[reedyreedles]

Hi Nick,

Including MOOCs in the PGCert is an interesting option. I guess the key question is what you want to get out of the experience (for your learners that is)…

If it’s the experience of (not entirely revolutionary) online learning and participating in online fora/communities of practice, etc, then MOOCs can be good.

If it’s openness in education, then I’d possibly look elsewhere. MOOCs appear to be only open in access, and not in the other aspects required (as per Schaffert & Geser’s suggestions) e.g. Licensing, Software and Format. One of my favourite quotes is from Hilton et al. (2010) suggesting, ‘‘openness is not like a light switch that is either ‘on’ or ‘off’. Rather, it is like a dimmer switch, with varying degrees of openness’’.

I’d suggest MOOCs would be a fairly dimmed light 🙂

I’ve blogged more about this and tried to visualise it a bit more here – http://scieng-elearning.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/visualising-openness.html

So having a clear reason as to why you want learners to access MOOCs would be the first thing to figure out. I suspect the answers would flow from there. Happy to discuss and contribute further off list if you want.

P

@reedyreedles

[reedyreedles]

Hi Andrew,

I do recognise retention issues as a problem when buying en masse for learners, but I have to disagree on the BYOD points you make I’m afraid, for a number of reasons.

Essentially, ‘we’ can’t fully embed certain activities into the curriculum unless all learners can have an equivalent experience. So for example, I can’t develop a course centered around an iBook (iOS only) if half of my students don’t have iPads. That’s the biggest challenge to the BYOD approach – learning has to be equitable for all students. I certainly wouldn’t be happy paying £9000 per year if I couldn’t access the course materials OR had to go out and spend another £500 in order to do so.

Also, you can’t overestimate the digital literacies of post grad learners. Although they may be working professionals, it in no way implies they have (and can use) the devices you mention. I’ve supported a lot of Masters level courses in the past (for example in Health & Social Care topics), and a lot of the students are professionals (e.g. nurses) but may not have engaged with gadgets for 20 years. Their children might have laptops, iPads, etc, but they often don’t, and wouldn’t know where to start if they did have access to them.

Peter

 

[reedyreedles]

Hi Jamila,

I think iPads (and tablets in general) have lots of potential. What frustrates me though, is when I see schools/colleges/universities buying iPads for students with no real idea as to how they might be used – you know, when they’re bought purely as a sweetener to get positive feedback from students. BUT, when their use is thought out and planned, there is lots of use, whether that be to manage/organise yourself (as a learner or teacher), or through dedicated apps to support/enhance learning.

Anyway, hope you enjoy #ocTEL.

Peter (@reedyreedles)

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