuning A Professional Development Mooc, Kelvin Thompson, Patsy Moskal

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

While many MOOCs modeled on traditional university curricula may be undertaken as sources of professional development, the University of Central Florida has released open courseware and a series of MOOCs specifically for the professional development of higher education faculty and designers preparing to design and teach blended learning courses. This article details experiences with offering multiple iterations of the BlendKit Course in order that others interested in professional development MOOCs may benefit from the authors' successes and lessons learned. The article addresses: background influences on the design of the BlendKit Course; the evolution of the BlendKit Course from its initial …

The Brief & Expansive History (And Future) Of The Mooc: Why Two Divergent Models Share The Same Name, Rolin Moe

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

Within popular media, the massive open online course (MOOC) is presented as a novel idea created by maverick professors and further developed with a goal to further democratize education on bases of quality and cost. The perception of this sequence of events as modular history has perpetuated a difficulty in developing MOOC-related research and critique within the fields of distance and online education. At the center of this struggle is the MOOC acronym: its initial development was in 2008, and its use today happens in opposition to the theoretical and pedagogical elements of the 2008 MOOC. This paper endeavors to …

Down The Rabbit Hole: An Initial Typology Of Issues Around The Development Of Moocs, Apostolos Koutropoulos, Panagiotis Zaharias

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

MOOCs have experienced an unprecedented explosion of publicity. This publicity indicates both optimism that they may be the panacea for whatever ails higher education, as well as caution and trepidation that this may in-fact be some sort of new fad in higher education. In this wave of optimism, and subsequent wave of pessimism, we believe that there is something good to examine about MOOCs and that they do hold potential for certain educational arenas. That said, we don’t want to blindly dive into the MOOC optimism camp. We have critically examined the literature, from both academic peer-reviewed and academic press …

Highjacking The Mooc: Reflections On Creating/Teaching An Art History Mooc, Parme Giuntini, Jean-Marie Venturini

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

This article reflects on the experience of creating and launching a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) at Otis College of Art and Design. The authors will discuss the development process from content, goals and production to curriculum design and pedagogy. Lessons learned and best practices will be shared as well as assessment of the MOOC’s success. Suggestions will be offered for faculty who are interested in adapting and adopting (hijacking) MOOCs in conjunction with credit courses in their own institutions, and addresses the very practical faculty concerns that MOOCs pose.