The Rethinking Education conference focused on the need to design a future education and skills system that will enable people to develop the knowledge and skills need for the labour market, for personal development and for societal goals.
This presentation focuses on the advantages and challenges of massive onopen online courses (MOOCs) for teaching and learning, with a focus on the UK platform, FutureLearn.
'Learning design & learning analytics – building the links', presented by Rebecca Ferguson at 'What the Research Says' seminar held at the London Knowledge Lab on 28 November 2014.
Teaching in MOOCs: Unbundling the roles of the educatorRebecca Ferguson
Teaching in MOOCs: Unbundling the roles of the educator, a presentation given at the design4learning conference at The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK by Rebecca Ferguson (co-authored with Denise Whitelock) on 26 November 2014.
Presentation given at SCONUL 2014, the summer conference of The Society of College, National and University Libraries, Glasgow, June 2014. The presentation focuses on frequently asked questions (FAQs) about learning analytics, with the emphasis on the role and perspective of libraries in this area.
Presentation by Rebecca Ferguson at Learning and Knowledge 2015 (LAK15), Poughkeepsie, NY, USA.
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are now being used across the world to provide millions of learners with access to education. Many learners complete these courses successfully, or to their own satisfaction, but the high numbers who do not finish remain a subject of concern for platform providers and educators. In 2013, a team from Stanford University analysed engagement patterns on three MOOCs run on the Coursera platform. They found four distinct patterns of engagement that emerged from MOOCs based on videos and assessments. However, not all platforms take this approach to learning design. Courses on the FutureLearn platform are underpinned by a social-constructivist pedagogy, which includes discussion as an important element. In this paper, we analyse engagement patterns on four FutureLearn MOOCs and find that only two clusters identified previously apply in this case. Instead, we see seven distinct patterns of engagement: Samplers, Strong Starters, Returners, Mid-way Dropouts, Nearly There, Late Completers and Keen Completers. This suggests that patterns of engagement in these massive learning environments are influenced by decisions about pedagogy. We also make some observations about approaches to clustering in this context.
When forced into a corner we do have options: I suggest we choose to be activ...Charles Darwin University
A presentation to the English Australia Ed Tech Symposium - Plenary Address.
Abstract: Those institutions that have pivoted rapidly from teaching face-to face to teaching fully online have learned many lessons over the last 18 months, both good and bad. But for some, this has been nothing new, instead it’s simply been business as usual. We have seen that those who fared better have well established frameworks in place to mediate their technology-enhanced learning offerings. That is, they have recognised processes that define how they translate what they have in policy, procedures and planning into practice. Such a framework can be found within a number of quality tools, that are designed to provide institutions with clear guidelines as to what need to be in place to facilitate a robust and consistent approach to teaching with technology. Once present, it makes it easier to undertake online teaching that does more than just mimic face-to-face practice, providing a robust platform to allow innovative pedagogies to thrive. Typically, this means the online learning has, or can become far more, active, collaborative and authentic. This presentation with share some of the things that have been observed across the higher education sector over the last 18 moths that we can all learn from.
'Learning design & learning analytics – building the links', presented by Rebecca Ferguson at 'What the Research Says' seminar held at the London Knowledge Lab on 28 November 2014.
Teaching in MOOCs: Unbundling the roles of the educatorRebecca Ferguson
Teaching in MOOCs: Unbundling the roles of the educator, a presentation given at the design4learning conference at The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK by Rebecca Ferguson (co-authored with Denise Whitelock) on 26 November 2014.
Presentation given at SCONUL 2014, the summer conference of The Society of College, National and University Libraries, Glasgow, June 2014. The presentation focuses on frequently asked questions (FAQs) about learning analytics, with the emphasis on the role and perspective of libraries in this area.
Presentation by Rebecca Ferguson at Learning and Knowledge 2015 (LAK15), Poughkeepsie, NY, USA.
