For Credit or Not?

Learning requires the learner to exert effort to gain new knowledge.  While the format for MOOCs is different than what most is accustomed to, learning is essentially still in the hand of the learner and the outcomes are the results of what the learner has put in. Yet, there must be some way to measure that learning has occurred. Mastery of course objectives can be measured through projects, portfolios, presentations, tests, assignments, etc.  Other than tests, how does a teacher in a MOOC successfully measure learning? 

Looking at it from the other end of the spectrum, we can identify the value prior learning experience bring to the table.  While all prior learning experience may be acceptable, attending a class has it benefits and usually can offer new ideas and knowledge.  I’m not sure if a MOOC will offer those benefits, but the argument made by Fain (2012) is that students can sign up and complete a MOOC, complete a portfolio incorporating that prior learning experience, and have it reviewed for possible credit.  Depending on the subject, that may work. But the infrastructure, resources, etc. must be in place for it to be successful and to determine if learning has taken place. As a result, standards must be set for how prior learning will be assessed and measured (Fain, 2012).

This concern leads to another concern - students having the ability to receive college credit. While there could be a variety of reasons a student seeks credit for completing a MOOC, the main reason most students will take a MOOC is to receive college credit toward completion of a degree.  Others may choose to complete a course for credit for a job or to receive credit for prior experience (Krause, 2012). If the latter is the case, is credit important? Will a certificate of completion suffice? As stated in Kolowich (2013), many people who register for a MOOC already have a college degree. Before investing money into offering MOOCs for credit, it may be important to conduct a study to see why people are (or why would they) register and complete a MOOC.

Sources:

Fain, P. (2012). Making it count. Inside Higher Ed.

Kolowich, S. (2013). A university’s offer of credit for a MOOC gets no takers.  The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Krause, S. (2012). MOOCs and “prior learning assessment.”

 

Financial Influence of MOOCs

It is a known fact that MOOCs are cheaper and more cost effective for individuals looking to complete courses without incurring much debt.  One of the advantages of MOOCs is the ability to provide learning opportunities to students and individuals who may not otherwise have a chance.  In a sense, I can see MOOCs having a positive impact on the economy as a result of more individuals trying to educate themselves, become more marketable in the workforce, and landing better jobs which will in turn produce upstanding citizens.  Now we know that taking and completing a MOOC may not work or be desirable for some occupations, but depending on the MOOC taken, the knowledge and skill gained can be a great asset to an individual and potential/current employer.

Considering the structure of MOOCs and the ability for them to explode, I think they can potentially restructure and financially impact higher education.  Costs can increase as institutions would have to consider the technology infrastructure needed to maintain a MOOC. Identifying tools, technologies, and strategies to increase the collaboration and interaction in a MOOC will also be a cost that institutions may have to address.

On the flip, higher education will have to consider how they will make money from the MOOC.  In Holmes (2013) infographic, he lists some ways to earn revenue by requiring students to pay for certificates, allowing universities to pay for MOOC courses on their campuses, and offering paid support/resources option for students.  Personally, I don’t see these avenues as great generators of revenue.  At the same time, I see MOOCs as a promotion of a particular university’s resources, professors, etc.  And if a student really likes the institution and the, he/she may consider applying for a degree program. If this is the case, the MOOC generated interest and served as a marketing tool.  So, could the latter option be one reason why elite institutions are offering MOOCs. I sincerely doubt it.  Maybe they feel the need to provide the community with opportunities to take a course at this institution.  But I really don’t know.  I’ve been wondering about that, but can’t seem to draw a rational conclusion.  So, why do you think elite institutions are offering MOOCs?

Source:

Holmes, D. (2013). Infographic: How will the MOOCs make money?

Are MOOCs Disruptive to Higher Education?

