Why MOOCs while Dealing
with Large Number of
Distance Learners
Cengiz Hakan AYDIN
Anadolu University

Plan
• Brief Intro of Anadolu’s Open
Education System
• Introduction of AKADEMA
• Comparison
• Lessons Learned
• Implications for Distance
Education Courses

Anadolu University’s Open Education System
• Started in 1982 with 30.000 students
• 3 Faculty (schools) (Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Business Management, Open Education
Faculty)
• Programs
• 19 Bachelors
• 8 Graduate Programs
• 39 Associate Degree
• 30 Certificate
• 2000 Courses
• 924.464 registered active users [389027 (F) + 535437 (M)] [4478 outside Turkey]
• 2.259.138 with passive users [1098795 (F) + 1160343 (M)]

Unified Instructional Strategy for Undergraduate
and Certificate Programs
Textbook-Based
Self-Study
F2F - Evening Classes
118 Centers
Administrative Offices
105+8=113
Call Center
20 Full time Staff
Mobile Services
Online Services

Online and Mobile
Services
• e-Books
• Interactive e-Books
• Audiobooks
• Previous Exam Questions
• Trail exams
• Q&A
• Summaries
• Mini Lecture Videos
• Synchronous Sessions
• Recordings of Synchronous
Sessions
• Discussion forums

Online Course Format
Blackboard
Big blue button
YouTUBE

Unified Assessment Strategy for Undergraduate
and Certificate Programs
• Centralized proctored, F2F, paper-pencil type exams
• 2 times (midterm and final) each semester
• 127 exam locations (18 outside the Turkey)
• 180,000 exam halls
• 500,000 staff (proctors, police, others…)
• 400 academic and administrative staff
• Computing center & Testing Center
• Multiple choice questions
• Experimenting open ended questions
• Plans to include assignments
• During weekends

AKADEMA
MOOCs Project of Anadolu University
2014 - Planned
2015 - First 4 courses with 2500 learners
2016 - Revised and 7 courses with 700
learners
2017 - 60 courses 14.000 learners
2018 - 58 courses in 13 categories 28.000
learners

Instructional and Implementation Strategy - I
• 3-8 weeks long courses
• Modular (usually each week is a module)
• Activity-based learning
• Video, audio, readings, assignments, discussions
• Open 24/7 whole year as Open Education Resources
• Anyone with an internet can access anytime from anywhere with no cost
• For certification (Completion Document)
• Certain start and end times
• Interaction with the facilitators (instructors)
• Complete all the activities as planned
• Ceremony on the Campus two times a year

Instructional and Implementation Strategy - II
• Real instructors (professors) offers 3 cycles in a year
• Various support for the instructors:
• Templates and guidelines for material utilization and production
• Guidelines for creating course environment and embedding materials
into
• Guidelines for effective facilitation
• Support for those who prefer studios for video
• Small monthly share from revolving funds as long as they produce
materials and run courses
• Facebook page (Anadolu MOOCs) and other online tools for student
support
• Each course requires 25-30 hours of workload (1 ECTS)

Assessment Strategy
Based

Comparison
Distance Courses MOOCs
Massive
Open
Online
Course

Why? (Motives)
• Visibility
• Social responsibility
• Distance learning as effective as f2f in other fields rather than
social sciences and in other domains (psycho-motor & affective)
• Health
• Science (Labs)
• Sports
• There are alternative designs
• Instructors can produce quality materials with appropriate
support

Lessons Learned
• Mostly wonderers
• Certification is a big motivator
• 4 or 6 weeks long courses
• Orientation
• Individualized interaction with the facilitators as well as peers
• Authentic discussion topics
• Need for better and timely instructor support
• Self-paced vs/& Guided courses
• Micro credentials
• Rich but condensed content

Implications for Distance Education Courses
• Courses from any subject areas with appropriate design
• Professional development for instructors (skills, attitudes)
• Support system for instructors
• New online pedagogies for decision makers
• Alternative assessment strategies (assignments, activity logs,
etc)
• Guidance need for some students and ways to meet this need
• Shorter but more condense courses
• Micro credentials and recognition of informal learning (MOOCs)
• Required elective and non-credit courses for social support

Cengiz Hakan AYDIN
Anadolu University
chaydin@anadolu.edu.tr
@chaydin