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are now being used across the world to provide millions of learners with access to education. Many learners complete these courses successfully, or to their own satisfaction, but the high numbers who do not finish remain a subject of concern for platform providers and educators. In 2013, a team from Stanford University analysed engagement patterns on three MOOCs run on the Coursera platform. They found four distinct patterns of engagement that emerged from MOOCs based on videos and assessments. However, not all platforms take this approach to learning design. Courses on the FutureLearn platform are underpinned by a social-constructivist pedagogy, which includes discussion as an important element. In this paper, we analyse engagement patterns on four FutureLearn MOOCs and find that only two clusters identified previously apply in this case. Instead, we see seven distinct patterns of engagement: Samplers, Strong Starters, Returners, Mid-way Dropouts, Nearly There, Late Completers and Keen Completers. This suggests that patterns of engagement in these massive learning environments are influenced by decisions about pedagogy. We also make some observations about approaches to clustering in this context.
When forced into a corner we do have options: I suggest we choose to be activ...Charles Darwin University
A presentation to the English Australia Ed Tech Symposium - Plenary Address.
Abstract: Those institutions that have pivoted rapidly from teaching face-to face to teaching fully online have learned many lessons over the last 18 months, both good and bad. But for some, this has been nothing new, instead it’s simply been business as usual. We have seen that those who fared better have well established frameworks in place to mediate their technology-enhanced learning offerings. That is, they have recognised processes that define how they translate what they have in policy, procedures and planning into practice. Such a framework can be found within a number of quality tools, that are designed to provide institutions with clear guidelines as to what need to be in place to facilitate a robust and consistent approach to teaching with technology. Once present, it makes it easier to undertake online teaching that does more than just mimic face-to-face practice, providing a robust platform to allow innovative pedagogies to thrive. Typically, this means the online learning has, or can become far more, active, collaborative and authentic. This presentation with share some of the things that have been observed across the higher education sector over the last 18 moths that we can all learn from.
California Community College Faculty Motivation and Reflection on Open Textbo...Una Daly
Interviews were conducted with twelve faculty members at community colleges in California who adopted open textbooks in their teaching practice for one academic term or longer. The interviews queried faculty on motivation to undertake the adoption, pedagogical considerations, student savings and feedback, and support from other campus stakeholders.
Faculty were asked how their teaching and student learning was affected as a result of adopting an open textbook in their course. Specifically they were asked if they were collaborating more with other faculty members and whether they were now using a wider range of instructional materials in their courses. With regards to student learning, they were asked if they believed that student learning had improved or whether student retention had improved as a result of the adoption of an open and free textbook. Any unanticipated outcomes that had resulted from the adoption either in their own practice or with students was also queried.
In addition to the faculty and students, other stakeholders on campus are often involved in the decision and process to adopt an open textbook. College initiatives or pilot programs to increase access and equity were sometimes the instigators for making the change and other times it was strictly a faculty decision. Library, instructional design, and bookstore staff were other stakeholders who played roles in the adoption process.
Attend this presentation to better understand the motivations of college faculty who adopt open textbooks and how it affected their teaching practice. Hear about the challenges they encountered and any unexpected outcomes. Learn what students had to say about using open textbooks in the classroom and how it affected their learning and ability to be successful.
What is old can be new again: Or don’t throw out the baby with the bath waterCharles Darwin University
Keynote Presentation to the 'Pathways to Future Learning'. Technology for Learning. T3 Learning & Teaching Symposium. Torrens University Australia. 6 September.
ABSTRACT: Online education has been with us for more than 20 years now and over that time we have leaned many enduring lessons. However, with the advent of more collaborative forms of learning and assessment we have seen new tools emerge that help us to systematise some of these new approaches. The problem (if it is in fact a problem) is that many of these tools do not sit directly in our LMS, so we end up taking our students out to all types of different systems. But wait, what did we do before we had all these technology solutions, we had other ways of creating engaging learning experiences. So have we thrown out the baby with the bath water? In many way authentic assessment is still authentic assessment, but we just have a new kit bag of tools to help us deliver or package, with a slightly different bent. So together we will take a look at what is old to see if it can be made new again.
A keynote presentation for the Online Teaching Pathways for Early-Career Criminologists & Sociologists
by University of Glasgow, Hong Kong University, U21.
