Helping each others – that’s MOOC!

Interesting introduction to MOOCs.  MOOCs are about helping each others, learning through socialization and active engagement and interaction with networks and artifacts, and completing assignments and examinations (especially with xMOOCs).

There seems to be a huge difference in the take-in of assessment. Previous researches in cMOOCs indicate that assessment were ranked last in terms of importance.  xMOOCs stress on assessment, mainly because they have to comply with the requirements for formal certification and accreditation.

Interesting to learn about formalising peer assessment based on grading and rubrics.  Auto-grading with quizzes and MC or T/F might be viewed as an objective method of assessment, though peer assessment could be a challenge for both the professors and most students of MOOCs, mainly because of the difference in perceptions and how each others’ work are evaluated, based on personal skills and experience.  Would this be applicable to graduate and PhD’s assessment?  Why/why not?

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