Presentation at Open up education: National MOOC symposium. Dublin City University, Dublin, 1st May 2015. This event was supported through two European funded projects: the HOME Project, SCORE2020 Project

1. Mark Brown,
Eamon Costello, Enda Donlon
Mairead Nic Giollamhichil & Colete Kirwan
National MOOC Symposium
Dublin City University
1st May 2015
MOOCs in Irish Media:
Messages Behind the Story

2. 1. Why the media?
2. What do we already know?
3. What is the Irish story so far?
Outline…
MOOCs in Irish Media:
Messages Behind the Story

3. 1. Why the media?

4. 1. Why the media?

5. 1. Why the media?

6. 1. Why the media?
“The subject of this meeting is
studying at university through
online learning, including massive
open online courses, MOOCs”

7. 1. Why the media?

8. 1. Why the media?
Executive Summary

9. “The National Strategy for Higher Education
recommends that if Ireland is to raise levels of lifelong
learning and higher education attainment, more is
needed in terms of increased flexibility and
innovation, broader routes of access and a model
of funding that supports all students equally,
regardless of mode or duration of study” (HEA, 2012,
p.6).
1. Why the media?

10. 2. What do we already know?

11. 2. What do we already know?

12. 2. What do we already know?
457 newspaper articles
published between 2011 and
2013 in Australia, United
Kingdom and United States.

13. Selwyn, N., & Bulfin, S. (2014). The discursive construction of MOOCs as educational opportunity and educational
threat. Monash University.
2. What do we already know?

14. 2. What do we already know?

15. 2. What do we already know?
Almost 4000 articles from 591
news sources from around the
world, with close to 50%
reduction in media stories in
2014 from peak of 2013

16. 2. What do we already know?
• Competing/co-existing discourses
• Declining level of media interest
• Maturing and shifting focus
In summary…

17. 3. What is the Irish story so far?

18. 3. What is the Irish story so far?
• When did the first MOOC-related story first appear
in the media?
QUESTION…

19. 3. What is the Irish story so far?
• When did the first MOOC-related story first appear
in the media?
QUESTION…
Answer… 2011

20. 3. What is the Irish story so far?
• When did the first MOOC-related story first appear
in the media?
QUESTION…
• What was the story about?
Answer… 2011
QUESTION…

21. 3. What is the Irish story so far?
• When did the first MOOC-related story first appear
in the media?
QUESTION…
• What was the story about?
Answer… 2011
Answer… OpenCourseWare Project
QUESTION…

22. 1st February 2011 – First story but no mention of the term MOOC
3. What is the Irish story so far?

23. • Methodology
• Media Sources
• Discourse Analysis Protocol
- 20 Analysis Items
- Descriptive | Interpretative
- Revolutionary | Evolutionary
- Major Drivers
3. What is the Irish story so far?
About the Study

24. 3. What is the Irish story so far?
Total of 77 publications – by 30th April 2015

25. 15th May 2012 – 1st mention of MOOC
3. What is the Irish story so far?

26. 10th January 2013 – 2nd mention of MOOC
3. What is the Irish story so far?

27. 11th February 2013 – 3rd mention of MOOC
3. What is the Irish story so far?

28. 3. What is the Irish story so far?
2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
Number
of stories
1 24 39
Preliminary Findings

29. 3. What is the Irish story so far?
2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
Number
of stories
1 24 39 11
(33)
77
Preliminary Findings

30. 3. What is the Irish story so far?
97%
3%
Type of Reporting
Descriptive
Investigative
2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
Number
of stories
1 24 39 11 77
Preliminary Findings

31. 3. What is the Irish story so far?
2%
20%
78%
Stance Adopted
Negative
Neutral
Positive
Preliminary Findings

32. 3. What is the Irish story so far?
Elite
73%
Non Elite
27%
Institutional Status
Preliminary Findings

33. 3. What is the Irish story so far?
Revolution
35%
Evolution
18%
Minimal
12%
Not Stated
35%
Level of Disruption
Preliminary Findings

34. 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Fear of Missing Out
Institutional Branding
Increase Student Recruitment
Extend Access
Reduce Costs
Generate Revenue
Unbundling of Services
Innovation
Curriculum Renewal
Industry Training
Supporting Student Readiness
Promote Research
Not Stated
Major Drivers
3. What is the Irish story so far?
Preliminary Findings

35. Reconceptualist
• Open learning
• Online learning
• Anytime, anywhere learning
Competing Digital Discourses
E-learning •
Digital learning •
Technology-enhanced learning •
Deschooling
ReschoolingReproduction
• Coursera
• Learning for all
• Global curriculum
• Education in change
• OpenUpEd
• Dpillars of learning
• Socially just society
• Education for change
• Mass education
• Quality standards
• Education as commodity
• Increased market competition
• OERu
• Un-curriculum
• Opening access
• Unbundling learning
Learning Society
Knowledge Economy
3. What is the Irish story so far?
xMOOC cMOOC

36. Reconceptualist
• Open learning
• Online learning
• Anytime, anywhere learning
Competing Digital Discourses
E-learning •
Digital learning •
Technology-enhanced learning •
Deschooling
ReschoolingReproduction
• Coursera
• Learning for all
• Global curriculum
• Education in change
• OpenUpEd
• Dpillars of learning
• Socially just society
• Education for change
• Mass education
• Quality standards
• Education as commodity
• Increased market competition
• OERu
• Un-curriculum
• Opening access
• Unbundling learning
Learning Society
Knowledge Economy
3. What is the Irish story so far?
xMOOC cMOOC
85+%

37. Conclusion
Three points…

38. Conclusion
• Bucking international trend
• Local reasons for level of interest
• Part of a much wider policy debate
Three points…

39. Conclusion

40. While there was an impression e-learning and
MOOCs (massive open online courses) would help
to reduce the cost of higher education, discussions
with universities and institutes of technology made
clear that these “will actually require very significant
investment”.
Conclusion

41. Thank
You!