Abstract: We have all had to pivot rapidly from teaching face-to face to teaching fully online and have learned many lessons along the way, in a particularly short space of time. In many cases, if our IT groups and vendors had not equally risen to the occasion this would not have been possible. However, what has been observed is that those who have fared better over these recent months have been those institutions with well-established frameworks in place to mediate their technology-enhanced learning (TEL). That is, they have recognised processes that define how they translate what is in policy, procedures and planning into practice with appropriate IT scaffolding. Such a framework can be found within a number of TEL quality tools, that are designed to provide an institution with clear guidelines as to what things need to be in place to facilitate a robust and consistent approach to teaching with technology. Once these things are in place it makes it possible to undertake online teaching that does more than just mimic face-to-face practice, but actually provide a the foundation for innovative pedagogies to thrive. One concept associated with this is the notion that students can be productive and typically, this means the TEL has, or can become far more, active, authentic and collaborative.
Based on data form a range of ACODE Surveys over the last 12 months, and other industry data, there have been some distinct trends emerge that suggest that institutions are taking a fresh look at how they conduct teaching and assessment, longer term. Much of this has been predicated on what was necessary to deal with lock-down situations due to COVID-19, but more recently this has allowed institutions to consider the longer-term advantages in accommodating different forms of assessment, those that have traditionally fallen out of what was considered ‘normal’, most notably the ‘exam’. This shift in thinking has also extended to what institutions considering different forms of delivery of their core content, with there being a distinct shift away from what has been the mainstay for centuries, the ‘Lecture’. This shift has allowed for more authentic forms of delivery, ones based in more collaborative and active approaches. This presentation with provide a summary of some of the key data and share some examples of how some institutions are approaching the next few years, as uncertainty around the short-term future of in-person learning and teaching persists.
Our community space is available at https://plus.google.com/communities/110898703741307769041 > Feel free to join. The conversations continue and we will be back and offer a mini version of the course during Open Education Week in March 2016.
The #creativeHE team
California Community College Faculty Motivation and Reflection on Open Textbo...Una Daly
Interviews were conducted with twelve faculty members at community colleges in California who adopted open textbooks in their teaching practice for one academic term or longer. The interviews queried faculty on motivation to undertake the adoption, pedagogical considerations, student savings and feedback, and support from other campus stakeholders.
Faculty were asked how their teaching and student learning was affected as a result of adopting an open textbook in their course. Specifically they were asked if they were collaborating more with other faculty members and whether they were now using a wider range of instructional materials in their courses. With regards to student learning, they were asked if they believed that student learning had improved or whether student retention had improved as a result of the adoption of an open and free textbook. Any unanticipated outcomes that had resulted from the adoption either in their own practice or with students was also queried.
In addition to the faculty and students, other stakeholders on campus are often involved in the decision and process to adopt an open textbook. College initiatives or pilot programs to increase access and equity were sometimes the instigators for making the change and other times it was strictly a faculty decision. Library, instructional design, and bookstore staff were other stakeholders who played roles in the adoption process.
Attend this presentation to better understand the motivations of college faculty who adopt open textbooks and how it affected their teaching practice. Hear about the challenges they encountered and any unexpected outcomes. Learn what students had to say about using open textbooks in the classroom and how it affected their learning and ability to be successful.
What is old can be new again: Or don’t throw out the baby with the bath waterCharles Darwin University
Keynote Presentation to the 'Pathways to Future Learning'. Technology for Learning. T3 Learning & Teaching Symposium. Torrens University Australia. 6 September.
ABSTRACT: Online education has been with us for more than 20 years now and over that time we have leaned many enduring lessons. However, with the advent of more collaborative forms of learning and assessment we have seen new tools emerge that help us to systematise some of these new approaches. The problem (if it is in fact a problem) is that many of these tools do not sit directly in our LMS, so we end up taking our students out to all types of different systems. But wait, what did we do before we had all these technology solutions, we had other ways of creating engaging learning experiences. So have we thrown out the baby with the bath water? In many way authentic assessment is still authentic assessment, but we just have a new kit bag of tools to help us deliver or package, with a slightly different bent. So together we will take a look at what is old to see if it can be made new again.
