An Analysis of Different MOOC Environments from the Students’ Perspective Vlad Mihaescu, Diana Andone, Radu Vasiu paper for eMOOCs 2016 Conference in Graz

1. An Analysis of Different MOOC Environments
from the Students’ Perspec>ve
Vlad Mihaescu, Dr. Diana Andone, Prof. Radu Vasiu
Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania
h#p://www.slideshare.net/diando70/
eMOOCs
Graz 22-24 February 2016
@diando70

2. NMC Horizon 2015
h#p://www.nmc.org/pdf/2015-horizon-he-
preview.pdf
What are the challenges/trends for HE in mid-size countries,
non-English speaking students?

3. What are the challenges/trends for HE in mid-size countries,
non-English speaking students?
h#p://www.nmc.org/
publicaKon/nmc-horizon-
report-2016-higher-
educaKon-ediKon/

4. h#ps://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/publicaKon/eur-scienKfic-and-technical-research-reports/promoKng
effecKve-digital-age-learning-european-framework-digitally-competent-educaKonal
PromoKng EffecKve Digital-Age Learning - JRC Science Report

5. cMOOCs
cMOOCs
Connect
Network
Learner-centered
Peer founded
OERs, xMOOCs
xMOOCs
PlaZorm
Academic oriented
Assessment
Linear

6. New OPEN life long learning student
Today students will learn independent and
digital all their life
21st century skills

7. New OPEN life long learning student
Are they ready to idenKfy, access, learn,
analyse, apply, pracKce new knowledge across
different media, informaKon, communicaKon,
tools as to enhance their skills and develop
their careers?
In tradiKonal Higher educaKon do we prepare
them for this?

8. Flipped classroom with OER and MOOCs
• Use of OERs
• IntegraKng MOOCs
• InternaKonal co-
operaKon for in
class acKviKes
• Opening educaKon
• Online study skills
for students
• cMOOCs

9. Flipped classroom & blended learning
• Giving students more opportuniKes to work
collecKvely
• new methods of teaching STEM subjects and
new approaches to engineering educaKon
• Online Study skills for students’ lifelong
learning
• Awareness and experimentaKon in a (some-
what) supervised environment

10. IntegraKng MOOCs in UPT, Romania
• 5 professors
• 11 courses at UG and Master level
• Since 2013
• MOOCs used as OER, course addiKonal
resources, project work
• Some students a#ended 2 courses with
MOOCs integraKon as a flipped classroom &
blended learning model

11. MOOCs for Master students in
Mul>media Technologies
Study for 9 months – Spring 2014, Autumn 2014,
also in autumn 2015
To a#end acKvely a MOOC of their choice, related
to course subject, comment, produce a report and
analyze
– 25% final mark

12. MOOCs for Master students in
Mul>media Technologies
• MOOCs & OERs: Course addiKonal resources and project
work
• Students own selecKon of the a#ended MOOCs
• CVUPT - University VLE- blog, wiki for discussions and
analyse
• Students submi#ed final evaluaKon report of their
experience in MOOCs, following the topics: the technical
environment, the plaQorm usability, quality of learning
materials, acKviKes performed and communicaKon tools
• Online quesKonnaire and in-class discussion

13. MOOCs for Master students in
Mul>media Technologies
• 33% live MOOCs
• 93 % completed
• 87 % previously a#ended another MOOC
• Online discussion in course blog, wiki and face-
to-face
• EvaluaKon as a MOOC course report
(instrucKonal and technological)
• Students’ percepKon of MOOCs technical
environment and usability

14. Figure 1. The plaZorms used by the students from the Master of
MulKmedia Technologies
Coursera
22%
udemy
17%
Udacity
12%
FutureLearn
12%
Iversity
10%
Saylor
8%
open2study
8%
other
8%
EdX
3%

15. PlaQorm
User-
Friendly
Intui>ve
Easy to
use
AYrac>ve
Simple
structure
Sugges>ve
icons and
colors
Connect
with social
media
Coursera yes yes yes N/A yes yes yes
udemy yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Udacity yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
FutureLearn yes N/A yes N/A yes N/A N/A
Iversity yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Saylor no no no N/A N/A N/A N/A
open2study N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A yes
Khan Academy N/A N/A N/A yes N/A N/A yes
EdX yes yes yes yes N/A yes N/A
Table 1. Technical analysis of different MOOCs plaZorms

16. PlaQorm
Material
Addi>onal
info
Videos
Tes>ng
Language
Cer>ficate
Prerequiremen
t
Progress
Color coding
Coursera
different
formats
would be
required
yes
can be
downloaded,
modify the
speed
ques>onnaires
, quizzes,
weekly
assignments,
exam,
individual and
group projects
sub>tles in
other
languages,
courses in
other
languages
Respect
deadlines
, Verified
Cer>ficat
e
some yes yes
EdX
Pleasant
and
aYrac>ve
yes
Interac>ve
transcript
final test,
quizzes
N/A yes N/A yes
N/A
Udemy
Very
useful ,
explanator
y
yes
Good quality,
can’t
download,
autoplay
op>on
Intermediary
and final test,
quizzes
N/A yes N/A yes
N/
A
Future
Learn
not stuffed,
clear terms
externa
l links
very good
weekly, short
test
N/A N/A N/A yes
N/
A
SecKon from Table 2. Learning materials analysis of different MOOC plaZorms

