scholarly journals Teaching on Mars: Some Lessons Learned from an Earth-Bound Study into Community Open Online Courses (COOCs) as a Future Education Model Rooted in Social Justice

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 6893
Author(s):  
Peter Shukie
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Institutional Practice ◽  
Access To Knowledge ◽  
Future Education

This paper begins with a playful contention that visions of future Martian colonies provide us not only with spaces for imagining extraplanetary activity. These futuristic considerations also offer us opportunity to reflect on education and technology in the here, planet Earth, and now. The focus of this research was the creation of a learning and teaching platform that was offered freely to anyone with the contention that ‘anyone can teach, anyone can learn’. The platform itself was created using Moodle, as an open-source technology, and WordPress. The focus was on creating a space in which any individual, or group, might create learning spaces for free to share with others, based on social justice and challenging often exclusive, marginalising institutional practice. The project began as a critical response to institutional Massive Open Online courses (MOOCs) that promise widened access to knowledge, while rooted in conventional roles of where knowledge comes from and who teachers should be. The COOCs (Community Open Online Courses) project has now over 1500 registered course creators, and this paper discusses some of the key findings from an initial participatory action research process, involving twenty-five of the initial project users introduces some of the key findings from a research project. While decidedly earth-bound, the findings provide evidence of the benefits of widening who is involved in producing educational technology. The results suggest that widened access and greater awareness of power can help avoid continued inequality and marginalised knowledge as we look to a future that must include us all.

scholarly journals From crowdsourcing data to network building: Reflections on conducting research in the open

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 323-327
Author(s):  
Katy Jordan
Keyword(s):  
Online Courses ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Completion Rates ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Network Building ◽  
Social Media Tools ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Recent Project

This commentary presents an account of a recent project as an example of engaged research. The project focused on collecting and analysing the completion rates of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). It began informally, through blogging, and developed into a funded research project with formal academic outputs. In addition to its formal outputs, the project is also cited as an example of the benefits of conducting an 'open' research project. This reflective piece tells the story of the project, and discusses the lessons learned about the value of openness and the interplay of different social media tools in the research process.

cMOOCs and Global Learning: An Authentic Alternative

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Yeager ◽  
Betty Hurley-Dasgupta ◽  
Catherine A. Bliss
Keyword(s):  
Online Courses ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Research Review ◽  
Press Coverage ◽  
Open Educational Resource ◽  
Educational Resource ◽  
Global Learning ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Definition Of

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) continue to attract press coverage as they change almost daily in their format, number of registrations and potential for credentialing. An enticing aspect of the MOOC is its global reach. In this paper, we will focus on a type of MOOC called a cMOOC, because it is based on the theory of connectivism and fits the definition of an Open Educational Resource (OER) identified for this special edition of JALN. We begin with a definition of the cMOOC and a discussion of the connectivism on which it is based. Definitions and a research review are followed with a description of two MOOCs offered by two of the authors. Research on one of these MOOCs completed by a third author is presented as well. Student comments that demonstrate the intercultural connections are shared. We end with reflections, lessons learned and recommendations.

scholarly journals DEVELOPMENT A CONTENT MODEL OF TEACHING ARABIC IN MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES (MOOC) AT HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (44) ◽  
pp. 68-80
Author(s):  
Noraina, I Sofia ◽  
Z Ghazali ◽  
Mahazir, I Irwan ◽  
M.H Norfaezah
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Arabic Language ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Teaching Platform ◽  
Content Model

Online learning systems are viewed as a potentially significant platform for learning and teaching (T&L) process during the Covid-19 pandemic that has spread worldwide since December 2019. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) is one of popular online learning platforms used around the world and has gain attention among lecturers nowadays in higher education institutions (HEIs). Due to its features, many institutions as well as in Malaysia started to develop MOOC as learning and teaching platform especially for Arabic language. However, problems that are often faced by Arabic language lecturers are less confident in producing aspects of multimedia teaching content. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to develop the content model of teaching Arabic in MOOC using Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) technique. A total of 14 elements identified by the agreement of 7 experts for the content model of Arabic MOOC which was generated through ISM software. Based on the findings, there are two most important elements; the element of determine topics, objectives, and learning outcomes for students to understand better the purpose of learning and element of ensure course materials use the appropriate type of writing for students' understanding while this model ends with the element of providing comment space to encouraged interaction among learners and lecturers. It is hoped that the study could be a reference and suggestion to Arabic lecturers in using the MOOC as a teaching platform while increase the effectiveness of MOOC implementation in Malaysian higher education institutions.

Lessons Learned Through Massive Open Online Courses

2014 ◽  
pp. 11-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mónica López-Sieben ◽  
Marta Peris-Ortiz ◽  
Jaime Alonso Gómez
Keyword(s):  
Online Courses ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online

scholarly journals TEACHING AN ADVANCED ENGINEERING MOOC: LESSONS LEARNED

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Harris ◽  
William Heikoop ◽  
Allison Van Beek ◽  
James S. Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Online Courses ◽  
Wind Waves ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
The Public ◽  
University Of Toronto ◽  
Internet Connection ◽  
The World ◽  
The University

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) allow anyone in the public to learn from professors at universities across the world. An internet connection is the only requirement to participate in a MOOC. In engineering, the majority of MOOCs are targeted at self-learners, and consequently most courses are based on introductory undergraduate courses. The University of Toronto offered its first advanced engineering MOOC entitled, “Wind, Waves & Tides” based on a mixed fourth-year undergraduate and graduate level course. A total of 11,723 students registered in the course, and 617 students completed the course in its entirety. The following paper describes the experience of teaching a niche interest MOOC and the lessons learned throughout the endeavour.

