It may be a fun word to say, but that little acronym is changing how we approach education. I took my first MOOC this fall (a programming course), and as a student, it was a worthwhile experience. I’m also signed up to take the E-Learning and Digital Cultures course that starts at the end of January (and will most likely be wrapping up during the camp).
I’d like to convene a discussion group at camp around MOOCs to discuss our experiences with them (as student, instructor and librarian). Some possible topics for discussion include (we certainly do not have to limit ourselves to these topics):
1. How has experience in a MOOC changed your approach to library instruction or reference service?
2. What MOOC platforms work best for learning? What would be your ideal MOOC platform?
3. What should the future business model of the MOOC be? Paid? Free? Hybrid?
4. What subjects do you feel lend themselves best to the MOOC? Why?
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Sarah Becker
January 11, 2013 at 8:32 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
5. Can students receive credit for MOOCs? Will they complete a non-credit course?
6. Will libraries sponsor MOOCs for library and technology training?
Thanks for the proposal, Kate.
Kate Kosturski
January 11, 2013 at 8:35 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
There’s some discussion around question #5, particularly how it could be a source of revenue for Coursera. See: www.nytimes.com/2013/01/07/education/massive-open-online-courses-prove-popular-if-not-lucrative-yet.html
libraries2013
January 14, 2013 at 3:33 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Very interested in this relevant and timely topic. I’ll be taking E-Learning and Digital Cultures too, looking forward to sharing about the experience.
Julia Hayton
January 24, 2013 at 9:35 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I’m also very interested in MOOCs, and how librarians and libraries can participate, and I’m also taking E-Learning and Digital Cultures.
7. How can colleges and universities fold MOOCs into their own curricula, and what role could librarians and professors play in this process?
8. How can people interested in or working with MOOCs “curate” MOOCs? What criteria could be used to evaluate MOOCs, and how could student evaluations be structured? (This would be necessary for colleges and universities making MOOCs part of their courses, and it would be a challenge to fit the evaluation of a MOOC into most existing course evaluation systems.
9. How can public libraries take advantage of MOOCs? Could public librarians offer assistance with MOOCs and organize students taking MOOCs, similarly to how public libraries facilitate continuing education?
10. How many times do you have to type MOOC before it stops looking like a word?I’m really looking forward to this discussion.
Amanda Rust
February 11, 2013 at 9:46 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
There was also some interesting discussion at the recent Modern Language Association convention in Boston about if / how MOOCs get sort of lumped in with Digital Humanities, even though many folks in DH might have a relatively wary and critical view of MOOCs. (This should be a fruitful topic!)
Amanda Rust
February 11, 2013 at 9:49 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
The perils of typing on an iPad — hit post too soon. I meant to finish with: this should be a fruitful topic! MOOCs tie into a lot of interesting discussions of teaching and learning, course design, and public humanities.
Kate
February 11, 2013 at 9:54 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I’m also looking to tie in the “don’t let this happen to you” aspect since Coursera recently shut one of their courses down since it grew into an out of control mess: www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/02/05/mooc_meltdown_coursera_course_on_fundamentals_of_online_education_ends_in.html
libraries2013
February 25, 2013 at 5:01 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Kate Kosturski‘s notes:
www.evernote.com/pub/kateycp2k/thatcamplibraries2013#b=c74a063f-b3e7-42bb-b6a1-4e5cc28f1ad9&st=p&n=f6510f78-5b9d-4dd7-bf1e-e07628c7aaed