the mooc effect, how mere chance could result in a new standard
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Contribution to the International Forum on open and online education / Forum international d’éducation ouverte et en ligne of the "Entretiens Jacques Cartier", 2-3 October 2014, University of Ottawa, Pavillon des Sciences socialesTRANSCRIPT
The MOOC effect: how mere chance could result in a new standard
Nicolas BalacheffCNRS - Laboratoire d’Informatique de [email protected]
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From MOOC too mooc,the acronym becomes commonplaceA little background:
In 2008, G. Siemens and S. Downes taught a course called Connectivism and Connective Knowledge, with 25 students in class and more than 2200 attending remotely.This “massive” participation was astounding.
The acronym MOOC is coined.Massive Open Online Course / Dave Cornier /
In 2011, S. Thrun taught an online course, introduction to A.I., taken by more than 160,000 students. This amazing result led to the creation of Udacity in 2012, followed by other companies. Major universities began to offer MOOCs.
“MOOC” establishes itself in media.Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 2
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From MOOC to mooc,the acronym becomes commonplaceBe they based on connectivist principles or just designed for the dissemination of traditional courses, the mass appeal of the phenomenon grabbed attention and determined the name.
The MOOC effect: a serendipitous phenomena
Media discussion, public debate, and the emergence of a market (a product, a service, a demand, a price) impose a new word in the lexicon to name this new open, online educational tool.
Mooc, noun [C][muːk] online learning tool that fully integrates social networks in a technological environment capable of accommodating a very large number of users. Acronym for Massive Open Online Course (Dave’s Educational Blog, October 2008)
Proposed definition based on the style of the Macmillan dictionary or the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s dictionary
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 3
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Beyond “massive” to “social”Defining “massive” attendance
>2000 is significant for a connectivist model involving the learners>160,000 is significant for an industrial model of
interactive dissemination of learning content to students
Shared aspects Open strategy: impact, visibility, cost-effectiveness Technological foundation: reliable, accessible, adaptive and
adaptable Social dynamic: interpersonal interaction, community of practice
including cultural aspects, alliances and conflicts
The heart of the innovation is the use of Networking technologies and associated functions for
information sharing, expressing preferences, and multi-channel communication
Tracing technologies for audience evaluation and recommendation and guidance systems
4Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014
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As regards universities…
Moocs serve a wide range of purposes: Basic learning (e.g. statistics) Vocational training (e.g. digital manufacturing) Personal development(e.g. intro. to
entrepreneurship)
The audience is potentially world-wideProviders have no specific originThe underlying models are based on
An ideology inspired by Ivan Illich A liberal economic ideology
The university is challenged as a dominant institution
5Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014Examples taken from FUN
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As regards universities…
Shared missions1. Disciplinary and multi-disciplinary scientific research
The academic community is organized to foster the collective and open advancement of knowledge, and to guarantee its validity
2. Dissemination of new knowledge Communicate the meaning of knowledge and related skills
beyond academic texts which expose it Be accountable for the quality and validity of learning
Today’s challenges1. The “massification” of the student public2. Economic and industrial development
Universities vs Higher education1. Differentiation of the missions (research/training)2. Differentiation of knowledge (scientific/professional)
6Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014
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Connectivism? Yes and no…
Connectivism presents a model of learning that acknowledges the tectonic shifts in society where learning is no longer an internal, individualistic activity. (Siemens 2004)
Yes: the family, the community, the village, the nation, the planet… the social environment of learning has grown throughout history
The starting point of connectivism is the individual. Personal knowledge is comprised of a network, which feeds into organizations and institutions, which in turn feed back into the network, and then continue to provide learning to individual.
Yes: learning is a personal adventure related to and dependent upon the community
Yes: the individual must be considered in the complexity of social relationships with the added potential of social networks
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 7
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Connectivism? Yes and no…
Behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism are the three broad learning theories most often utilized in the creation of instructional environments. These theories, however, were developed in a time when learning was not impacted through technology.
No: psychological theories are not invalidated by technological development; they help us understand its impact on learning and development. Connectivism is not in opposition with existing theories, rather, it is (potentially) complementary to them.
Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions
No: knowing, knowledge, opinion, and belief are distinct epistemic categories, subject to different rules of operation and legitimacy, which nevertheless interact in the subject’s development
The pipe is more important than the content within the pipe. Our ability to learn what we need for tomorrow is more important than what we know today.
No: knowing is both a state and a process; the potential for growth depends on the quality of the knowledge available
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 8
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As regards knowledge…
Knowledgeproperty of a dynamic system of interaction subject/milieu under proscriptive constraints ofviability
It is characterized bythe domain of validity (or sphere of practice)the means of the action (or feedback)the representations (linguistic or non-linguistic)the validation and control systems
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 9
S Mfeedback
constraints
action
Situation
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As regards knowledge…
Work is necessary to make knowledge
teachable learnable
Didactical distance transposition
Pedagogical distance the figure of the
teacherNicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 10
Reference
knowledge
Content as a
learning st
ake
Didactical transpositionFre
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As regards knowledge…
Learning is a process of adaptation under the combined constraints of
the new knowledge the pedagogical
strategy
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Mathematics Physics Construction trades Surgery Automation Chemistry
Perceive Decide
Act
Representation Verification
Action/Feedback
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014
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As regards knowledge…
Learning is a process of adaptation under the combined constraints of
The new knowledge The pedagogical
strategy The concrete
characteristicsof situations
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3D distance education
Didactical distancePedagogical distancePhysical distance
Any action in one of these dimensions involves the other two.
