MOOCs Resourcen (BD14)

Melissa Mallon, MOOC Report

Auszüge aus dem Public Services Quarterly, 9:46–53, 2013

Coursera (http://www.coursera.org)—includes over 200 courses with videos, quizzes, assignments, and opportunities to interact with fellow students. More than one million learners have participated in a Coursera course. The Pedagogy section of the site includes helpful explanations of online learning concepts, including peer assessment and mastery learning.

edX (http://www.edx.org)—free online courses from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (see more about MIT’s Open Courseware in the review below), Harvard University, University of California Berkeley, and the University of Texas System. After completing a course, participants receive a certificate from the “X University” from where the course originated. The open-source learning platform features learning spaces designed for the web, including wikis and online discussion boards.

Udacity (http://www.udacity.com)—a free “digital university” that offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses in computer science, statistics, and physics. Courses are completed at the user’s own pace, without assignments or deadlines and participants receive a certificate of completion after the course final.

REFERENCE “7 things you should know about MOOCs.” (2011). Educause Learning Initiative. Educause. Retrieved from http://educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-youshould-know-about-moocs

Massive List of MOOC Resources, Lit and Literati http://www.worldofwebcast.com/post/ massive-list-of-mooc-resources-lit-and-literati

Visited: Fall 2012 Reviewer: Lisa Zilinski, Business Librarian, University of South Florida in Lakeland The Massive List of MOOC Resources, Lit and Literati, created by Erica St. Angel, vice president of Marketing for Sonic Foundry and hosted on Mediasite, is a list of MOOC-related links composed as a blog post on The World of Webcast blog. St. Angel wrote the post in response to conversations with higher educators at conferences and events such as Sloan-C and UBTech. Created in June 2012 and last updated in August 2012, this post is no longer being updated. However, this page is filled with a wealth of information regarding MOOCs. The aim of this page is to provide a reference for MOOC information and is designed for those in higher education looking for MOOC research, news, trends, and resources. The post is organized as one long web page, with links and brief descriptions. There are 11 sections: godfathers/godmothers of MOOC thinking; definitions and history of MOOCs in the media; debate and discussion about MOOCs, open education, and online learning; research on MOOCs; instructor experience in MOOCs; student experience in MOOCs; related writing on Open Education Resources; MOOC launches, backing, funding, startups, and stops; MOOC-related models of credentialing; MOOC sites, classes, and institutions who MOOC; and MOOC-ish initiatives and open education resources from Mediasite users. The godfathers/godmothers section provides links to different web pages, biographies, and blogs either written by or about some of the leaders of open education research and resources. This is not a comprehensive list, but it provides a good start. The links listed in the definitions and history section provide a good basis for understanding MOOCs. The debate and discussion section contains many links that discuss the pros and cons to MOOCs. This section also highlights discussions from higher education and perspectives from the industry. The next two sections, instructor experience and student experience, provide links to articles from two different perspectives. These links are helpful for instructors and students interested in teaching or enrolling in a MOOC. There are many links listed in the MOOC launches, backing, funding, startups, and stops section. These links are useful when looking at the economics of MOOCs and include articles from The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Wired Campus, Forbes, The New York Times, and National Public Radio. The MOOC sites list contains several links to individual MOOC providers and courses. Librarians can use this section to research upcoming opportunities for MOOCs. Finally, the last section, MOOC-ish initiatives from Mediasite users, is a short list of links to courses created by Mediasite customers. While the content of this page is very useful, the long list of links is cumbersome to sort through. The page does not provide an index, which makes navigation difficult. There are numerous valuable resources listed in this site; however, librarians will need to spend time browsing through the links to find the resources that will be relevant to them. Since this page is no longer updated, additional resources will be required in the near future. There are several comments at the end of the page that provide further links and resources containing additional information on MOOCs. In Short: Although this site is no longer updated, it is a valuable resource for librarians wanting a starting point for information regarding MOOCs, available courses and research. Recommended.

What You Need to Know About MOOCs http://chronicle.com/article/What-You-Need-to-Know-About/133475 Reviewer: Melissa Mallon, Coordinator of Library Instruction, Wichita State University Libraries Published in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Technology section, “What You Need to Know About MOOCs” is a virtual timeline of all things MOOC. The page covers the “what” and “why” of massively open online courses, as well as descriptions of the most commonly mentioned MOOCs. The main feature of the site is a hyperlinked timeline starting with the first mention of MOOCS in 2008 to the present. Most items on the timeline link to articles elsewhere in The Chronicle, which librarians can peruse to enhance their understanding of MOOCs and their place in higher education. The articles range from informational accounts of new MOOCs to pedagogical theories and trends. The page is regularly updated with new coverage. One negative of this resource is that because it exclusively links to articles in The Chronicle, one must have a subscription in order to view the article’s full content. Most academic public services librarians should have a subscription through their libraries or institutions, but even those without a subscription will still be able to view an annotated version of each article. In Short: Bookmark this page! Not only is this site useful for librarians looking for a refresher or introduction to the world of MOOCs, the regular additions will help librarians stay up-to-date on the rapid progression of this learning model. Highly recommended.