A keynote presentation for the Online Teaching Pathways for Early-Career Criminologists & Sociologists
by University of Glasgow, Hong Kong University, U21.
Abstract: We have all had to pivot rapidly from teaching face-to face to teaching fully online and have learned many lessons along the way, in a particularly short space of time. In many cases, if our IT groups and vendors had not equally risen to the occasion this would not have been possible. However, what has been observed is that those who have fared better over these recent months have been those institutions with well-established frameworks in place to mediate their technology-enhanced learning (TEL). That is, they have recognised processes that define how they translate what is in policy, procedures and planning into practice with appropriate IT scaffolding. Such a framework can be found within a number of TEL quality tools, that are designed to provide an institution with clear guidelines as to what things need to be in place to facilitate a robust and consistent approach to teaching with technology. Once these things are in place it makes it possible to undertake online teaching that does more than just mimic face-to-face practice, but actually provide a the foundation for innovative pedagogies to thrive. One concept associated with this is the notion that students can be productive and typically, this means the TEL has, or can become far more, active, authentic and collaborative.
Based on data form a range of ACODE Surveys over the last 12 months, and other industry data, there have been some distinct trends emerge that suggest that institutions are taking a fresh look at how they conduct teaching and assessment, longer term. Much of this has been predicated on what was necessary to deal with lock-down situations due to COVID-19, but more recently this has allowed institutions to consider the longer-term advantages in accommodating different forms of assessment, those that have traditionally fallen out of what was considered ‘normal’, most notably the ‘exam’. This shift in thinking has also extended to what institutions considering different forms of delivery of their core content, with there being a distinct shift away from what has been the mainstay for centuries, the ‘Lecture’. This shift has allowed for more authentic forms of delivery, ones based in more collaborative and active approaches. This presentation with provide a summary of some of the key data and share some examples of how some institutions are approaching the next few years, as uncertainty around the short-term future of in-person learning and teaching persists.
Our community space is available at https://plus.google.com/communities/110898703741307769041 > Feel free to join. The conversations continue and we will be back and offer a mini version of the course during Open Education Week in March 2016.
The #creativeHE team
Slides for talk on ‘Innovative pedagogy at massive scale’ given by Rebecca Ferguson and Mike Sharples from The Open University UK on 18 September 2014 at the EC-TEL conference 2014 in the Stadthalle|graz, Graz, Austria.
4th Annual National Higher Education Communication Officers' Conference 2014Ren Atkins
Delivered at the 4th Annual National Higher Education Communication Officers' Conference 2014, Melbourne, 18 June.
In 2013, Open Universities Australia launched its free online education venture Open2Study to harness the potential of MOOC’s to engage and connect with students of all ages and backgrounds on a global level. This presentation explores the potential of MOOCs for creating an engaged community across multiple platforms, using research and innovation to better understand how students learn online, and leveraging student feedback for iterative improvement.
Open learning in higher education an institutional approachBrian Murphy
The vaue of open learning can be a conflict within higher education instituions. This presentation is the result of an instituional review and research on the open education movement in higher education, given greater impetus by the advent of the MOOC. The journey of exploring MOOCs resulted, ironically, in an enhanced apreciation of OERs and revised strategic thinking of their impact for teaching and research, especially when viewed as a vehicle of co-creation between staff and students. Once value is attached, the principle becimes embedded and accepted rarher than an additional burden of academic endeavour; and the door is opened to the business case for systems, investment and development as well as academic development, support, reward and recognition.
