Seírbhísí TF UCDUCD IT Services

Teams, Time & Tools – A Case Study of the

Design & Implementation of Two MOOCs

Niall Watts

Media Services, UCD IT Services

EdTech 2014, UCD

What is a MOOC?

• Massive

• Open

• Online

• Course

By Mathieu Plourde {(Mathplourde on Flickr) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

MOOC Case Studies

Learning Design

• Systematic Approach to Improving Learning

• Connectivist Philosophy

• Discussion & Peer Feedback

• Team Projects

MOOC Profile - OLDS

“Learning Design Enquiry”

“Incubator for Great Ideas”

Massive?

• 18,000 registrations

• Connectivist Philosophy

• Discussion & Peer Feedback

DNLE OLDS

Participants Registered (approx.) 18,000 2,420

Intended to participate actively N/a 1,169

Approx. Participated actively

(mid-course)

1,800 30

Host country USA UK

% approx. From host country 10% 50%

Age Spread (majority) Adults 45-54

Gender (majority) N/a Female

Participant Goals

• OLDS

– Learn about

• MOOCs

• Learning Design

• Participant Interaction

• DNLE

– Learn about

• MOOCs

• Learning Environments

• Participant Interaction

Open?

DNLE OLDS

Registration Free Free

Prerequisites None None

% working in education 14% Nearly all

Data sharing Some Yes

Duration (weeks) 10 9

Online - Tools

• DNLE

– Own platform

– Asynchronous

• Largely self-contained

• Project tools

• OLDS

– Course website

– Asychronous

• OU Cloudworks

• Google Plus

• Google Groups

• Twitter

• Own choice

• Project tools

– Synchronous

• Google Hangouts

• Project tools

Course - Activities

• x DNLE OLDS

Video Lectures Course Leader Guests

Webinars No Yes

Discussion Forum Yes Yes

Resources Some Many

Individual activities Yes Yes

Team activities Yes Yes

Course Team Small Large

My own teams

Teams

• xx

DNLE OLDS

Members Self-selecting Yes Yes

Team Project Major Significant

Integrated No Yes

Topic team-selected Yes Yes

Duration … from Middle Start

Project Teams Formed 5,300 102

Projects Submitted 864 (16%) 8 (8%)

Evaluation by Peers Course Team

Voting Badges

Comparing MOOCs – Teams, Times & Tools

DNLE OLDS

Recommended hours per week 1-3 Worked for me 3-10 Too many

Daily schedule None Worked for me Yes Too restrictive

Webinars and synchronous activities None Not essential Yes Added engagement

Choice of communication platforms No Worked for me Yes Too many.

Peer feedback Expected Often none Expected Generally Good

Tech Support in Forums Excellent Excellent

Peer evaluation Expected Needs guidelines No Worked for me

Badges awarded by Course Team No Yes Worked for me

Project timescale Separate at

end

Easier to manage Integrated

throughout

MOOC

Authentic design –

difficult to keep

pace

Table 3: Comparison

Successful Teams - Why Small Numbers?

• Team Formation

– Large Numbers

– Expectations

– Match interests

– Form or join?

– Topic expertise

Successful Teams - Why Small Numbers?

• Team Maintenance

– Product & Processes

– Roles & Responsibilities

– Peers - Ability and commitment

– Schedules & deadlines

– Learning Preferences

– Tools & Group Work

Potential team solutions

Solutions

• Trial team activities

• Matching member tools

• Training in feedback & evaluation

• Flexible schedule

• Learning about MOOCs?

Disruption

• Different experience

• Peers & Accreditation

• Still experimenting

• Value of data & projects

• Cost of staying open

“Incubator for

Great Ideas”