Designing for Learning in a MOOC: A Pedagogical Model in Disguise

Claire Leonie Donald,Elizabeth Ramsay,Inken Joerg

doi:10.14297/jpaap.v5i3.287

Claire Leonie Donald, Elizabeth Ramsay + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.14297/jpaap.v5i3.287

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Abstract

This paper describes a recently developed MOOC on introductory statistics from the perspective of the educators, learning designers and learners. It portrays their experiences of the learning design, both as process and product, and compares the teaching intentions inherent in the learning design to the experience of teaching and learning on the MOOC for the first two years of its implementation. We describe the pedagogical model, ‘disguised’ beneath the surface functionality and steps of the MOOC platform, and how it frames some of the planned learning sequences. Reflecting on the teaching, learning and design features of this highly structured MOOC, we share the lessons learned about designing for learning and teaching that pertain to MOOC environments, and those that apply to other contemporary university classrooms.

Highlights

In recent years the deployment of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) has come under close scrutiny by tertiary administrators and educators, as thousands of learners engage with hundreds of MOOCs offered by tertiary institutions worldwide (Shrivastava & Guiney, 2014)
One main aim of this paper is to describe the pedagogical model for the D2I MOOC, for learning designers and educators to assess whether it can be applied sustainably to other MOOC designs
We compromised on some fundamental learning design principles while aiming to deliver a high quality MOOC that would be fit for purpose

Summary

Introduction

Topic presentation Learning objective Explanation (video, images, text, focus questions) Illustrated transcripts. With the ‘comments’ feature active alongside each weekly glossary, some learners expressed their appreciation of this early ‘heads up’ or introduction to unfamiliar terms, while others found it to be premature, thinking they were required to learn the definitions out of context They needed assurance from the educators that the explanation of the glossary terms early on was for reference purposes and that they would be explained in context as the lesson sequence unfolded. We were encouraged to see that this strategy of testing for false rather than true items was listed among the learning design guidelines for writing good quiz questions on the FutureLearn Partners website, with reference to the D2I course, soon after the first course run. I was very honored to have Chris and Tracey reply to my questions and comments on the occasions when I was less sure...

Findings

Conclusion and lessons learned