Characteristics of a MOOC:
After reading McAuley, et. al. (2010) I produced this quick map to help me characterise a MOOC.
In addition:
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Publicity is generally via social networks
- Enrolment and registration takes place at a central web-address, acting as a “nexus for support and communication” (McAuley, et. al., 2010, p4). This nexus acts as an anchor, connecting the learners own Personal Learning Network (PLN) with the MOOC course. However, other ties, of varying strength develop between the learner’s PLN and other individual learners, groups of learners or learning objects (OERs), within or beyond the MOOC (such as on Twitter, as I have done with the #h817 community), at the behest of individual learners.
Mapping my MOOC experience:
Key:
I’ve attempted to show the relative level of my engagement with these arenas, by showing their distance from my online learning identity is most present (in my OU blog).
My level of contributory activity is shown by the relative size of the blocks.
McAuley, et. al. suggest that the network itself is at least, if not more important than the topic of a MOOC. However, negotiating the network if more problematic than most structured courses, and is often experienced as frustrating, with which, as a novice I absolutely concur.
The current map is a snapshot of my PLN on the 5th week of the MOOC. Since the first week, the h817 blog aggregator has shrunk, and is racing away from the centre like some star being flung from the big bang. The MOOC Forums are in danger of going the same way. Meanwhile, the H817 Forums have swollen in the last couple of weeks as I have diverted energy from the MOOC environment back to the group of learners I connect with on H817. Twitter popped into existence, pretty much where it is on the first week, but is growing steadily in size. The OU blog is consolidating as the central venue for my thinking and thought sharing.
McAuley, et. al., describe the MOOC as 'open and invitational', and that an individual's level of participation is negotiated (McAuley et. al., makes the connection to Wenger's Legitimate Peripheral Participation [1991]). My current level and pattern of engagement in the arenas above is a result of becoming more selective about the times I want to access the views of the wider MOOC learner mass. I'm using my own reading and reflection to set my agenda, then dipping into the MOOC forums when I feel I want to sense-check what I'm saying with others. The H817 forum is the safe-place cum critical friend group that I feel more confident in sharing my deeper thoughts with. A little like coming home to the wife, and sharing the ups and downs of the day's experiences, in order for your loved-one to offer some perspective. Twitter is my latest distraction, but in a constructive way. It's not the new mistress that threatens the H817 forum wife!