MOOCs on the spotlight. An interesting critique on some of the problems with MOOCs.
How do you see these post-modernist MOOCs? Here are the updates. I could see lots of differences from the Connectivist MOOCs or Networked MOOCs. I would like to respond, but need to hear and learn more about how people feel and learn with those huge MOOCs.
I think the most important lesson (for me) with MOOC is not the mere understanding of its content (or mere remembering of facts or procedures in performing a task), but the importance and relevance of connectivity (who, why, and how) in helping one to achieve the goals, an understanding of the need of change – our state of mind (based on the pros and cons of openness), the importance and relevance of personal, group and network autonomy in one’s learning, and the merits and limitations of group/networks/collectives in solving problems and enhancing learning, creativity and innovation.
Ultimately, if I could make good use of the skills and “literacy” developed in tackling my day-to-day problems, and adopt strategies in managing and leading my life, then I reckon MOOC would make sense to my life.
I have conceived that MOOC would reach millions, or billions of educators and learners, and surely this wouldn’t be surprising, as reported in various posts.
It is a matter of time, when the new “waves” of education and learning bring the “old” ones down, and the emergent learning replaces part of the traditional learning, especially when such paradigm shifts become part of the educational movement around the globe.
It involves tectonic shift in education, with Higher Education the first to be “baptised”, if not “revolutionised”, in order to provide free, quality education to the world. Are we already part of this HUGE MOOC – with all the MOOCs blossoming with all its might? MOOC as a global community, with communities of practice of MOOCs AND MOOCs.
It is a dream coming true.
John
Here is my previous post about engagement in MOOC and Community of Practice:
I read Jeffrey’s post on Making sense of Complexity and engaging others in Change11 with interests.
Jeffrey says:
While I prefer online communication as a mode of social connection,I am increasingly disoriented by the sheer scope of participation in the MOOC,and thus am really struggling to find a small (or any!) social connections of more than a passing or very focused interest.
First, relating to the setting up of goals for MOOC Change11. I don’t think I have a particular set of goals this time.
I have only got one goal: To research and learn through Change 11, and reflect upon the practical aspects relating to Connectivism principles and Community of Practice.
So, natural questions for me include: Were MOOC communities of practice? Is Change11 a community? And is Change11 a community of practice?
MOOC may be a COP, but may be not, in accordance to the definition of COP.
In this slideshow by Stephen, he mentions that you got to “create” or “join” your own networks, own communities in a MOOC.
But can one really “build” a community of practice, in MOOC?
Based on my past experiences with CCKs, PLENK2010 and other MOOCs, the community is quite different from the “typical” communities that we would define, as there is no distinct boundary for the community. Instead of a community, in MOOC, it consists of numerous networks and communities which formed and re-formed, with some sustained, and some re-configuration in the network-community that formed. MOOCkers might have morphed along conglomerate networks, or social media as the weeks progressed, thus staying on with a particular media for sometime, and/or created blogs for a particular purpose, and then, engaged with others for a while. This seems to behave in a self-organised manner, without any directions from any facilitators, but then the individuals within particular networks would set their own agenda, goals, or tasks which suited their needs.
Can one reveal the patterns out of these network/community formation and development? Some social network analysis did reveal the trend and pattern.
How about this network and community of practice? COPs need a lot of nurturing before they could grow, develop and sustain.
In this article by Wenger and Snyder suggest that: To get communities going – and to sustain them over time – managers should:
*Identify Potential Communities of Practice.
*Provide the Infrastructure that will support such communities of practice.
*Use non traditional methods to assess the value of these communities of practice.
In MOOC, who will be the manager managing the COPs? May be, there is no one manager, but each of the participants in the MOOC would take up such role, and self-organise the COPs/Networks in a way that suits him or her.
Twitter is a network, though not a community, as many would argue. But under the “infra-structure” of MOOC, would Twitter be re-defined differently? Is it a transitional community, or communities of practice? May be.
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