5 reasons not to organize a mooc - and a few to do it

@miquelduran Universitat de Girona Univ Vigo 24/4/2014#vigomoocs

Near a remote small university, on October 23rd, 2013 two Science professors walk uphill towards a vista

point.

They plan to do something relevant, fun and useful.


5 reasons not to organize a MOOC. And a few to do.

Universidade de Vigo, 24/4/2014

Miquel Duran, Universitat de [email protected]

@miquelduran

Presentation available at http://slideshare.net/quelgir

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Could you please answer 4 questions now? – Pilot conference outcome test

• See twitter @wz8• http://twitter.com/wz8• INITIAL form, last-but-one tweet• Google form, it will take at most 55 seconds

http://twitter.com/wz8


Do you realize that in the last two years…

• Almost everyone has a smarthone• Video production and consumption is more

easy than ever and sustainable• Bandwith is large enough both at home, at the

university and at street level

• These are probably the causes of the MOOC re-evolution.


Pathways


El País, 20/4/2014

“La FP en España no enseña lo que quiere el mercado”El maltés James Calleja dirige desde otoño el Centro Europeo de Desarrollo de la Formación Profesional.

“… en España tienen el fenómeno de los moocs (cursillos online gratuitos). Estoy muy sorprendido de lo populares que son allí. Es muy interesante.”


Tony Bates’ blog“Time to retire from online learning?” (TB is 75 yo)

“I can’t express adequately just how pissed off I am about MOOCs – not the concept, but all the hubris and nonsense that’s been talked and written about them”“I am concerned that the computer scientists seem to be taking over online education”

http://www.tonybates.ca/2014/04/15/time-to-retire-from-online-learning/


2014: The Year the Media Stopped Caring About MOOCs?

• If 2012 was the “Year of the MOOC,” as The New York Times declared, and 2013 was the year of the MOOC backlash, what is 2014? The year that MOOCs ceased to be interesting—at least to anybody not working on them directly?

• … the company’s MOOCs should be thought of as “additive to what universities are doing, not disruptive.

• http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/2014-the-year-the-media-stopped-caring-about-moocs/51737


This is me and my digital circumstances

My TweetCV: Twitter profile at @miquelduran

University professor. Research in Quantum Chemistry. Digital Science Communication, Magic and Science, MOOCs, TEDx events, Open Knowledge (see also @quelet)


¿Cómo será la universidad del futuro? Genís Roca. Deusto 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV5ghNWPUE0


Stephen Downes @ INTED València, 2014

The MOOC of One: Personal Learning Technologies • “A MOOC is a Web, not a Website”• “What makes the MOOC special is that for each

person taking it, it is essentially the work of the one. Yourself”

http://creaconlaura.blogspot.com.es/2014/04/the-mooc-of-one-personal-learning.html


Pedro Pernias, 14MOOCs14, Barcelona

• “A MOOC is Internet”• “MOOC: whan Internet meets Education”• “Producing a MOOC is like creating a start-up

company”• “MOOCs are experiments”

• http://www.slideshare.net/ppernias/vullferunmooc


Now some commercials

What is a quantum chemist like me doing in a the flamed MOOC battlefield?


This is me and my MOOCs

• MiriadaX 2013,14: Comunicación Científica 2.0.1: claves para una sociedad digital; coordinator

• MiriadaX 2013, 14: Historia de la Química, team member• MiriadaX 2014: Magia, Ciencia y Secretos Confesables,

coordinator• OpenMOOC (?) 2014: Química Zero (pre-Univ level), team

member• EdX Open (?) 2014: Introduction to Advanced Catalysis and

Molecular Modeling (pre-Master level), team memberLow-Cost, Sustainable, Quasi-DIY MOOCs


MOOCs and Universitat de Girona• MiriadaX spring 2013 + late spring 2014:– History of Chemistry– Science Communication 2.0.1 (2000 in, 400 out)

(funded by GenCat, MOOC call)• MiriadaX late spring 2014– Changes in contemporary tourism

• Other key courses– Gastronomy (By *** El Celler de Can Roca)– Introduction to programming (GenCat MOOC call)– Etc.


