Walden University introduces Tempo Learning

Offering nation’s first competency-based MS in Early Childhood Studies program using direct assessment model

Walden University is introducing Tempo Learning, a self-paced educational experience for students who want to earn their degree on their terms.

The initial program offered through Tempo Learning is the new competency-based MS in Early Childhood Studies with a specialization in Administration, Management and Leadership.

University representatives say it is the nation’s first online competency-based master’s program in early childhood using a direct assessment model. The program is approved by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC).…Read More

Adaptive engineering course opens up engineering fundamentals to all

Free online course aims to improve outcomes in engineering education

The University of New South Wales Australia and adaptive learning provider Smart Sparrow have unveiled what they call the world’s first-ever open adaptive engineering course designed to unlock access to high-quality courses for learners of all backgrounds.

The course, Through Engineers’ Eyes: Engineering Mechanics by Experiment, Analysis and Design, was developed by Professor Gangadhara Prusty and Robin Ford, a retired Associate Professor, both from the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing at UNSW. It is the first Engineering MOOC to leverage Adaptive Technology.

Adaptive Tutorials built on the Smart Sparrow platform have been incorporated to engage students with real-life simulations and personalised course materials, addressing the low completion rates in MOOCs and high failure rates in introductory engineering.…Read More

Learning Differences MOOC might help educators target instruction

Educators are constantly challenged to meet diverse learning needs, report notes

Despite their passion for teaching and commitment to the field, educators around the world – with varying years of experience, teaching different subjects, at different levels, in a variety of contexts – are continually challenged to meet the diverse learning needs of their students.

A new report suggests that the Learning Differences Massive Open Online Course for Educators (MOOC-Ed), provided by the Friday Institute for Education Innovation at NC State University, may help teachers around the world advance their knowledge of learning differences and better meet the learning needs of their students.

Written by researchers on the Friday Institute’s evaluation team, What’s the Value of a Learning Differences MOOC-Ed? analyzes how participants found value in the course using a “value creation framework” developed by Etienne Wenger, Beverly Trayner, and Maarten De Laat (2011). They suggest that, in order to appreciate the richness of the value created by learning communities or networks such as MOOC-Eds, it is helpful to think about value creation in terms of cycles.…Read More

Can social media enhance the MOOC experience?

Researchers say ‘yes,’ but only when taking into consideration 3 key issues.

Though social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are extremely popular for communication and collaboration—even among academics—when applied to online learning, course designers must understand that providing more options for communication without integration is not always best.

This is the main finding of a recent study conducted by academics in Australia that surveyed over 150 participants on their opinions of using social media as part of a 2014 MOOC for educators on designing their own online and blended teaching materials. [More on the detailed methodology can be found in the full report.] The MOOC, called “Carpe Diem” (CD), had just over 1,000 participants, a high level of engagement and completion, and included the use of hosting platform CourseSites’ LMS, as well as Twitter and Facebook for online communication and collaboration.

Outside of the structure LMS, the Facebook group moderators guided participants to ask question about the CD MOOC, seek practical help, communicate and discuss issues around work tasks, and share links to online group work and resources. Twitter was used by both the CD MOOC team and participants to share practical information and resources, while also encouraging participants to share their thoughts.…Read More

Coursera launches project-based courses

Students can create a business model, infographic, Android app, or comic book in applied project-based courses

project-based-coursesIn a Feb. 11 blog post, Coursera announced it is offering 12 new project-based courses in topics from persuasive writing to computer construction.

The blog post references research showing that tackling real-life challenges is a powerful way to master new content, improve general problem-solving abilities, and prepare for increasingly difficult tasks.

In a project-based course, students can master content efficiently by applying new concepts to a real-world project as they learn, the blog post explains. Students will receive guidance and suggestions from an instructor and a community of learners with similar goals, and when they complete the course, they’ll have a finished project to use and share.…Read More

What should MOOC quality standards look like?

Research delves into issues when trying to gauge instructional and design quality in MOOCs for credit.

MOOC-quality-standards

[Editor’s note: We originally reported that QM was under iNACOL, though it is a separate set of standards.]