Saylor.org Free Education http://saylor.org Visited: Fall 2012 Reviewer: Emily Harrell, Online Librarian, American Public University System Saylor.org, a source of massively open online courses (MOOCs), offers a free and open collection of college level courses through a 501C3, nonprofit organization established by M. J. Saylor, whose motto is “education should be free” (Saylor.org, 2012). Saylor.org currently offers 267 courses in the following areas: General Education, Art History, Biology, Business, Administration, Chemistry, Communications, Computer Science, Economics, English Literature, History, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Political Science, Professional Development, and Psychology. The courses are self-paced and focus on undergraduate level studies. Although Saylor.org does not offer degrees and is not accredited, students earn downloadable certificates of completion with successful completion of courses. Hired, credentialed professors design Saylor.org course blueprints using vetted, freely accessible information from the web or resources they design themselves. Each course offers student discussion forums and some courses include instructional video tutorials. Saylor.org has 21 courses available for the iPad. Saylor.org courses can be a resource for patrons and librarians who are unable or do not want to enroll in college but want to learn more about a subject. Likely users of Saylor.org are high school students and those referred to as life-long learners. Individual courses can serve as supplemental reading for students who are having difficulty understanding a subject or just want another perspective. Saylor.org courses can also be used for academic public services librarians’ professional development. If librarians are assigned duties as subject liaisons in an area with which they are unfamiliar, they can take courses or complete some of the readings to gain a better understanding of the subject. In Short: Librarians looking to broaden their professional horizons might consider taking a Saylor.org course in the Professional Development, Business Administration or Communications track. Completion of these courses could boost a librarian’s resume and make him/her a more valuable member of the team. Highly recommended.

REFERENCE Saylor.org. (2012). About the Saylor Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.saylor. org/about/

Massachusetts Institute of Technology OpenCourseWare http://ocw.mit.edu Visited: Fall 2012 Reviewer: Sabrina L. McKethan, Assessment and Stacks Management Unit Supervisor, Willis Library, University of North Texas The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has partnered with major backers such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Dow, and Lockheed Martin to develop MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW). OCW currently offers 2,100 self-guided courses in a wide range of subject areas. All courses hosted on the site contain materials such as lectures, videos, assignments, and readings that are or have been presented in an MIT Classroom. OCW is intended for anyone with an Internet connection and a desire to learn at his or her own pace. A database of more than 2,000 courses may sound overwhelming, but MIT has designed OCW to be incredibly open and easy to navigate from the home page. On the left navigation menu, one can browse all courses offered or narrow down to specific classes by subject. Near the top right of each OCW page is a keyword search box to assist users not entirely sure what they are looking for. On each course page, the navigation bar on the left directs users to core materials such as lectures and calendars (for suggested timeframes only). Public services librarians finding themselves with expanding responsibilities in areas such as copyright management, supervising staff, and liaison duties in unfamiliar areas could use OCW to mitigate their knowledge gaps. Copyright management continues to be a hot topic as colleges and universities increase the use of blended and fully online learning environments. Public services librarians accustomed to more explicit definitions of fair use may feel bewildered when using electronic resources to meet the needs of their faculty and students. OCW’s Introduction to Copyright Law, course 6.912, delivers an overview of copyright law with a focus on digital environments. Although originally taught in 2006, instructor Keith Winstein (2006) incorporates precedential cases and key statutes that create enduring lessons in copyright law. Public services librarians who find themselves overseeing units of staff and student assistants may benefit from management courses offered through MIT’s Sloan School of Management as hosted on OCW. Course 15.277, Special Seminar in Communications: Leadership and Personal Effectiveness Coaching covers essential topics including “giving and receiving feedback,” “managing conflict,” and creating leadership role models (Kelly, 2008). Another pertinent course for novice managers is course 15.280, Communication for Managers, which gives instruction on “intercultural communication,” “persuasion,” and “active listening” (Hartman, 2008). Due to time constraints and other factors, public services librarians are not always able to hold degrees in the subject areas they oversee. OCW offers the benefit of top tier course materials, and the ability to progress at your own pace. MIT makes it absolutely clear that OCW is not a replacement for an MIT education, but it may help someone become a more knowledgeable and successful liaison in their assigned subject areas. In Short: Although not equivalent to an MIT education, MIT’s OpenCourseWare is a useful tool for public services librarians in academic libraries. A self-determined investment of time to continuing education using OCW can help alleviate the burden of taking unfamiliar job duties. Recommended.

