massive open online courses moocs: where next? professor jeff haywood, university of edinburgh, uk...

Massive Open Online Courses

MOOCs: Where next?

Professor Jeff Haywood, University of Edinburgh, UK

Vice Principal, CIO & Librarian

[email protected]

1 MOOCs, RUGIT Edinburgh – Feb 2013

mailto:[email protected]

2

MOOCs…..

are open to anyone – no mandatory qualifications

have no fees for study

have enrolments at start >>> learners at end

have learners who are not students of universities

are fully online

are very lightly tutored & supported

do offer assessment (in various forms)

have low study hours per week, on modules not degree programs

offer ‘certificates of completion’ rather than credits (but…)

are a different business model to trad HE

MOOCs, RUGIT Edinburgh – Feb 2013

3

Online education @ Edinburgh

Online & on-campus = ‘e-learning’

Online & off-campus = online distance learning ‘ODL’

Online and no-campus = MOOCs, OER, informal learning, ≡ LLL?

We apply the same rigorous approval and quality assurance processes to all


Why is University of Edinburgh doing this?

Reputation – early adopter of educational technology

Exploration of a new pedagogical ‘space’ to inform practice

Wish to reach as widely as we can with our courses

Sharing experiences with peer universities

Fun!


6

Why 3 modes?Mode Reasons Context

E-learning • 21st century curricula• learners bring their own ed tech• flexing the curricula

• B, M & D degrees• selective entry• full fee• full services• expensive to provide

ODL • reaching those who are time, geography, financially challenged

• Masters degrees• selective entry• full fee• access to services with some limits• on-campus quality, form differs• expensive to provide

MOOCs • educational R&D with peers• reaching anyone with internet

who is interested in learning (cf LLL at trad univs)

• reputation• fun!!

• Bachelor entry level• open to all• no fees• very limited services• no award – ‘certificate of

completion’• not free to provide


But, MOOCs are part of a wider exploration…

Open Educational Practices – beyond OER & Open CourseWare

Unbundling of the elements of course design, delivery, assessment & award of credit – individual

universities don’t have to all the parts together

Scenarios of unbundling – assessment & credentialling are the tough bits

You can find out more about unbundled and open educational practices such as MOOCs at one of my joint European research projects – OERtest – www.oer-europe.net


http://www.oer-europe,net/

8

… lots of the features of typical online courses


9

..online spaces for learners to self-support + light touch oversight


10

…lots of short videos & presentations


11

…interactive tools online


12

…timed assignments throughout the course


13

…automated assessment – computer-marks tests


14

…required readings, in the MOOC + externally


MOOCs for credit

15

Credits for MOOCs is arriving….

16

MOOCs – what is their impact, now & longer term?

On presidents/SMTs of universities

On governments/agencies

On faculty

On students

On student funders, incl parents

On the media

Varied by region: US UK Europe Oz NZ / SE Asia / China / Asia / S & C ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙

America

NB: This is very subjective – there are 1000s of universities in the world!!

http://star.arm.ac.uk/?


17

MOOCs – where next?

Fade away – bubble bursts

Hold steady – case for expansion not clear to universities

Expand & diversify

Emergence of specialised MOOCs – unique areas

o Targeted on recruitment

o Targeted on reputation boost

o Explore pedagogy

http://www.csmonitor.com


18

MOOCs – where next? Offer MOOC credits – for external use / for internal use

Accept MOOC credits

Partnerships – MOOC virtual student exchange / virtual Erasmus

Explore ‘higher’ learning outcomes/year-of-study/degree level

Integrate MOOCs into core first degree curriculum – fast-track/fee reduction/3 rd

semester

Bring community-supported learning (‘light teaching’) into core curriculum to

reduce teaching load/costs

BUT

Economics of Higher Education – do we understand our cost vs price

relationships?

MOOCs, British Council , UCLA – Feb 2013http://universitypost.dk

19

Should universities (& colleges & schools?) enter this new educational ‘space’?

Know your reasons for being in or staying out!! They are free to take but not free to provide, and publicity is everything for

reaching Massive (or even big)

If ‘In’, then choose one or both of: Offer MOOCs

Part of curriculum; entry route; general marketing; profile; income; R&D;…

Use others’ MOOCs Part of curriculum; high reputation courses; internal economies;

overcome lack of capacity/capability; tasters; profile; …


massive open online courses moocs: where next? professor jeff haywood, university of edinburgh, uk...

Documents