Genres in the MOOCology of Writing

2016 ◽  
pp. 53-68
Author(s):  
Jason Chew Kit Tham
Keyword(s):  
Online Courses ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Cloud Services ◽  
Brick And Mortar ◽  
Rhetorical Systems ◽  
Conventional Models ◽  
Instruction And Learning ◽  
Complex Relationships ◽  
Ecology Of Learning

With constant emergence of cloud services and platforms for learning at a global scale, the field of education is in the midst of exploring and adapting to new pedagogical features afforded by these environments. Among the most debated is the development of MOOCs, short for massive open online courses, which pose questions to the traditional brick-and-mortar teaching model and implore new ways for instruction and learning. While some studies have looked at the effectiveness of MOOCs as a mode of delivery, there still lacks a genre approach to analyzing MOOCs as socio-rhetorical systems that have complex relationships with other social entities in the larger ecology of learning. With an eye toward how writing is taught and learned in the MOOC context, I investigate the kinds of course genre invented or reimagined by the cloud technologies and pedagogies afforded by MOOCs, and how those affordances facilitate writing instruction. Specifically, I use Activity Theory to highlight the genre activities specific to two composition MOOCs. By situating these MOOCs as activity systems, I offer an informed observation on the genre components affecting how students learn about writing in MOOC settings. These insights lead to numerous pedagogical implications, including the need to treat MOOCs as an emerging learning ecology that is different from conventional models.

Audience, User, Producer

2017 ◽  
pp. 254-277
Author(s):  
Jason Chew Kit Tham
Keyword(s):  
Social Learning ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Activity Theory ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Technological Design ◽  
Design Philosophy ◽  
Large Complex ◽  
Rhetorical Systems ◽  
Ecology Of Learning

While some studies have looked at the suitability of MOOCs as an emerging mode of delivery, many seem to miss the mark on the question of usability in the MOOC context. Without a clear understanding of user roles in MOOCs, it will be challenging for course providers to evaluate the effectiveness of their designed systems and thus may negatively impact MOOC participants' experience with the course platform. With an eye toward a user-centered technological design philosophy, this chapter situates MOOCs as socio-rhetorical systems within a large complex ecology of learning. Through the lens of Activity Theory, I investigate the intricate roles of audience, user, and producer that MOOC participants play interchangeably while scrutinizing the relationships between these roles in an online social learning environment.

What is Best for the Learner?

2015 ◽  
pp. 142-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carole A. Bagley ◽  
Janet Weisenford
Keyword(s):  
Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Training Design ◽  
Educational Training ◽  
Education Practice ◽  
Learner Performance ◽  
Multiple Factors ◽  
On Line ◽  
Instruction And Learning

Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs are increasing in use by universities, corporations and other organizations. The quality of instruction and learning is an ongoing topic of debate as to whether MOOCs are effective for learning. What is best for the learner is determined by multiple factors. This chapter looks at what is best for the learner and whether MOOCs are the answer. The authors examine each of the factors that impact what is best for the learner. Each of the factors (accessibility, cost to the learner, quality of instructional design, learner performance, and acquiring on-line collaboration methods and resources) are described and are followed by a discussion of the issues, controversies and problems associated with each factor. This chapter takes up the discussion on the book section ‘RIA and education practice of MOOCs,' with the particular focus on the topic of ‘educational training design.'

Harnessing information and communication technologies for effective knowledge creation

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 831-855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikas Gupta ◽  
Namita Jain
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Future ◽  
Brick And Mortar ◽  
Technological Developments ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Future Of Education

Purpose Education is subject to the same pressures as a business, it has to spur innovation, improve customer service and achieve operational excellence. Education is expected to solve intricate problems that heralded the twenty-first century. Niche areas emerged in education that need further study and research. The authors postulate such demands may be met by information and communication technologies (ICTs) that opened up the avenue for innovation and experimentation in education. One such innovation is online learning and massive open online courses (MOOCs) that represent immense opportunities in education. With their advent, even the permanent relevance of physical classrooms has been questioned. The purpose of this paper is to answer to all these questions and attempts to fill gaps in the understanding of the future of education. Design/methodology/approach The paper came into being after a review of literature pertaining to the changing ecosystem of education and an analysis of newer platforms like MOOCs. The paper surveyed books, scholarly articles, reports, conference proceedings and online databases in the area of education and related technological developments. Findings The existence of MOOCs in the education landscape cannot be ignored. This is proven by the fact that MOOC enrollment surpassed 35 million users in 2015. MOOCs were considered a popular concept in the developed world to start with. But, today MOOCs are being offered by universities in developing nations too. As the number of participant countries increases, MOOCs in vernacular languages are being developed to overcome the language barrier. The paper found that the online model cannot replace the brick and mortar model completely. Rather, it will complement it by providing an enriching experience to various stakeholders, including the learner and the instructor. In the future, students will have the advantage of a blended classroom where the best of online and offline models converge into an optimal experience. Research limitations/implications As the theme of the paper is new and the educational landscape continues to evolve, it is very difficult to determine the pace of transformation of education. However, the authors have tried to suggest a conceptual framework for the future in education, subject to empirical validation. Practical implications This paper helps us understand that we are in a rapidly evolving scenario where innovations have the potential to disrupt the existing model. Such disruptions can have behavioral, economical and social ramifications. A better understanding of such alterations will help academicians equip themselves for evolving classrooms and the changing nature of their jobs. The new ICT enabled ecosystem will also try to overcome issues related to the quality of education and knowledge dissemination. Originality/value The present paper is a comprehensive study of the opportunities and challenges posed by emerging classrooms.

