Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ What We Learned in the “MOOC Moment” Matters Right Now

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

One of the key lessons is this: "suddenly converting face to face classes to online ones without making changes to account for the differences in format is a bad idea." This actually applies across the board - to online meetings, conferences, games, and the rest. Online is different - you can do some things (like collaboratively author a document) a lot more easily, while other things (like hang out at a conference social) just don't work.

I would point out that if you're trying to make online learning the same as an in-person course, some of the lessons are particularly relevant. Like this: "online teaching takes A LOT more planning and more support staff than f2f teaching." And this: "video is a lot harder than you think." And this: "the shape of the hierarchy pyramid of higher ed in the U.S. might change for the worse." All of these are true if you're just trying to recreate online classes. But online learning - which is what we really tried to demonstrate with MOOCs - can be done quickly and efficiently if you get away from the idea that 'the institution provides everything'. I don't think Steven Krause captures that lesson. But you should.

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Nov 24, 2024 9:44 p.m.

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