Science Communication 2.0.1MiriadaX Spring 2013 (Spanish)

• Almost 25% completion rate• Awesome experience• Started from a doctoral-level area-

independent course• Specific target: graduate students, junior

researchers• This MOOC was produced almost on the spot


NYT & MOOCs (20/4/13)

2012: The Year of the MOOC


Online learning: Campus 2.0 (Nature 13/3/2013)


Flipping Chemistry Classrooms C&EN 25/3/2013


Howto, Keysto, Questionsto

Content ahead: - MOOC course outline- 23 keys to low-cost, sustainable production- Moodle-based online courses vs. MOOCs- 10 questions

Visit our #moocaton14 poster page http://iscico.wikispaces.com/23clausposterhttp://www.slideshare.net/quelgir/20140305-malagaposter13claus


Brainstorm on MOOCs


Course “23 keys to organize a MOOC, to be successful and to actually enjoy it”

Modules:1. Let's talk about MOOCs!2. Let's plan a MOOC!3. Let's shoot video!4. Let's link resources with a learning flow!5. Let's design assessment!6. Let's foster student collaboration!7. Let's advertise our MOOC!8. Let's assess the course!

Visit http://iscico.wikispaces.com/23clausmooc


23 keys to organize a MOOC


23 keys to organize a MOOC (1/3)

1. Find an enticing subject2. Have an expertise on the contents3. Think about tentative audience4. Know regulations applying5. Set your course within a broader project6. Choose a suitable platform7. Assign various Open Educational Resources

to each submodule



8. Reuse own existing resources and those (open!) from others

9. Shoot short and sustainable videos10. Take care of good sound and video production11. Assign each content to actual fulfillment of competencies12. Link resources to a clear learning path13. Maintain tension and interest for the course with

challenges and rewards14. Evaluate student progress with intention15. Mix test, p2p and other tests in equilibrium



16. Use proactively social networks17. Organize hangouts/Q&A sessions, and discussions on the

Net18. Publish an attractive promotional videoclip19. Create an interesting presentation video20. Identify and use the most efficient procedures for

international marketing21. Place surveys before, during and after the course period22. Make proposals for future improvement23. Communicate publicly the innovations brought about by

the course


Video: key element in MOOCs


A case study: Magic & Science MOOC


A case study: Magic & Science MOOC

#magcimooc


A case study: our future Magic & Science MOOC (1/2)An applied mathematician (Fernando Blasco ) and a quantum chemist (Miquel Duran) met a few years ago because of magic. Now they share a passion and an academic interest: use of magic as an educational tool.

One year ago: why don’t we write abook on Magic & Science?One year ago + a few weeks? This MOOC stuff seems attractiveA few months ago: Let’s start a MOOC!

October 2013: a 20 km roundtrip walk from Girona to a local Sanctuary with magnificent vista point over the Pyrénées and the Costa Brava. Uphill: what can be teach and leverage? Are there enough interested people? Which is our target audience? Can we do it?


A case study: our future Magic & Science MOOC (2/2)Lunch: thinking about landscape, Nature, Maths and Science. And food.

Downhill: Settle with modules. Change perspective: what will students get from this course?How are we assess learning?Are we using many videos, commented ppt’s, existing resources?

Will be give away many secrets? Or will we showing a trick in one module, luring students to continue, because we will provide the solution two modules later?

Will secrets be told in the first two modules? (no! – better wait)


A case study: our future Magic & Science MOOC (3/3)Before arrival back to office:

Will be have fun?Will it cost us too much energy?Will we be able to reuse the resources created?Will it provide us with recognition (i.e., research assessment)?Are there other similar courses?Will we be able, later on, to adapt the course to other target audiences, environments or languages?

We thought about it, and decided: “Yes, Let’s do It”We built immediately a website magcimooc.net and recorded a promotional short video. And the story still goes on. And created hashtag #magcimooc


Moodle-based online learning vs. MOOCs


Moodle-based online learning vs. MOOCs (1/2)

• Many students (massive!) vs. limited number of students• Leading star: video vs. video as an optional element, usually inexistent• Short video clips vs. long, classroom shots• Large dropout on first modules vs. small dropout• Free registration, usually vs. normal costs of registration, most times• Common use of peer-to-peer (P2P) assessment vs. no use, in general, of P2P• My use internet hangouts to interact vs. real meetings to interact• No specific schedule vs. likely hourly limitations• Use of Open Educational Resources vs. use of non-OER packages• Rather unstructured Learning path vs. clear learning path• Free election of subject vs. subjects limited usuarlly to field of expertise

Visit http://iscico.wikispaces.com/MOOC+Comparison


Moodle-based online learning vs. MOOCs (2/2)

• Optional generic certificate, open badge vs. specific certificate • Cooperative learning vs. top-down learning• Innovative subjects vs. well-established or closed subjects• Dynamic courses vs. rather static courses• Professor finishes production before delivery – becomes dynamizer vs.