scholarly journals Development of information culture of rural school children in the Republic of Kazakhstan

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 143-158
Author(s):  
Samanta Iztleuova ◽  
Samanta Iztleuova ◽  
Aliya Imagambetova
Keyword(s):  
Rural Education ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Heuristic Method ◽  
Rural School ◽  
Cloud Services ◽  
Information Culture ◽  
Internet Resources ◽  
Weak Points ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Conceptual Foundations

The explosive flow of digital technologies, the growth of social networks, cloud services, the global fascination with mass open online courses, unlimited access to growing Internet resources, the shift of progressive humanities towards the production of digital tools have led to a serious problem in Kazakhstan. Purpose of the article is to study the possibilities of digitalization of rural education in the Republic of Kazakhstan for the development of information culture of schoolchildren. The methods of scientific research are the conceptual foundations of scientific knowledge (methods of developing ideas: targeted discussions; "brainstorming"; inventory of "weak points"; methods of creative problem solving; heuristic method; method of cost analysis, and others). The final result of the study is an analytical and structured system that reveals the possibilities of digitalization of rural education in the Republic of Kazakhstan for the development of information culture of schoolchildren. Keywords: digitalization of education, rural school, information culture, system moodle

scholarly journals Student Perceptions of Online Teacher and On-site Facilitator Support in Supplemental Online Courses

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jered Borup ◽  
Chawanna B. Chambers ◽  
Rebecca Stimson
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Attrition Rates ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Online Teachers ◽  
Brick And Mortar ◽  
Important Exception ◽  
Online Teacher ◽  
To Come ◽  
Site Facilitator

In an attempt to better support their students and reduce online course attrition rates, some brick-and-mortar schools provide their online students with an on-site facilitator who supports students face-to-face. However, little is known about how students perceive the support provided by their on-site facilitator and online teacher. For this report, we surveyed 70 students and conducted eight focus groups with 51 students to better understand the support that online teachers and on-site facilitators provided them. Our findings focused on the following support indicators: (1) advising students regarding course enrollments, (2) orienting students to online learning procedures and expectations, (3) facilitating interactions, (4) developing caring relationships, (5) motivating students to more fully engage in learning activities, (6) organizing and managing student learning, and (7) instructing students regarding the course content. The majority of support appeared to come from students’ on-site facilitators. An important exception was that the large majority of the content-related support came from the online teacher. While students were largely positive when describing the support from their on-site facilitators, students were split and more critical of the support (or the lack of support) from their online teacher.

Instructor Feedback, Learner Satisfaction, and Online Learning

2011 ◽  
pp. 536-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuliang Liu
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Online Instruction ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
The United States ◽  
Formative Feedback ◽  
Learner Satisfaction ◽  
Instructor Feedback ◽  
Instruction And Learning ◽  
Academic Content

Instructor feedback, learner satisfaction, and online learning are currently significant topics in online instruction. According to Blignaut and Trollip (2003), there are six response types for the instructors to provide formative feedback in online courses. These include: administrative, affective, other, corrective, informative, and Socratic. The first three types involve no academic content, while the last three types are related to academic content in the online course. Each type serves a unique purpose for online instruction and learning. This article integrates, summarizes, compares, and contrasts the author’s two recent studies. The first study involved 42 graduate students in the Summer semester of 2008. The second study involved 48 graduate students in the Fall semester of 2008. In both studies, the instructor used these six response types to provide formative feedback to improve learner satisfaction and online learning in an online graduate class at a Midwestern university in the United States. Results indicated that all six response types are required to ensure maximum online learner satisfaction and effective online learning. The results have implications for teacher education and other online courses.