scholarly journals African-American Youth and Exposure to Community Violence: Supporting Change from the Inside

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Jones Thomas ◽  
Devin Carey ◽  
Kia-Rai Prewitt ◽  
Edna Romero ◽  
Maryse Richards ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
African American ◽  
Community Violence ◽  
African American Youth ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Child Health Outcomes ◽  
Exposure To Community Violence ◽  
Children’S Exposure

Children’s exposure to community violence and its effects on child health outcomes have become a major public health concern in this country, and African-American youth are at greatest risk. Participatory action research, as a vehicle for promoting social justice, is one tool that can be used to address community violence. This article describes the use of focus groups as a way to give African-American youth a voice in providing solutions to violence exposure through the revision of curricula (coping skills and civic engagement). Participants reported a variety of stressors, including exposure to violence, and a lack of coping strategies and adult support for processing violence. Suggestions for curriculum revisions are included. The process of conducting groups, lessons learned from the process, and implications for researchers interested in promoting social justice are discussed.

Internationalising Social Work Education Using Massive Open Online Courses

2015 ◽  
pp. 75-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linette Hawkins ◽  
Jennifer Martin ◽  
Elspeth McKay ◽  
Supriya Pattanayak
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Global Justice ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Delivery Mode ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Work Education ◽  
Quality Learning

Internationalising the curriculum is a priority of universities worldwide and increasingly a focus of social work education. Social workers espouse principles of global justice and community development yet social work in Australia remains locally focused. A review of international and local trends in the literature on ePedagogy and social work education within the context of internationalising the social work curriculum highlights current trends and practices in blended delivery and future opportunities provided by massive open online courses (MOOCs). Consideration of a case study of educational practices in the design and delivery of a community work course in blended delivery mode in Australia and India and via MOOC offering reveals that contemporary educational technologies can facilitate quality learning and teaching experiences. It is argued that increased flexibility in course offerings provides students with greater choice to engage in a range of quality educational experiences that are locally and globally contextualized. This chapter is well placed for the discussion on social networking and collaborative learning MOOCs – building MOOCs communities.

scholarly journals Lessons Learned from Teaching Multiple Massive Open Online Courses in Veterinary Education

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 22-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill Rowan Deans MacKay ◽  
Jessie Paterson ◽  
Victoria Sandilands ◽  
Natalie K Waran ◽  
Bryony Lancaster ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Retention Rate ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
And Performance

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a rapidly expanding avenue of diversification for higher education institutes. MOOC development is varied, individual course teams may have near complete creative control over the content, style, format and aims of their course, or be led by MOOC-specific teams within their institution. A single institute therefore may offer a wide variety of courses from short introductory level discussions to learning outcomes pitched at the postgraduate level. In this study, we examined the performance of four relatively long-running MOOCs offered by Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh: EdiVet Do You Have What It Takes to Be A Veterinarian; Animal Behaviour and Welfare; Chicken Behaviour and Welfare; and Equine Nutrition. Comparisons were made between the format and style of courses, their learning outcomes, and performance metrics such as completion rate, user satisfaction and benefit to institute. Retention was a challenge for all session-based MOOCs, with Chickens being most successful at retaining 50% of its potential audience until the start of Week 3. The average retention rate across all lectures and sessions was 38.5% (±14.08). All courses showed a notable female learner bias far above the Coursera average of 39% (Range Chickens: 58.1% ±3.1, Equine: 79.3% ¬±1.69). The majority of learners were North American or European (Range, Animals: 64.0±0.6, Equine 84.0%±3.0%). Across all courses, over 25% of learners had already achieved a Master’s degree or higher. A qualitative analysis of 188 learner stories revealed an overwhelmingly positive experience, highlighting the quality of resources, a perceived friendly relationship with the course instructors and referencing perceived barriers to education in face to face models. In conclusion, high quality digital resources embedded in well-designed courses can be a powerful tool to widen access to science education, however the MOOC platform does not necessarily reach a wide global audience, and may still struggle to widen participation in higher education, and alternative platforms are worth considering.

scholarly journals Using Photovoice to Examine and Initiate Youth Empowerment in Community-Based Programs

2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 80-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherer W. Royce ◽  
Deborah Parra-Medina ◽  
DeAnne H. Messias
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Geographic Distance ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Community Context ◽  
Youth Empowerment ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Based ◽  
The Power Elite ◽  
Investigative Team

Photovoice is a creative, participatory action research method that puts cameras in the hands of people whose voice is often hushed by the power elite, such as youth, to document issues and concerns as perceived by that group. Adult society provides youth few opportunities to positively influence the laws and regulations that govern their lives or the policies of programs in which they participate. Communitybased programs are one channel for youth to gain skills and opportunities for changing the community context in which they live. Mechanisms to facilitate youth empowerment in these programs, however, are currently vague and imprecise. Photovoice was implemented in two community-based youth programs in South Carolina to examine and initiate youth empowerment in those communities. This article details the process and lessons learned from conducting Photovoice with youth in out-of-school, community-based youth program settings. While roadblocks appeared for both the youth researchers and the universitybased investigative team, the Photovoice method was embraced by the youth who participated in the research process. Some challenges the investigative team experienced for implementation included geographic distance between the Photovoice project facilitator and the youth, challenges of working with youth and their competing commitments, an uncertainty of youth expectations, and underestimation of time and other resources.

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