university of edinburgh looking beyond the hype: moocs as catalysts of major educational change amy...

University of Edinburgh

Looking beyond the hype:MOOCs as catalysts of major educational change

Amy WoodgateMOOCs Project Coordinator

What and when?

Old College, Central campus - University of Edinburgh

• 6 courses (wave 1) + 7 courses (wave 2)• Broad subject areas• Short in length – 5-7 weeks• Fully online• Free to take• Open resources – CC licenses • New as MOOCs, not f2f conversion• Delivered through a MOOC platform

Summer 2012

Autumn 2012

Spring 2012

Winter 2012

Partnership with Coursera and

courses identifiedAnnounce

launch datesBegin content

productionCourses

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What and when?

www.coursera.org/edinburgh

• Seen as knowledge exchange initiatives• Research project into new online delivery methods• Research project into new audiences

-- who takes a MOOC? And why?• Logical progression of University strengths and interest

-- keen to explore technology enhanced learning• It’s new, it looked fun!

• Not money-- Never intended to be money making!

Why?

Academic course development• No imposed approach or template• Encouragement to choose an approach suitable for subject

delivery and which the team were comfortable with• Encouragement to experiment with platform

Recycle, repurpose, reuse• Use of creative commons as default• Encouragement to think about resources beyond MOOC space• Awareness raising of open content

How?

EDC MOOC(… a little different from the rest!)

•Design challenged the mainstream•No videos – learner developed content•Encouraged learners to explore other platforms

Running in parallel to an online MSc Digital Education module: E-learning and Digital Cultures

•Similar topics – different content•Different levels – MSc = PG, MOOC = UG-level•Interesting explicit connection explored – students on the MSc course to interact with MOOC, e.g. forum discussions

Over 410,000 learners enrolledWave 1 – 6 MOOCs Wave 2 – 7 MOOCs… wave 3 ?? (+10)

200 countrieswide age range

diverse intentions

MOOCs - LMU, Munich – June 2013

Online education @ Edinburgh

oOnline & on-campus = ‘e-learning’

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

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

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

MOOCs didn’t appear from nowhere

Online learning - 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

What are MOOCs made of?

… lots of the features of typical online courses

…lots of short videos & presentations

…interactive tools online

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

… timed assignments throughout the course

MOOCs - LMU, Munich – June 2013

… automated assessment – computer-marks tests

MOOCs - LMU, Munich – June 2013

… required readings, in the MOOC + externally

MOOCs - LMU, Munich – June 2013

…online assessment – groupwork/peer assessment

On-campus• Enriching resource for students, signpost MOOC• Datasets within learning activities = research• Repurposing of content, e.g. embedding videos• Sign-posting to others’ courses

Off-campus• Courses for credit, e.g. University of Maryland• Courses within teaching, e.g. Generation Rwanda• Activity in itself with class, e.g. local Schools• Translations, e.g. Portuguese and Chinese• Chinese parallel server scheme

How is content being used and where?

Enthusiasm for MOOC engagement is (still) high and we are beginning to see big impact across the institution:

• New applications for fully online MSc programmes, e.g. MSc Philosophy

• ODL programme teams pushing VLEs and improving student experience through MOOC lessons

• Getting non-ODL Schools over the online line• Interdisciplinary courses and collaborations

Building internal capacity – more than just building courses

• Even more enriching, embedding, research etc.• Recognition for engagement, e.g. HEAR transcript• All content accessible, findable and open to share• Portfolios of content that work well as a package

• Community outreach post• Connection with Schools & Councils• Connection with local community groups• Meaningful connections with events, e.g. Science Festival

• Potential for new courses based on local/national needs

Plans for the future?

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/

?

What impact have MOOCs had?

What impact have MOOCs had… (cont.)

Over 5 million users of MOOCsOver 200 institutions1000s of academics

Millions of people are talking about online education!!

… Why would we turn back on this?

• Fade away – bubble bursts

• Hold steady – case for expansion not clear to universities

• Expand & diversify

• Emergence of specialised MOOCs – unique areas

http://www.csmonitor.com

Where might MOOCs go next?

• ‘Light teaching’ at large scale

• Mastery assessment

• Teaching with courses from other universities

• Really opening up the curriculum | virtual mobility

• Assessment of remote learners (esp for high stakes)

• Credit for open courses (=RPL?)

• Degrees at the learners’ speed

• Fees | prices vs costs | financial transparency for teaching

Examples of many of these exist, in practice or in exploration

Plans for the future?

1. Strategic direction – ‘MOOCs as a passing phase’

2. $$$ / £££ / €€€ - investing in hard times

3. Our faculty/academics – preparedness for change?

4. Lack of sufficient curriculum design support / digital infrastructure

5. Student receptiveness to deep educational innovation

6. Political will – the search for the painless silver bullet

7. Going the way of the music/newspaper etc sectors – not unaware, but

not able to bite the tough bullets

Challenges for the next 5 years

Thank you for listening….

© MSc Digital Education

University of Edinburgh

http://online.education.ed.ac.uk/

Amy Woodgate – IS Special ProjectsMOOCs and Online Learning

Amy.Woodgate@ed.ac.uk

Thank you!Any questions?

Who are our learners?

… Not necessarily who we expected!

University of Edinburgh, 2013

Measuring success:“Drop out rates”, retention and perceptions

• Total sign ups:

307,000 approx.• Total active users in week one:

124,000• Total active users week four:

60,000• Total active users week five:

50,000

… but is it all about numbers and retention? Is this really “drop out”?

What did you want to get out of the MOOC?Flipping more than just the classroom…

Beginning to ask ourselves (and our learners)• Did you get what you wanted from the experience?• Did you enjoy the experience?

At least 124,000 new learners engaged with our content – huge success!!

Five research themes

•New pedagogies

•Virtual mobility

•Learner analytics

•Intelligent tutors / knowledge technologies

•Policy & strategy for online learning

Online learning research @ Edinburgh 2013

UK Research Councils

USGov’t

Foundations

EC FPLLL