A (Critical) Distance

2017 ◽  
pp. 232-253
Author(s):  
Laura Howard
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Critical Distance ◽  
Contingent Faculty ◽  
Contingent Labor ◽  
The Face ◽  
Online Distance Learning ◽  
Online Distance

The increase in demand for higher education has resulted in a surge of online courses and degree programs across the US and worldwide. Calls for open access learning options and more cost-effective higher educational opportunities have contributed to this rapid increase, especially in the form of Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs. For educators and scholars, the evolution of MOOCs and the enthusiastic rhetoric surrounding them necessitates a critical examination. One such area for examination is the relationship between MOOCs and the contingent faculty crisis, especially how the evolution of MOOCs could hurt or help online contingent faculty. Arguably, the concept of the MOOC as a mode of delivery may present opportunities to subvert instructional delivery methods and other elements of the online distance learning status quo that create challenges for contingent faculty online. Ultimately, this chapter offers insight into the issues faced by part-time instructors teaching online, especially in terms of the material realities of the work they do and how their experience is distinct from that of the face-to-face (f2f) contingent instructor. Important to this discussion is how a shift in our conception of MOOCs as an instructional approach may offer new perspectives for online contingent labor in higher education. Overall, the goal of this work is to raise awareness and to advance scholarly discussion of this topic, understanding MOOCs as one potential site of resistance and change.

Theory and Application in the Design and Delivery of Engaging Online Courses

2020 ◽  
pp. 246-258
Author(s):  
Dixie F. Abernathy ◽  
Amy Wooten Thornburg
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Educational Change ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Financial Benefit ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Engaging Instruction ◽  
Student Demand ◽  
Instruction And Learning

For the last quarter of a century, online learning has emerged as a viable and, in many cases, preferable instructional option for higher education students. As this wave of educational change became more prevalent and sought after by students and faculty, at times the implementation, driven by financial benefit as well as student demand, may have advanced beyond the preparation. Research and experience have now exposed numerous issues that may hinder the effectiveness of online learning for all involved stakeholders. Designing effective online courses is the first step, but too often the preparation for and focus on engaging instruction and learning ends as the course design is concluding. Recognizing the key principles behind effective student and instructor engagement may add to the overall stakeholder experience in the online learning environment.

The Ethics of Machine-Based Learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 125-140
Author(s):  
James E. Willis III ◽  
Viktoria A. Strunk
Keyword(s):  
Learning Analytics ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Care Ethics ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Ethical Discourse ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Instruction And Learning ◽  
Educational Delivery

Technological advances in the previous two decades have created an environment of innovation; however, there seems to be sometimes conflicting, emerging educational practices within communities of learners and educators. The central role of the instructor is being redefined by technology due to quickly-changing educational delivery modalities. By employing utilitarianism, relativism, and care ethics, the centrality of human agency in educational interaction is argued to be indispensable. Teaching and learning in massive open online courses, automated instruction, and learning analytics is altering the role of human instructors. This rapid modification of instructors' roles suggests that the ethical discourse of new educational technologies can be a frontier of critical thinking, especially as rubric-driven, automatic graders are refined and scaled.

Studying Locally, Interacting Globally

2014 ◽  
pp. 1082-1106
Author(s):  
Angela T. Ragusa ◽  
Emma Steinke
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Educational Materials ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Set Up

This chapter uses findings from an online survey of international onshore undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in an Australian university in 2009 to critically examine and compare their expectations, experiences, and levels of satisfaction. This research yielded a plethora of unique and vital concerns that were further affected by variables such as students’ age and geographic location in regional/rural versus metropolitan areas. Moreover, the results of this study, in turn, can offer educators important initial insights they can then use to develop online educational materials or online courses for such internationally diverse groups of students. This chapter argues the gap between expectations and experiences requires further attention if the delivery of academic excellence to students from divergent cultural backgrounds, with different language skills and varying social norms is to be achieved within an environment that supports and reflects cultural diversity. The chapter also provides suggestions on how such factors can and should be addressed when devising online educational materials and environments for such students. The general trend towards freely circulating capital, goods and services, coupled with changes in the openness of labour markets, has translated into growing demands for an international dimension of education and training. Indeed, as world economies become increasingly inter-connected, international skills have grown in importance for operating on a global scale. Globally oriented firms seek internationally-competent workers versed in foreign languages and having mastered basic inter-cultural skills to successfully interact with international partners. Governments as well as individuals are looking to higher education to play a role in broadening students’ horizons and allowing them to develop a deeper understanding of the world’s languages, cultures and business methods. One way for students to expand their knowledge of other societies and languages, and hence leverage their labour market prospects, is to study in tertiary educational institutions in countries other than their own. Several OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] governments – especially in countries of the European Union (EU) – have set up schemes and policies to promote mobility as a means of fostering intercultural contacts and building social networks for the future. (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2009, p. 310)

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