REFERENCES Hartman, N. (2008) Communication for managers. Retrieved from http://ocw.mit. edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-280-communication-for-managersfall-2008/ Kelly, C. (2008). Special seminar in communications: Leadership and personal effectiveness coaching. Retrieved from http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-ofmanagement/15-277-special-seminar-in-communications-leadership-and-personaleffectiveness-coaching-fall-2008/ Winstein, K. (2006). Introduction to copyright law. Retrieved from http://ocw.mit. edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-912-introductionto-copyright-law-january-iap-2006/

Udemy http://www.udemy.com Visited: Fall 2012 Reviewer: Yvonne Mulhern, Instruction/Reference Librarian, Dick Smith Library, Tarleton State University Udemy.com, created by Eren Bali, Oktay Caglar, and Gagan Biyan in 2010, allows anyone to take or create a class online. Udemy describes itself as a “crowd sourced learning platform” with “hundreds of great courses from world-class instructors.” There are more than 5,000 paid and unpaid classes offered by private companies, individuals, and institutions of higher education via open courseware pulled in from MIT, Stanford, and other prestigious universities. Categories range from Humanities to Education and Technology to Sports and Lifestyle. Most classes are free, and paid classes range in price from $1 to several hundred dollars. An Udemy account can be created by signing in with a Facebook username and password or by entering your email address and password. Users click on subjects of personal interest to highlight related classes. Courses can be searched by cost (free or fee-based), popularity, reviews, newness, category, and popularity. Each course, which can be rated from 0 to 5 stars and reviewed by students, has its own web page with the following information: title & description, instructor name and related experience, student reviews, and number of enrolled students. Course materials can include live video and audio streams, video and audio clips, chats, discussion boards, documents, presentations, and web mash ups. Each class may contain anywhere from one to over a dozen individual lessons. Udemy also has an iPad app which allows users to access and browse courses. Public services librarians may be interested in pursuing professional development opportunities through Udemy; possible classes include Photoshop , Excel, coding, web design and development, marketing, or other topics related to librarians’ job duties. At the time of this review, there are few offerings targeted specifically at librarians. Nicole Hennig from MIT Libraries teaches two relevant fee-based classes titled Apps for Librarians and Educators and The Book as iPad App. Librarians can also use Udemy as a platform for experimenting with instruction before teaching for-credit information literacy classes. Would-be instructors complete several steps to create and publish a course: providing a curriculum, creating content, and creating a promotional video. Each instructor owns their course copyright, and can use widgets to embed

Bernd Becker: MOOC und Bibliotheken

Auszüge aus: Behavioral & Social Sciences Librarian, 32:2, 135-138

In case you blinked and missed it, there is a new buzzword in education: “MOOCs.” These massively open online courses (MOOCs) can serve hundreds or thousands of students without the institutional hurdles found in classes at a university, such as acceptance requirements and physical location. Some schools are working with partners like Udacity and Coursera, while others schools are using home-grown websites or applications like iTunes U to deliver free instruction. With this rapid growth in pedagogy come growing pains, and none are feeling MOOC pains more than bricks-and-mortar universities. As business interests in MOOCs increased, a group of educators met in Palo Alto, California, to draft the first MOOC Bill of Rights that aims to establish goals and boundaries within MOOC education (Kolowich 2013a). For libraries in particular, MOOCs raise the questions of how and where library services fit into the MOOC model. The concept of MOOCs first emerged in 2008 when Stephen Downes and George Siemens took a chance to open the registration for their learning theory class to anyone with an Internet connection. The class quickly grew from 25 University of Manitoba students to 2,300+ students from all over the world (Parry 2010). Built on the theory of “open teaching,” the Downes–Siemens course has become a model for MOOCs, and has advanced the recognition of online education as an acceptable form of instruction. In the context of changes that have occurred in online education, MOOCs are a natural evolution of services that were already in high demand. Apple’s iTunes U, for example, has been used as a repository for educational audio and video content since 2004. The service allows open access (via iTunes) to many prerecorded lectures and presentations from colleges, libraries, and museums. Just after its 3-year mark in 2007, iTunes U had reached 300 million downloads. By 2010, it grew to 700 million downloads. As of March 2013 iTunes U has surpassed 1 billion downloads, 60 percent of which originate from locations other than the United States (Owens 2013). While iTunes U has created an electronic distribution model for educational content, MOOCs have evolved that model in that they are not tied to a specific software ecosystem (Apple devices are needed to utilize iTunes U features), and MOOCs are typically designed to foster connections between students (iTunes U has yet to incorporate a substantial messaging system like a class discussion board).

