How to design for persistence and retention in MOOCs?

Design of educational interventions is typically carried out following a design cycle involving phases of investigation, conceptualization, prototyping, implementation, execution and evaluation. This cycle can be applied at different levels of granularity e.g. learning activity, module, course or programme. In this paper we consider an aspect of learner behavior that can be critical to the success of many MOOCs i.e. their persistence to study, and the related theme of learner retention. We reflect on the impact that consideration of these can have on design decisions at different stages in the design cycle with the aim of en-hancing MOOC design in relation to learner persistence and retention, with particular attention to the European context

Power and the Platform: A Phenomenological Approach to Understanding Rhetoric and Politics in Composition Massive Open Online Courses

In the changing landscape of complex networks for free, open education, MOOCs – or massive open online courses – have been touted by some scholars as a recent breakthrough that will transform pedagogical approaches in the future. As we celebrate this year the 20th anniversary of Cynthia and Richard Selfe’s landmark article, “The Politics of the Interface,” our attention should be directed to studying the maps of MOOC interfaces as educational, political, and ideological borderlands. By featuring the findings from a cyber-autoethnographic study that involves a critical-analytical examination on a myriad of composition MOOCs offered by Duke University, Ohio State University, and Georgia Institute of Technology, this thesis reveals current MOOC interfaces as a Western-centric, monocultural structures, and problematizes the kinds of borders established and maintained in MOOCs. By identifying the presence and effects of cultural and infrastructural dominance in MOOCs, this thesis examines ways in which students and teachers can establish new discursive domains within MOOC interfaces. Following a phenomenological methodology, which embodies self-consciousness as a central research experience, I reflect on my own attitudes and feelings about the process of observation and analysis to draw inferences of a writer-scholar’s engagement with MOOC interfaces. Instead of simply blindly rejecting or embracing MOOCs as the “next big thing” in education, I delve deeply into their interfaces to show how they conceal their power structure as a way to open up conversations about power and its exercise in computer interface design

“Clinical Supervision with Confidence”: Exploring the potential of MOOCs for faculty development

Background: Postgraduate medical trainees require named clinical supervisors. Given the time pressures and difficulties of geographical access, there is a need to identify appropriate solutions for faculty development. We developed and launched a clinical supervision MOOC (FutureLearn platform) in March 2015. Objective: To assess the potential of the clinical supervision MOOC for faculty development. Methods: Quantitative data was obtained from FutureLearn course analytics and course surveys; qualitative data was obtained from learner feedback within the MOOC. Results: Learners (1,938) from over 75 countries signed up for the MOOC. Of the 899 individuals who began the course, 334 (37.2%) completed. Learners were highly satisfied with the course design and delivery, and enjoyed the opportunities for interprofessional and social learning. Conclusions: MOOCs have great potential for faculty development without geographical boundaries

Using Quick Response Codes with Videos in the Laboratory

Using QR codes to access low-cost, educational, short videos in engineering laboratory classes might be a successful way of building a bridge from concrete to digital content. With QR codes placed on the apparatus, students will know exactly which video to watch. The scanned QR codes can be saved, enabling students to watch them again while performing the experiment or at home. Low-cost videos do not require expensive equipment and software, and keeping the videos short assures a minimum download time, making them compatible for use with smartphones and tablets. The aim of this research is to evaluate the importance undergraduate engineering students attribute to these videos and their reaction to the possibility of accessing them with QR codes scanned by a smartphone or a tablet. Results show students attributed some importance to the videos, and that the QR codes are very helpful as means to quickly and easily access the videos.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio