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MOOCs – A fad or a game changer? Professor Eric Tsui

KMIRC

The HK Polytechnic University

The first MOOC… back in 2011

Stanford University Artificial Intelligence course – 160k students from 195 countries signed up

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What is a MOOC?

Massive Open Online Courses “One of the most persuasive factors is the shrinking half-life of knowledge. The “half-life of knowledge” is the time span from when knowledge is gained to when it becomes obsolete. Half of what is known today was not known 10 years ago.”

Source: George Siemens Quote from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Four Facets of 'Open'

1. Access

2. Resources

3. Creation

4. Mix & Match

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Characteristics of MOOCs

MOOCs provide:

• Social networking;

• Facilitation by an acknowledged expert in a field of study; and,

• Collection(s) of freely accessible online resources

MOOCs attract participants who:

– Are actively engaged in online learning;

– Register in large numbers (hundreds to tens of 000s);

– Self‐organise their study based on individual learning goals, prior knowledge and skills, & common interests;

MOOCs require fast & stable Internet access

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Characteristics of MOOCs (cont.)

MOOC offerings:

• Start, end & deliver on predefined timelines & topics;

• Are usually without fees; some charges for a completion certificate

• Have no prerequisites beyond Internet access & interest

• Do not predefine expectations for participants

• Usually offer no formal accreditation for successful course completion

• Collect a huge amount of personal & network learning data

(Adapted from: McAuley, Steward, Siemens & Cormier, 2010, pp4-5)

Achievement Badges & Completion Certificates

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What is a MOOC?

2012 - The Year of the MOOC

“... one of the hottest subjects in education has been MOOCs, otherwise known as Massively Open Online Courses…. MOOCs have been pegged by some as representing the future of the educational system†, democratizing education, bringing quality learning content to people of any age, in any corner of the world for a small fee— if not for free.”

Brooks, D. (2012). The campus tsunami. The New York Times, The Opinion Pages, May 3. Available online: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/04/opinion/brooks-the-campus-tsunami.html Empson, R. (2012). 2U one-ups MOOCs, Coursera, now offers online undergrad courses from top schools for credit. Techcrunch.com, November 15. Available online: http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/15/2u-one-ups-moocs-coursera-now-offers-online-undergrad-courses-from-top-schools-for-credit/ †Leckart, S. (2012). The Stanford education experiment could change higher learning forever. Wired Science, March 20. Available online: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/03/ff_aiclass/ *Pappano, L. (2012). The year of the MOOC. The New York Times, Education Life, November 2. Available online: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/04/education/edlife/massive-open-online-courses-are-multiplying-at-a-rapid-pace.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Adopted from:

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Source: NATURE, V495, Mar 2013

MOOC providers (May 2013)

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Types of MOOCs

xMOOC / sMOOC cMOOC gMOOC / Games MOOC mMOOC / MobiMOOC Task Based MOOC MOCC (Mid-sized Online Closed Course) / MiniMOOC BOOC (Big Online Open Course <500 ) SPOC (Small-scale Special Online Courses)

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The scale in MOOCs

MOOCs are disruptive

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To MOOC or not to MOOC?

Join MOOC

Prepare for the journey

New business model

Status Quo

Withstand the threat Hope MOOC will go away

Quick decision is needed

Why universities support MOOC?

• Extend the reach of education

• Provide FREE education for the masses

• Enhance the flexibility and quality of subjects/programs currently being offered

• Enhance the profile of an institution

• Collect learning data and deliver personalised training

• To counteract the threat

• …

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GIT fires the first shot!!!

Revenue for MOOC providers

Charge for issuing a completion certificate

Charge for taking an assessment and/or an examination

Charge (an employer) for referring its best students

Charge (an institution) for validating a learner has attended a course

Charge (an institution) for using a MOOC course for enhancing/expanding its existing on-campus course/degree offering

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Shortalls in MOOCs’ adoption

• Lack of face-to-face contact

• Under-exploration of pedagogy & technology

• Teachers’ attitude and delivery of education need to change

• Universities still consider LMS as a strategic tool with a strong cost focus

The first MOOC… back in 2011

Stanford University Artificial Intelligence course – 160k students from 195 countries signed up. 20k completion certificates issued.

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MOOC Completion Rates??

• Coursera Course Computational Investing, January 6, 2013 by Tucker Balch,

• 53,265 enrolled

• Completed the course:

–4.8% of those who enrolled

–18% of those who took a quiz.

–39% of those who submitted the first project.

Types of online learners

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Duke University’s foray into MOOC

The debate is still on …

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To MOOC or not to MOOC?

Join MOOC

Prepare for the journey

New business model

Status Quo

Withstand the threat Hope MOOC will go away

Quick decision is needed

My “Flipped Classroom”

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My “Flipped Classroom”

My “Flipped Classroom”

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My “Flipped Classroom”

"Flipped Classroom" is a good concept. It enhances the learning motivations. Compare with the conventional way of teaching and learning, flipped classroom let a teacher do more, student can learn more. ... That is a real beauty of knowledge.” “AI chapter is good for this test, ~2hrs pre-learning and self study, good strategy for active participation?” “Thanks for the flipped classroom, Prof Tsui. I think your package of lecture pre-viewing (by students), interactive discussion questions and then supplemented by your additional lecturing is a really good combination. I would welcome more of this.”

Explore MOOCs for

• Corporate Universities

• Open Innovation

• Network-based Lifelong learning

• Collective Sensemaking

• …