As more institutions consider offering MOOCs for credit, often the MOOCs provided by third-party platforms, researchers say it’s imperative to gauge instructional and design effectiveness…but how, and with what quality standards?…Read More

Can MOOCs be a successful alternative for community colleges?

Why the MOOC hype could still be real; and the power of pairing with analytics and big data.

MOOC-community-collegesFirst offered in 2011 at Stanford, modern MOOCs were primarily computer science courses made open to anyone with an internet connection. It didn’t take long for the concept to catch on, and soon MOOCs were more pervasive and being touted as the future for higher education.

While that hype has not panned out, MOOCs did find a good foothold in our nation’s community colleges, where online classes provide scheduling flexibility for nontraditional students dealing with life demands; lower-cost options for students who need more cost-effective alternatives; or a stop-gap remedial solution for students needing help to fill in holes in their educational backgrounds.

That last use case has proven to be a top priority for community colleges across the nation. When I was the Director of Enterprise Services for Virginia’s Community Colleges, improving student success was a cornerstone strategic goal for the community colleges. Community colleges face unique challenges with student success: in the U.S., at least 50 percent of entrants need at least one year of developmental education in order to be prepared for entry-level college courses. MOOCs offer the possibility of allowing students to improve their basic skills and test into college‐level courses without having to pay for remedial classes.…Read More

Can blended learning reach superstar status with MOOCs?

Compilation of case studies that describe use of MOOCs as part of blended learning provides insights into new potential for massive online courses.

blendedThe verdict may still be out on the effectiveness of MOOCs on their own to improve learning outcomes and bring value to an institution, but could MOOCs have a more definitive positive impact in a blended or hybrid model; specifically, as incorporated in traditional, face-to-face courses?

To try and help answer this question, Maria Joseph Israel, School of Education, University of San Francisco, reviewed five recent college and university experiments that used MOOCs in a blended format in traditional classroom settings, and synthesized the findings into challenges and opportunities presented by this MOOC integration.

“Of late, a growing number of researchers, teachers, colleges, and universities have begun to report integrating MOOCs in a traditional classroom setting to support face-to-face learning experiences in a blended format,” writes Israel. “Understanding its intricacies can promote further research as well as assist improving the design of future MOOCs, and inform useful strategies for similar implementation by others.”…Read More

Most Popular of 2015, No. 6: 5 massive MOOC lessons learned by colleges and universities

Recent best practices and research from adventurous, innovative colleges and universities yield 5 takeaways about MOOC implementation.

MOOC-online-learned[Editor’s note: Based off of Google Analytics, this story was our sixth most popular article. It was originally published on Aug. 11, 2015.]

Love them or hate them, MOOCs are still a popular option among college and universities. Yet, only the institution that takes note of MOOC evolution via trial-and-error will be able to effectively harness the multiple campus and student benefits offered by this notorious mode of online learning.

After reviewing recent studies, best practices, and research reports over the last two years as published by eCampus News, there are five major takeaways from the MOOC implementation boom, which could potentially help students, professors, and campus marketing better take advantage of what MOOCs originally aimed to do for higher education: increase access to education, increase student engagement, and promote branding of the institution—all without adding an unmanageable financial burden to the institutional budget.…Read More

Is there more to a MOOC than its completion rate?

University sees measurable success outside of traditional standards of academic course success.

MOOC-completion-rateSignificant return-on-financial-investment (ROFI), massive social networking momentum, and thousands of downloads of one University’s MOOC have led experts to conclude that their MOOC initiative is a home-run success—a success that has nothing to do with completion rates.

Having the benefit of jumping into the MOOC game more recently than a number of other institutions, Kennesaw State University (KSU) began their exploration into MOOCs as the University System of Georgia (USG) entered into a state-university partnership with Coursera to leverage technology as part of Complete College Georgia. KSU simultaneously began an exploration into what the University calls MOOC-Institutional-Fit to better identify the role of MOOCs at the institution.

However, leadership in charge of evaluating MOOCs for the University realized something that perhaps other institutions may not have considered: completion rates are not necessarily the main indicator of success.…Read More

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