Canning, Susan

Gleave, Terry

Prescott, Denise

University of Liverpool Repository

MATCHING PEDAGOGY TO PRACTICE : ADAPTING TO COVID 19AND BEYOND; MOVING A PHYSIOLOGY MOOC TO ON DEMANDSTATUST. Gleave, S. Canning, D. PrescottUniversity of Liverpool (UNITED KINGDOM)AbstractIntroduction:Interactive digital technologies have become an increasingly important tool within HE (Bayeck, 2016),and over recent years, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) emerged as a conduit to widen accessto higher education, allowing students from different backgrounds, to access educational materials andlearning opportunities (Wintrup et al, 2015). Consequently, there has been a growing trend of creatingMOOCs targeted at those who have not yet entered University, and whom often feel underprepared forthe experience (Lambert, 2019). An introductory Physiology MOOC aimed at 16-19-year-old studentswas developed at the University of Liverpool in collaboration with The Physiological Society UK. Theinitial project aim was to create an innovative and interactive e-learning environment; enhancing thestudent experience through better preparation for those who intend to study Physiology or a relatedsubject at degree level. It consisted of three weeks of content focussed on the respiratory,cardiovascular, and neurological systems. The MOOC materials comprised of educational videos,exercises, quizzes, articles and discussion amongst peers and course facilitators. At the end of eachweek there was a review of materials, to allow those taking the course to reflect upon theirunderstanding. An evaluation of each delivery was conducted focussing on demographics, achievement,engagement, and feedback.Impact of the pandemic:From March 2020 onwards, COVID induced circumstances had a marked impact on education deliveryand learning across multiple interfaces. Schools and universities were forced to close, or transition toremote learning, disrupting the traditional education system. This sudden shift created significantchallenges for students, teachers, and parents. The closure of schools resulted in increased probabilitiesof widespread learning loss, as students struggled with the limitations of online education. Many lackedaccess to necessary technology, and in some cases to internet connectivity; exacerbating existinginequalities. The shift to remote learning also posed social and emotional challenges, as studentsmissed out on in-person interactions, extracurricular activities, and support systems. Furthermore, thepandemic highlighted the importance of teachers and their essential role in education. Educators facedimmense pressure to adapt their teaching methods and create engaging online content. They had toquickly learn new digital tools and find innovative ways to deliver lessons effectively.At the request of secondary school partners and in partnership with FutureLearn we repurposed ourintroductory Physiology MOOC to serve as an on- demand learning resource, which educators could useto support their requirements. We talk about the steps taken to provide a MOOC which was self-supporting, whilst maintaining a community learning environment. The presentation also provides acomparison of pre-pandemic and post March 2020 MOOC usage and evaluation. Finally, we reflect onlearner landscape remodelling and what this may mean for education in the future.Keywords: MOOC, Pandemic effect, Repurposing digital materials.Proceedings of INTED2024 Conference 4th-6th March 2024, Valencia, SpainISBN: 978-84-09-59215-90392

MATCHING PEDAGOGY TO PRACTICE : ADAPTING TO COVID 19 AND BEYOND; MOVING A PHYSIOLOGY MOOC TO ON DEMAND STATUS

http://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3179396/1/GLEAVE2024MAT.pdf

MATCHING PEDAGOGY TO PRACTICE : ADAPTING TO COVID 19 AND BEYOND; MOVING A PHYSIOLOGY MOOC TO ON DEMAND STATUS

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