Several universities have already begun to experiment with MOOCs since the 2008 Downes–Siemens course. However, one of the major deviations from the original MOOC model is that many of the MOOCs in higher education are not as “open” as the Downes–Siemens course. As the New Media Consortium 2013 Horizon Report points out, “A key component of the original vision is that all course materials and the course itself were open source and free—with the door left open for a fee if a participant taking the course wanted university credit to be transcripted for the work” (11). In some of the more current MOOC experiments that universities are trying, there is usually a cost attached to the course. While the cost may be significantly less than traditional student fees, it compromises a course’s classification as being a pure MOOC. Semantics do not seem to be an issue, though, as evidenced in the popularity of universities using third-party services such as Udacity to administer variations of the MOOC model (at a cost) for both public and private institutions. Within the sparse MOOC literature currently available, one factor has yet to be explored: What role can the university library play in the delivery of MOOCs? Having had the chance to work on the development of a series of courses based on the MOOC model, I believe that there are several aspects of MOOCs that would benefit from a library intervention. The original MOOC model was to be free and open access, implying that the resources used in the course would also need to be open access. As mentioned earlier, many of the courses being designed are not pure MOOCs. San Jose State University is one such school that has partnered with Udacity to provide low-cost courses using the MOOC model. San Jose State University students and nonstudents each pay $150 to access entry-level college courses. Therefore, the enrolled SJSU students have access to the library’s electronic resources, while the other students in the MOOC will be blocked by the library’s authentication page. This means that the professors must ensure that the resources such as reading materials would originate from open-access journals or websites rather than subscription databases. As colleges and universities adjust the MOOC model to fit the institution, the university library needs to highlight this issue of open-access resources in MOOCs. The resources in MOOCS must be accessible while following copyright law; otherwise, serious complications can occur. Reflecting on some of the problems that Georgia Tech had with its MOOC launch, one student offered this sage advice: “Something as fundamental to a course as the access to important learning materials is something that needs to be sorted out in the planning phase, not in the first application phase” (Kolowich 2013b). However, this might be easier said than done, and special considerations should be taken. After reflecting on a set of MOOCs at Athabasca University, some takeaway advice was to prepare materials as if the MOOC were an online event rather than just another online course (Kop et al. 2011). Ideally, a MOOC being proposed for a campus would follow the established process of curriculum development in which the institution’s standards are sought and applied. This would be a crucial point of the planning phase where libraries can remind the university of the standard that all of the materials for the course be verified as open access. Unfortunately, MOOCs can also be proposed as certificate programs, which might not necessarily go through the same content verification process as courses that originate from within a department or college. In some examples, MOOCs are developed at other institutions and then shared with others. Regardless of where the MOOC originates, the university library should insist that MOOCs offered on campus be required to ensure the materials used have open access and do not originate from subscription-based sources. Otherwise, significant problems could arise when some students have university access to assigned materials and others do not. To support this requirement, libraries can begin developing a collection of open-access journals and sites as recommended sources for MOOCs. The Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ: doaj.org) is one such resource that indexes and links to nearly 9,000 open access journals. The DOAJ content is also sortable by subject, by country, and by license. MOOCs also have an international appeal. Michael Sandel’s “Justice” course at Harvard is a MOOC that has been translated and shown on Korean national television. In China alone, it has amassed more than 20 million views (Friedman 2013). The popular Coursera MOOC “Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies” can easily have 85,000 students, many of whom are internationals (Cassidy 2013). While MOOCs can extend beyond political borders, international students are still restricted to their country’s laws regarding which sites can be accessed. International restrictions should be taken into consideration if the MOOC in question incorporates other online resources. Tools like Just-Ping.com can be used to verify whether or not the Web address of a MOOC resource, such as a journal found on doaj.org, can indeed be viewed by an international audience. This is another recommended check that librarians can suggest for MOOCs being developed on their campus.

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REFERENCES Cassidy, M. 2013. Cassidy: Coursera class offers peek into determination of student body. The San Jose Mercury News, March 1. http://www.mercurynews.com. Friedman, T. 2013. The professors’ big stage. The New York Times, March 5. http://www.nytimes.com. Kolowich, S. 2013a. ‘Bill of Rights’ seeks to protect students’ interests as online learning rapidly expands. The Chronicle of Higher Education, January 23. http://www.chronicle.com. Kolowich, S. 2013b. Georgia Tech, Coursera try to recover from MOOC stumble. The Chronicle of Higher Education, February 15. http://www.chronicle.com. Kop, R., H. Fournier, and J. Mak. 2011. A pedagogy of abundance or a pedagogy to support human beings? Participant support on massive open online courses. International Review of Research In Open & Distance Learning 12 (7): 74–93. New Media Consortium. 2013. NMC horizon report: 2013 Higher education edition. http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2013-horizon-report-HE.pdf. Owens, J. C. 2013. Apple’s iTunes U surpasses 1 billion downloads as online education takes off. The San Jose Mercury News, February 28. http://www. mercurynews.com. Parry, P. 2010. Online, bigger classes may be better. The Chronicle of Higher Education, August 29. http://www.chronicle.com.

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