Describing the low-cost approache to MOOC development and the LoCoMoTion project (moocs4all.eu) MOOC "Making MOOCs on a Budget"

1. Anyone can build a MOOC!
But should they?
Brian Mulligan
Institute of Technology Sligo, Ireland.
ICT in Education Conference, April 2016, LIT Thurles
moocs4all.eu

3. You can learn anything online….
….well, almost!

4. They say it’s never too late to play the
piano.

5. Or even more useful skills.

7. Phil Hill, 2012
MOOC – Barriers to Overcome
http://mfeldstein.com/four-barriers-that-moocs-must-overcome-to-become-sustainable-model/

8. The cost of MOOCs
• Survey of 27 UK universities
– €40,485 average
• What about small target audiences?
– Specialised topics
– Minority languages
– Changing technologies
– Local needs

9. Why do universities spend so much on
MOOCs?
• Quality of Learning?
• Reputation?

10. Is the Coursera xMOOC pedagogy
sophisticated?
Do people learn?
“I got exactly what I wanted from it and more…
.. a most enjoyable and educational course”

11. If an online course is good enough for
30 students,
is it good enough for 3000 students?

12. Are high production values required?

13. A simple online course
• 12 x Weekly 1-hour lectures
• Additional readings and recordings
• Weekly quizzes
• Tuition and Peer support via fora.
• 2 or 3 assignments
• Final examination
• €6,000 to develop and deliver
30 x 15-minute recordings
Peer-assessed

14. moocs4all.eu
• Collection and dissemination of low-cost methods
– Started 1 Feb 2015
• Website and Community Forum
• MOOC: “Making MOOCs on a Budget”
– 2nd delivery – starts 17th May, 2016
The Team
Institute of Technology, Sligo, Ireland
Technical University of Delft, Holland
Fachhochschule Bielefeld, Germany
University of Girona, Spain
Bath Spa University, UK
LoCoMoTion Project

15. Content
• Principles
– Real learning Not “glitz”
– Some options are not possible
– Reuse OER
• Video content
– Simple graphics (avoid animations)
– Good microphone
– Minimise editing
• Tolerate mistakes
• Repeat sections
• Leave audio clues for editing

16. Communication
• Are the discussion tools in your platform
scalable?
• External tools:
– Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter
– Piazza, Prulu, Discourse (via LTI?)

17. Assessment
• Must be scalable
• Objective Tests
– MCQs
• Peer Assessment
– E.g. Moodle Workshop activity
• Could you award formal credits for this?

18. Platform
• Features
– Content hosting / linking
– Formative assessment
• Quizzes
• Peer Assessments
– Discussions
– Self registration and enrolment
• Visibility
• “Membership”
– edX, Coursera, Futurelearn etc.
• “Open” with Quality Assurance: Canvas
• “Open” - Wikieducator
• Host your own
– Moodle
– Mash-up

19. MOOCs for Teenagers
• Hobbies (eg. Nutrition and Fitness for athletes)
• Transition Year (eg. Computer Programming)
• Minority subjects (Economics, Applied Maths)
• Augment classes (revision etc.)
• “Flipped classroom” (specified by teachers)
• New Junior Cert Cycle
• College readiness (e.g. Study skills)
• Careers
• “Advanced Placement” – College courses

20. Thanks
Thanks for listening – over to you!
moocs4all.eu
mulligan.brian@itsligo.ie