1. Delivering
MOOCs
The R(D)SVS Experience
Massive
Open
On-line
Courses

2. Edinburgh Experience
• Signed contract with Coursera in 2011-12
• Provide the VLE
• Variable duration (Usually 5 to 10 weeks)
• Must provide course 3 times over 3 yrs
• Based on:
Building Connections;
Collaborations;
Sharing resources
• New ideas, new resourcing, unknown gain

3. Delivering MOOCs
• Designed for flexibility:
Time
Location
Completion
Entry requirements
Assessment
• Quick turnaround time after sign up
• Availability of convertible material, influenced subject choice

4. • Led by Dr Jo-Anne Murray
assisted by Jayne Roberts, Anne
Stevenson, Joan Kulifay
• Discussion forum formed with over
24, 500 participants
• Course activity:
- 19,000 active students (76 %)
- 5,600 active until the end (30 %)
- Over 98,000 quiz submissions (10 wks)
MOOC in Equine Nutrition

5. Equine Nutrition
• Over 5 weeks of recorded lectures, tutorials
and quizzes
• Lots of teaching assessment resource
required (majority automatic multiple choice)
• Lots of on-line support to monitor boards,
availability for discussions. Availability at
1am and sundays!
• Needs interaction to retain the students!

6. Survey Throughout MOOC
• Surveyed participants on:
- Overall MOOC experience
- Expectations of the course
- Engagement with the course
- Suitability of learning materials
- Interactions on the course
• 4076 respondents to the detailed survey

7. Survey response
• 92 % had not taken a MOOC before
• 12000 (of 24500) had a first degree
Of 4076 detailed responses:
• 50% would consider studying for an on-
line course in similar topic.
• 84 % would take another MOOC
• 98% were satisfied with course content
and delivery – overall well received

8. Tutor’s Experience
• Time consuming & Difficult to step back
• Different type of student
• Raised profile of equine PG course
• Raised tutor profile
• Widened participation
• Knowledge dissemination – 2 papers in
equine nutrition from survey work
• Fun - honestly!

9. MOOCs –lessons learnt
• More time for tech. teething problems
• Availability of staff to deal with majority of
queries and questions at the early hours of
the morning
• Etiquette – need to be clearer from
beginning
• Needs more thought on management of
discussion boards
• Weekly assessment and feedback essential
to maintain interaction

10. MOOCs future in School?
• Follow up questionnaires
• Follow up marketing on related on-line
courses and Masters programmes
• Useful for preparatory courses for
undergraduate?
• Exploring further topics which leads onto
on-line courses
• Sustainability of course demand unclear

11. Thanks to MOOC team
• Equine MOOC team - Jayne, Anne & Joan
Amy Woodgate
Lucy Kendra
Louise Connelly
Jeff Haywood
Principal
• Good Luck for next round in Oct 2013!