In some ways I’m torn between the idea that MOOCs may be disruptive to higher education.  From one view, I see how MOOCs can enhance learning, add rigor, and encourage educators to develop courses that allow students to be creators of knowledge and not just receivers.  On the other hand, I see the potential for MOOCs to explode and be very challenging to higher education institutions. This view is strengthened by the fact that some institutions (University of Maryland University College, San Jose State University, George Washington University) are partnering with Coursera and Udacity to offer and accept MOOC courses for credit.  George Washington University Provost, Dr. Steven Leman, looks at MOOCs as opportunities and not as threats. He further believes that MOOCs forces the university to re-evaluate what makes MOOCs different from online, face-to-face, or any other course at their campus. 

At that same discussion, another speaker, Dr. Doug Guthrie, spoke about why he doesn’t currently support MOOCs as it relates to learning and the School of Business where he serves as the Dean. He argues that online education should be interactive, build community, and be customizable.  And in some ways, this is why I don’t see MOOCs as being disruptive to higher education.  Can we truly say that students build or feel a part of a community in a MOOC? Are there interactivity built into each course? Maybe a cMOOC? What about an xMOOC? How is learning customize for each student? These are all concerns that I ponder.  However, I’m also left with the question; do online courses include these same components? If not, the argument arises, why not a MOOC? Just a thought provoking question. 

As I think about MOOCs and contemplate if they are disruptive to higher education, my thinking shifts to how do students learn?  Sean Morris and Jesse Stommel (2012) challenged our thinking about learning by stating learning is not in the hands of academics, administrators, institutions, or corporations.  But they believe along with Rosemary Stewart that learning is in the hands of each individual.  Rosemary believed that learning happens anywhere life happens.  The chaos, unfamiliarity, and input of life caused learning to happen in her opinion.  So if that is the case, is there a need for institutions, professors, etc.? In my opinion, I still believe there is.  But I think true learning takes place when I can take the knowledge gained, create and apply it to real life situations.  There, I find valuable application and full understanding (or confusion) of what I was taught. 




I think MOOCs have the potential to be disruptive to higher education.  And if it becomes a threat, universities may want to look for ways to embrace and incorporate MOOCs into their curriculum.  I do believe that it will benefit higher education and universities with online courses to see what MOOCs are offering and how MOOCs techniques and strategies can benefit online learning.

Sources:

Department of Academic Technologies (2013). MOOCs: The future of higher education? George Washington Today.

Morris, S., & Stommel, J. (2012). A MOOC is not a thing: Emergence, disruption, and higher education. Hybrid Pedagogy.

Stewart, R. (2012). Where does learning happen? – for MOOC MOOC.

cMOOCs and xMOOCs

This week our focus is on how we can classify MOOCs.  Because of the layout and organization, MOOCs can be categorized into two categories: cMOOCs and xMOOCs.  While both still are open and provide access to content with no restrictions, the difference between the two is in respect to the openness of the learning content and the learning process (Grünewald, Meinel, Totschnig, & Willems, 2013). cMOOCs engage learners, allow learners to construct their own learning, and shape the learning experience through their interaction and networking with others Grünewald, Meinel, Totschnig, & Willems, 2013; Siemens, 2012).  The xMOOCs courses model the traditional online courses with recorded lectures, assignments, quizzes, etc. (Siemens, 2012). As you can gather, xMOOCs are more commonly found at colleges and universities because of their structure and format.  As stated by Siemens (2012), cMOOCs focus on knowledge creation and generation while xMOOCs focus on knowledge duplication. A common example about cMOOCs vs. xMOOCs is in an xMOOC, you watch a video, in a cMOOC, you create the video. It's all about the connection!

There are pros and cons to both types of MOOCs.  While most of us may be familiar with xMOOCs, I think a cMOOC will be a great experience and allow us to take a step back and re-evaluate the learning experience for most students.  For me, a cMOOC can provide ideas on how to modify online courses so students can be creators of the knowledge once they connect with the course content, faculty, and peers. 

The video below discusses what a MOOC is and also talks about how MOOCs can connect one with the learning experience through course activities.


Sources

Grünewald, F., Meinel, C., Totschnig, M., & Willems, C. (2013). Designing MOOCs for the support of multiple learning styles. In Scaling up Learning for Sustained Impact (pp. 371-382). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

Siemens, G. (2012). MOOCs are really a platform. Elearnspace.