17. Students’ analyse of MOOCs plaQorm
ü Iversity
ü online CVs
ü private workspaces
ü archives of online resources.
ü create course resources
ü add annotaKons to the course material.
ü Some courses are equated with ECTS credits.
ü Coursera
ü informaKon is received weekly
ü “Join a Meetup”
ü ‘Course Material Errors’
ü ‘Technical Issues’
ü Verified CerKficate + Coursera SpecializaKon
ü Hints in quizzes

18. Students’ analyse of MOOCs plaQorm
ü Khan Academy
ü Real Kme code analysis
ü Popups arer mistakes
ü Energy points + mascot
ü Open2study
ü Periodical tesKng
ü Medals and keys.
ü Udacity
ü InteracKve quizzes
ü Hints in quizzes
ü Focus on discussions
ü Live streaming sessions
ü Paid: extra in-class projects, feedback, code analysis, a tutor
for guidance, personalized simulaKon support and a
cerKficate.

19. Students’ analyse of MOOCs plaQorm
ü Udemy
ü Creators get a lot of help
ü TesKng team vets the course
ü Discount coupons
ü At least 30 min of video (2-15 min)
ü Video thumbnails
ü “wish-list”.
ü Self-compleKon check
ü Test reports
ü EdX
ü Last visualized acKvity
ü Transcript
ü Easy to navigate

20. Students’ analyse of MOOCs plaQorm
ü Saylor
ü members of the academic community
ü Course revision commission
ü ePorZolio required for a cerKficate
ü Badges – Mozilla FoundaKon & HASTAC
ü “how to work through the program”
ü “Time advisory”
ü CreaKve Commons A#ribuKon license
ü auto evaluaKon tests and proposed homework

21. Students’ analyse of MOOCs plaQorm
ü Advantages: adapKve, progress bar, learn in
ones rhythm, interacKvity, accessibility,
flexibility, comfort
ü Disadvantages: lack of a gradebook, technical
issues, difficulty, lack of informaKon, long
videos, diploma

22. IntegraKng MOOCs in HE course
acKviKes and pedagogical benefits
Ac>vi>es in the HE course (in CVUPT) Pedagogical benefits
Face-to-face acKviKes
Discussions for deeper understanding of
the course topics/requirements
Learner-centric teaching
Feedback on assignments
Online acKviKes on
CVUPT
Follow course materials
Self-paced study for different
learning styles, enhanced focus
and a#enKon
Discussions of OER, MOOCs and CC
licenses
Openness to/culture of
knowledge-sharing and re-use,
exploitaKon of the OER
movement benefits, criKcal
thinking
Project work: online course/ training /
ICT help development
CollaboraKon in local learning
community

23. Ac>vi>es in the HE course (in
CVUPT)
Pedagogical benefits
Group work Online course project
Skills for collaborative work: challenge
assumptions, delegate roles and
responsibilities, share diverse
perspectives, find effective peers to
emulate, collaborative tools usage
MOOC
Study MOOC materials (short
videos, podcasts, presentations)
and answer to corresponding
quizzes
Self-paced/active learning
Solve assessments Retrieval learning, gamification
Evaluation of peer assignments
Peer-assessment, assuming objectivity
and responsibility
Discussions / feedback in MOOC
forums
Participation in global learning
communities, instant feedback
MOOC selection
Skills for continuing and for learning
autonomy, self-assessment of learning
objectives

24. For students:
• autonomy in assessing their own learning needs for
choosing the MOOCs in which to parKcipate
• New digital skills
• Developing study skills for lifelong learning
• InteracKon and collaboraKon
• the curated use of informaKon
– analyze & synthesize
Benefits/Challenges of MOOCs
integra>on in flipped classrooms

25. ContradicKons & Challenges
• For teachers:
• to oppose uniformity and self-sufficiency
New skills and tasks:
• complex course design/management
• OERs and MOOCs curaKng
• New evaluaKon and assessments methods
• New digital skills
Image: h#p://www.spafuturethinking.com/blog/

26. Wicked
• eliminaKng the confusion with distance, blended,
MOOCs, open educaKon, – it is just 21st century
learning
• for MOOCs in HE facilitators, prior experience in
designing and running online courses is needed
• a strategy for assessment
• Credits transfer
• Quality - validaKon
• Strategy for co-operaKon (virtual mobility,
Erasmus, etc)

27. Discussions
1. What examples of good pracKces regarding
MOOCs do you implement for your students?
2. Which would be the best structure for such a
MOOC pilot experience?
3. How important are such endeavours for a “non-
MOOC” country?
#eMOOCs2016

28. ENGAGE

29. Make learning OPEN
h#p://rubyforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Weakness_Strength.jpg

30. CONTACT
Dr. Diana Andone
Director
e-Learning Center
Email: diana.andone@upt.ro
Web
Elearning.upt.ro/diana.andone
@diando70
h#p://www.slideshare.net/diando70/
EDEN Fellow 2011
eMOOCs, Graz, 2016
@mihaescuvlad
Vlad Mihaescu
Vlad.mihaescu@cm.upt.ro