1. MOOCs in Question:
Strategic insights from Two Institutional Experiences
Mark Brown & Eamon Costello
Porto, Portugal
27th November, 2014

2. 1. Debate
2. DCU
3. Drivers
4. Deliberations
5. Decisions
Outline…
5Ds

3. 1. DEBATE

4. 1. DEBATE

5. Another Colonialist tool?
1. DEBATE

6. MOOCs are…
• a type of marketing
• a financial policy for higher education
• an academic labor policy
• an expression of Silicon Valley values
• a kind of entertainment media
Peters, M. (2013). Massive Open Online Courses and Beyond: the Revolution to
Come. Truthout, August 17
1. DEBATE

7. A modern digital-era university for the 21st Century
2. DCU

8. “To transform lives and societies through education, research and
innovation”
2. DCU

9. http://www.dcu.ie/nidl
2. DCU

12. Auckland Palmerston North Wellington
Distance
Worldwide
32,000 students
http://www.massey.ac.nz/
2. DCU

13. 2. DCU
https://www.open2study.com

14. 2. DCU
High Level Interest

15. 3. DRIVERS

16. Main drivers…
• Widening Access
• Fostering Culture of Innovation
• Increasing Quality of Online Learning
1st
3. DRIVERS

17. Main drivers…
• Widening Access
• Fostering Culture of Innovation
• Increasing Quality of Online Learning
• Enhancing International Reputation
• Promoting World-class Programmes
• Establishing New International Online Brand
1st
2nd
3. DRIVERS

18. Main drivers…
• Widening Access
• Fostering Culture of Innovation
• Increasing Quality of Online Learning
• Enhancing International Reputation
• Promoting World-class Programmes
• Establishing New International Online Brand
• Assisting Prospective Student Course Selection
• Promoting Online Readiness and Student Retention
1st
2nd
3rd
3. DRIVERS

19. Main drivers…
• Widening Access
• Fostering Culture of Innovation
• Increasing Quality of Online Learning
• Enhancing International Reputation
• Promoting World-class Programmes
• Establishing New International Online Brand
• Assisting Prospective Student Course Selection
• Promoting Online Readiness and Student Retention
• Supporting Research and Shaping Future Developments
1st
2nd
3rd
3. DRIVERS

20. Allan, I., & Seaman, J. (2014). Grade Change: Tracking Online Education in the
United States.
3. DRIVERS

21. 3. DRIVERS

22. 4. DELIBERATIONS

23. Options…
- Open2Study
- ALISION
- Moodle
- EdX
- OER universitas
- Udemy
- Iversity
- OpenUpEd
- FutureLearn
4. DELIBERATIONS

24. Strong Pedagogical Community
Low Brand Awareness
4. DELIBERATIONS
High Brand Awareness
Weak Pedagogical Community

25. Strong Pedagogical Community
Low Brand Awareness
4. DELIBERATIONS
High Brand Awareness
Weak Pedagogical Community

26. Strong Pedagogical Community
Poor Design
4. DELIBERATIONS
Excellent Design
Weak Pedagogical Community

27. Strong Pedagogical Community
Poor Design
4. DELIBERATIONS
Excellent Design
Weak Pedagogical Community

28. 4. DELIBERATIONS
Open to Shaping
Poor Design
Excellent Design
Closed to Shaping

29. Poor Design
4. DELIBERATIONS
Excellent Design
Open to Shaping
Closed to Shaping

30. Poor Design
4. DELIBERATIONS
Excellent Design
Open to Shaping
?
Closed to Shaping

31. 5. DECISIONS

32. Key questions…
• How technically fit for purpose is the platform?
• How pedagogically fit for purpose is the platform?
• How sustainable is the business model for the platform?
• How confident are you in the sustainability of the platform?
• How reputable are the partners associated with the platform?
• How well is the platform suited to supporting academic
readiness?
5. DECISIONS

33. Key questions…
• How strong is the pedagogical community supporting
innovation through the platform?
• How well suited is the platform to promoting the goals of
outreach and wider access to higher education for all?
• What are your measures of success? How well will the
MOOC platform met your success criteria?
• What will be lost if you do nothing? What are the opportunity
costs associated with the specific initiative?
5. DECISIONS

34. Key
Questions
Future
Learn
4. DELIBERATIONS
Open
2Study
Open
UpEd
EdX Moodle Udemy
How technically fit for
purpose is the platform? (3 x 3)
= 9
(3 x 3)
= 9
(3 x 0)
= 0
(3 x 2)
= 6
(3 x 1)
= 3
(2 x 1)
= 2
How pedagogically fit for
purpose is the platform? (3 x 3)
= 9
(3 x 3)
= 9
(3 x 1)
= 3
(3 x 2)
= 6
(3 x 1)
= 3
(3 x 1)
= 3
How confident are you in
the sustainability of the
platform?
(1 x 2)
= 2
(1 x 2)
= 2
(1 x 2)
= 2
(1 x 2)
= 2
(1 x 2)
= 2
(1 x 1)
= 1
How reputable are the
partners associated with
the platform?
(2 x 3)
= 6
(2 x 2)
= 4
(2 x 3)
= 6
(2 x 3)
= 6
(2 x 3)
= 6
(2 x 1)
= 2
How strong is the
pedagogical community
supporting innovation
through the platform?
(2 x 3)
= 6
(2 x 1)
= 2
(2 x 2)
= 4
(2 x 1)
= 2
(2 x 2)
= 4
(2 x 1)
= 2

35. CONCLUSION

36. In sum…
1. Understand your drivers
2. Your money needs to be on the mission
3. Sum of whole is greater than the individual parts
CONCLUSION

37. In sum…
1. Understand your drivers
2. Your money needs to be on the mission
3. Sum of whole is greater than the individual parts
CONCLUSION
Defensive or Offensive

38. Contact Details
mark.brown@dcu.ie
@mbrownz
eamon.costello@dcu.ie
http://www.slideshare.net/mbrownz
@eam0