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 14
Projet Baghera, late 1990’s
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3D distance education
At the CHU Grenoble in the 1990’s-Ensure the continuity of schooling for students in extended care-Teach geometry (articulating observation and reasoning)-Share an action space-Preserve the continuity of learning in spite of the diversity of the people involved-Create the fiction of presence and the persistence of memory
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 15
Projet Baghera, late 1990’s
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3D distance education
Important lessons: Learning is a constraint on technology and on the pedagogical scenarioThe users are the learners and the human or artificial teaching agents (hybrid environment)Teaching is the product of a network of interactions (emergence)Becoming familiar with the environment displaces needs and expectations and modifies behaviors (complexity)
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 16
Projet Baghera, late 1990’s
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3D distance education
Didactical distance transposition of reference knowledge characterization of meaningful situations criteria of acceptability for what will be learned
Pedagogical distance devolution of the learning situation maintain and support the learning process incarnate the reference (the “figure” of the professor) ensure quality, reliability, and confidence
Physical distance presence, distance, telepresence, fiction of presence synchrony, asynchrony, memory channels and modes of communication accessibility, adaptiveness, adaptability,
personalization
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PACES in Grenoble (1)PACES : Première Année Commune des Études de Santé
[First Year of General Health Care Studies]Medicine – Pharmacology – Midwifery – Dentistry One year of study leading to a highly competitive examBefore 2005, courses were held in an amphitheater, as per university
tradition. - Very large class sizes – 811 students in 2000, 1598 students in 2014- Competition and rivalries created an “electric” atmosphereSince 2005, courses have been recorded and made available online
and on DVD Independent learning Questions submitted and selected
online (vote) In-person answers, limited group size
(120 students) In-person instruction, small groups
(30 students et 2 instructors) , multiple-choice evaluation, double feedback (correction and ranking)
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 18[Source]
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PACES in Grenoble (2)
Instructional class (online or on VD) FLQ online questions, (vote) SEPI in-person answer (120 students) In-person instruction (30 students, 2 instructors)
quiz
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 19
Week 1 W2 W3 W4[Source]
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PACES in Grenoble (3)
ValidationSuccess in the
competition(in 2014, 1598 students
competed for 324 positions, 172 of which in medicine)
ContractThe course content is the only material used to
write the multiple-choice questions
First attempts:< 7,5/20 in the first group and for all undergraduate honors
=> no admissions> 7,5/20 in the first group with B or TB undergraduate
honors => 85% admissionsRepeat attempts: > 10/20 in the first group et > 6/20 in the competition =>
90% of admissions
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, 3 octobre 2014 20
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PACES in Grenoble (4)
Less distance from the teacher, but a residual mass effect: focus on the most common questions
Space reserved for study, the competition maintains the motivation
Satisfied, motivated students Prevalence of former undergraduate success
over social backgrounds
“More than 30% of the courses each year were modified or totally rewritten for the next year.”
Private satellite companies offer exam-preparation support; educational reform places the university in clear competition.
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 21
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ocTEL, a personal adventure (1) A mooc for learning how to use educational technology to teach, learn, and evaluate
Ten one-week modules following an introduction to become familiar with the environment
A module comprises five hours of learning, including a one-hour webinar and a variety of different activities
Materials are provided, available online, or independently produced and proposed. Students must build their own portfolio
Emphasis is placed on collaborative learning, but tutors available
A mooc that conforms to several principles of connectivism
The actual content is the product of the interactions between and contributions of all the participants
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 22
[find out more]
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ocTEL, a personal adventure (2)
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 23
[find out more]
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ocTEL, a personal adventure (3) The environment integrates webinars, chat,
messaging, blogs, and other resources traditional and user-friendly, rich in resources and
potential
Many exchanges and events—it is difficult for an isolated person to make connections Socialization is a significant part of learning
Not truly a course, but very fertile brainstorming based on sharing resources, information, and avenues of inquiry Participants create their own “knowledge” (convictions)
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 24
[find out more]
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Evaluation and certification (1)Any teaching must guarantee the quality and validity of the knowledge it seeks to impartAll students have a right to the recognition of their acquired knowledge or skills
Institutionalisation – to allow one to identify what was at stake in the learning situation
Evaluation – to provide means to judge and measure learning
Certification – to take responsibility for validating the nature and quality of what has been learned
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 25
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Evaluation and certification (2)The added value of universitiesBarrier to distance education
Guarantee the quality and validity of the knowledge
Recognize its acquisition
Explicitly or implicitly, accepted or denied Teaching is constrained by methods for evaluating
the learning outcomes The goal of acquiring knowledge coexists with
strategies for formal success The mission of universal dissemination of
knowledge is in a delicate relationship with the goal of selection
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Conclusion (1)
The development of hybrid environments involving
digital & physical spaces (blended) Controlled social organizations (e.g. the
classroom) & open social organizations (e.g. communities of learning )
human & artificial agents
Distance education fades away behindlearning spaces
Moocs are distinguished by start and end dates tied to the availability of
instructors their potential scope of reach
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Conclusion (2)
Moocs have the potential to become astandard form of course
Short video covering a topic Stimulation of attentive listening (multiple-
choice questions) Learners’ support by social networks
in conjunction to other pedagogical organizations
Standards will emerge from the needs of moocs industrialization the need for stable interfaces and procedures requirements for assessing certification
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 28
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Postscript
No pedagogical or technological revolutionBut moocs impose a fourth dimension on distance education:
economic distance Academic sheepskin, a product on the
marketTeaching is a means, the “value” lies in the badge, the credit, the certificate, the diploma…
The economy may impose standards…
Another title, for another presentation:
Moocs—the great fear of acadustry
Nicolas Balacheff, EJC 2014, Ottawa, October 3, 2014 29
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