professor as a permanent guide along the course• Assessment is prepared before course delivery, automatic vs. professor

evaluates every student on an individual basis, through interaction• Specific IT platform vs. standard platform• Integration into a large marketing structure vs. usually lack of strategic

marketing• Community beyond course end vs. usual lack of community buildup• Registration during all teaching period vs. registration only before course start• Assessments usually with no definite date vs. clear date for evaluations


10 questions 10


10 questions 10 (1/2)

1. Are MOOCs the idea closest to the methodology in the Bologna Process?

2. Will MOOCs bring us to Teaching/learning projects, like in Research?

3. Can each academic Group organize its own MOOC and thus its own Teaching-Learning Unit?

4. Is the new role of the professor-teacher rather a facilitator, consultor, dynamizer, coach?

5. Are MOOCs a key element of internationalization?Visit http://www.slideshare.net/quelgir/20131129-telspain


10 questions 10 (2/2)6. Do MOOCs lead a teaching group to entrepreneurship?7. Are MOOCs a new way to build bridges between

University and its environment/society?8. Do MOOCs allow to adapt rapidly to changing needs, and

to respond to singularization opportunities?9. Rather than "A Professor organizes a MOOC", should not

face-to-face universities exhibit a strategy to use MOOC as an excuse and example to change teaching - and even change themselves?

10. Are we talking about virtualization of classroom teaching, or rather about devirtualization of online learning?


And now some final clues

• MOOCs will be targeted to everyone, and perhaps there exist just a few. But its methodology can be implemented locally and regionally for just a short number of participants.

• Blended learning: the effect?• Connection Open Educational Resources and

delivering learning is what matters most, despite it being named a MOOC or another nonsense word.

• Higher Education management/administration is disappearing as an intermediary


All in all: find an enticing subject, be an expert on that, and find your audience. And then, enjoy every part of your MOOC.


So here are 5 reasons not to organize a MOOC!


I don’t have time left

Why don’t you consider a MOOC as an opportunity for task cleanup and lean time

management?


I don’t have energy enough

Why don’t you consider a MOOC as an opportunity to recharge your personal batteries?


I don’t have any money

Why don’t you consider a MOOC as an opportunity to get some funding through calls,

international collaboration, transdisciplinar work?


I don’t have any good idea

Why don’t you consider a MOOC as an opportunity for expanding your research activity

into teaching and leaving your usual expertise field, while adventuring into new areas?


I don’t have digital skills

Why don’t you consider a MOOC as an opportunity to enter the amazing world of the

Internet, online learning, open knowledge, social networking, …?


I don’t/I am not …I’m aloneI’m shy

I don’t know how to start with videoI don’t have technical support

I’m not fluent in EnglishI hate computers and/or computers hate me

I’m underpaid/nonpermanent/part-timeI’m tired

I’m not young anymore


SO


There are so many reasons to organize a MOOC that the idea or producing, delivering and assessing one

of this courses is indeed

APPEALING

Producing a MOOC is having the right attitude, rather than having the suitable resources.

Your attitude is a choice!


Caution

Continued, strong and stressful involvement in MOOCs may cause adiction.

Do Clicks & bricksDo MOOCs, books & cooks


Thank you for your attention!

This presentation and others on MOOCs, Science Communication, Quantum Chemistry, Recreational Science, Digital World, Science and Magic, … athttp://slideshare.net/quelgir

Text content licensed CC-BY-SA


Could you please answer again 4 questions now? – Pilot conference outcome test

• See twitter @wz8• http://twitter.com/wz8• FINAL form (last tweet)• Google form, it will take at most 55 seconds

http://twitter.com/wz8


So let’s now practise a little bit with your mobile devices

Another outcome test via twitterImaginad durante un minuto qué MOOC os gustaría montar…• A quién va dirigido el MOOC? Edad, nivel educativo… #vigomoocs1• En qué ámbito territorial se definirá? Por lo tanto, en qué lengua?

#vigomoocs2• Cómo llevaréis a cabo la dinamización del curso (forum, wiki,

hangouts, juegos, videos promocionales... ) #vigomoocs3• Cómo promoveréis el curso en las redes socials u otros medios?

(anuncios periódico, twitter, facebook, web, blog, programa tv, fanzine) #vigomoocs4

• I finalmente.... Qué título le pondréis que resulte atractivo? #vigomoocs5