Star date:  5-7-2013

Having just spent a couple of hours reading articles about MOOCs, I am stunned by the voices who worry that the students who sign up for MOOCs, who participate, are not who they say they are.  I know, it comes out of the discussion to give credit for such courses, but what seems to be missing in this discussion is the glory that the tools are there to connect interested people with great content and interactive tools so that they can learn, discuss, create new ideas that otherwise they may not be able to do on their own.  Is this a substitute for the traditional classroom -- not 100%.  Is this a feasible alternative for folks who do not have access to education otherwise -- absolutely.  Is this disruptive innovation -- of course as the folks who have little or nothing now have more than before, and over time these offers will change what is happening in the traditional classroom -- and hopefully for the better.

I am not saying anything new here, obviously.

And completely different -- still trying to MOOC -- and what I am realizing is that while I was fine in the course the first couple of times I went in, the fact that the course did not change, did not, on the surface, reflect my progress, as the home page did not change to reflect that I am at a different moment in time, at a different moment in learning, makes it difficult for me to pick up where I left off.  I am not sure how that can be helped, unless one uses the course stream or the module or syllabus and assignment view.  maybe the first page only needs to be up for a couple of weeks and then it needs to be shifted to a different view to allow for a better reflection of the progression for the student.

Star Date 5.3.2013 -- watching myself being an online student makes me realize that when I teach online I will need to focus on such things as
 -- small assignments that will make students interact with the content in the course -- larger, longer assignments will just foster procrastination, with the final disaster as almost certainty.
 -- ensuring ways that students can connect effectively with each other -- again, small things need to happen -- it may be a group task or an ongoing monitored discussion.  Otherwise, though, an individual student will never be able to join the community.

I know that this is not ground breaking new stuff, but it is always different to read about it and then to experience this oneself.