This document discusses the lessons learned from teaching a massive open online course (MOOC) on basic programming concepts. The MOOC titled "Begin Programming: Build your first mobile game" was the University of Reading's first MOOC offered on the FutureLearn platform in 2013. It aimed to teach Java and Android programming to complete beginners. Key lessons included catering to a diverse learner population with varying digital literacy, addressing different learner expectations and intentions, challenges with platform functionality and downloads for some learners, and the importance of being responsive to participant feedback. While only a small portion completed all activities, feedback indicated positive learning outcomes, suggesting similar MOOCs could be effective.

1. © University of Reading 2008 www.reading.ac.uk
School of Systems Engineering
April 28, 2014
Teaching Programming to
Beginners in a Massive
Open Online Course
Tharindu Liyanagunawardena

2. 2
Background
• Begin Programming: Build your first mobile game
(#FLMobiGame)
• University of Reading
– First MOOC
• Autumn 2013
– Start Date: 28th
Oct
– Duration: 7 Weeks
• FutureLearn - Beta
• Basic programming concepts
– Java
– Android

3. #FLMobiGame
• One of the first courses announced by FutureLearn
• Enrolment capped ~10,000 by platform
• Huge demand
– Course launch: 18th
September 2013
– Class full: 19th
September 2013
– Next run registration opened: 19th
September 2013 (without
start date!)
• Commitment: 3 hours p/w
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4. 4

5. Lessons Learned
• Learners in MOOCs have different intentions
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6. Learners are Diverse
• Beginner Course?
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7. Age Distribution
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• Over 55s – 18%

8. Engaging Elderly
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I daresay more eye rolling and tutting from my
son who's studying programming at Uni in
Brisbane. He's of the opinion that 'old people'
should leave technology to the young people
forgetting of course that it was old people who
developed the technology when they were
young people!
Thanks very much for an interesting
course...Not sure that I will do much more
but at least I have a game on my phone
that I can show my grandchild and say "I
did some of that!"

9. Inspiring the Young
• School Groups
– Sixth form students (16-17 year olds) from Ousedale School
• Primary School Children & Parents
– FutureLearn terms does not allow under 13 years on platform
• Great opportunity for outreach
• Programmers and Software Developers are in
‘shortage occupation list’ (UK Border Agency, 2013)
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UK Border Agency. (2013). Tier 2 Shortage Occupation List – Government-approved version – valid from 6 April 2013,
Retrieved from
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/workingintheuk/shortageoccupationlistnov11.pdf

10. Challenges
• Addressing Expectations of a diverse group
– At least 103 territories
– Use of Simple English
– Participants from developing countries
• Struggling with downloads
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Internet connection is a very big problem when it
comes to MOOC's …please can the size of these
videos be reduced even if it means reducing the
quality of videos.
I live in Nigeria and internet is very expensive …
I can't afford constant internet so I visit the cafe thrice
or twice a week to SECRETLY download materials …

11. Digital Literacy
• Beginner Level Programming Course
• Expected some level of digital literacy
– Unable to install software
– Unable to unzip a file
– Unable to copy and paste
* Additional resources made available
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Misuse of Forums
• Trolls
• Reporting to Moderator / addressed by lead educator
• Back channel email communication among team

12. Platform Support
• Platform in Beta stage
• Limited tools and facilities
– Search facility
– Course notices
– Reply notifications
– Issues with displaying programming code
• Course team had to be agile in adapting to developing
platform’s functionality
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13. Listening to Participants
• Responsive to Participant feedback
– Blog
– Support material on platform
• Identify champions among participants
• Building trust
• Active support by course team
• Social Media presence
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Community formation

14. Conclusion
• Only a small proportion of the initial registrants
completed all activities*
• Feedback from participants indicates of positive learning
outcomes
• The popularity of FLMobiGame suggests that similar
approaches could be adapted in MOOCs
* See more on Futurelearn initial course statistics
https://about.futurelearn.com/blog/measuring-our-first-eight-courses/
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15. Thank you
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Contributors:
Dr. Tharindu R. Liyanagunawardena t.r.liyanagunawardena@reading.ac.uk
Dr. Karsten Lundqvist k.o.lundqvist@reading.ac.uk
Mr. Luke Micallef l.micallef@reading.ac.uk
Prof. Shirley A. Williams shirley.williams@reading.ac.uk
Please take part in the survey at
http://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/reading/mooc_dr
opout