MoocS IN INDIA AND ITS PROSPECTIVE. GOALS PIYUSH SHARMA
MOOCS PROSPECTIVES IN INDIA, MOOCS IN HIGHER EDUCATION, MOOCS PROVIDERS, WHY ARE MOOCS DIFFERENT FROM DISTANCE LEARNING, MOOCS GOAL, MOOCS VISION, MOOCS WHAT HAPPENS TODAY, HISTORY OF MOOCS, MOOCS STAND FOR,
Slides from the learning at scale special interest group of the open technology-enhanced learning research group at The Open University in the UK (OpenTEL L@S SIG) on 15 April 2024. This online event brought together lightning talks (around five minutes each) about the OpenLearn Create platform and the many projects that have been developed on the site over the past 18 years. These include: Active teaching and learning for Africa – ZEST, Carbon Literacy project, CGIAR Genebank, Climate Compatible Growth, Digital learning in forcibly displaced communities, FIFA Guardians Safeguarding in Football Diploma, Fit for Law, Foundations for Peace, Learning languages with senior learners , Learning Resources for Global Educators, Online Counselling CPD Courses, Open Networking Lab, Open STEM Africa, OpenCreate datalog analysis, Safeguarding in the International Aid sector., School of Physical Sciences Outreach , Scots Language and Culture, Skills for Prosperity Kenya, Supporting Adolescent Girls’ Education (SAGE), Tackling antimicrobial resistance, Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA), Teacher Professional Development at Scale (TPD@Scale), and Transformation by Innovation in Distance Education (TIDE)
Short talk on responsive and sustainable education futures given by Rebecca Ferguson of The Open University in the UK at ECTEL 2023 on 8 September 2023 as part of a keynote panel.
Keynote given by Rebecca Ferguson on 21 June 2023 at 'Blurring boundaries and making connections: learning with
and from one another', an
Associate Lecturer Professional Development Online Event organised by The Open University and held online.
Learning analytics - what can we achieve together.pptxRebecca Ferguson
Keynote given on 7 June 2023 by Rebecca Ferguson of The Open University in the UK at the Learning Analytics Summer Institute (LASI) organised by the Society for Learning Analytics Research (SoLAR) in Singapore.
Innnovations in online teaching and learning: CHatGPT and other artificial as...Rebecca Ferguson
Talk given by Agnes Kukulska-Hulme and Rebecca Ferguson to SciLab (a centre for pedagogical research and innovation in business and law) at The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK on Wednesday 3 May 2023.
Slides presented (virtually) by Professor Rebecca Ferguson of The Open University at the Teach4Edu4 multiplier event held in Birmingham, UK, in January 2023. This presentation formed part of a larger workshop with multiple speakers from The Open University.
Keynote on 'Pedagogies for Today' given by Professor Rebecca Ferguson of The Open University at the International Conference on Computers in Education (ICCE 2022), a hybrid conference based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Presentation given online by Professor Rebecca Ferguson at the 4th Annual International Conference on Research and Innovation In Education held at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, on 26 October 2022.
Presentation on Innovating Pedagogy given by Professor Rebecca Ferguson of The Open University at the International Conference on Open and Innovative Education, held in Hong Kong on 13 July 2022. The presentation was given remotely.
Introduction to Learning Analytics. Slides for Tutorial 1 led by Rebecca Ferguson at the Learning Analytics Summer Institute (LASI), June 2022, hosted online by the Society for Learning Analytics Research (SoLAR) with the University of British Columbia.
Short presentation given at the 'Building Open Science and Scholarship in SoLAR' workshop at LAK22, in March 2022. It touches on aspects of open scholarship including open access, open peer review, open thinking, open research teams, open research methods and an open research environment.
Short panel presentation given by Rebecca Ferguson at the Community of Practice on Trinity Micro-credentials First Annual Event (Continuing Education with Micro-credentials), 24 November 2021, organised online by Trinity College Dublin.
A short presentation given at the Accessible Learning, Accessible Analytics VIrtual Evidence Café at the Learning Analytics and Knowledge conference (LAK21) in April 2021
'I went to a marvellous party': a manifesto for online meetingsRebecca Ferguson
Slides presented at the Computers and Learning research group (CALRG) at The Open University, UK, in March 2021. A series of provocations about how online meetings could develop, drawing on the work of Raph Koster.
This tutorial is designed for everyone with an interest in increasing the impact of their learning analytics research. It was given by Rebecca Ferguson on 22 June 2021 at the Learning Analytics Summer Institute 2021, hosted by the University of British Columbia and held virtually.
Presentation given at VIII Semana de Formação de Professores STHEM Brasil – Módulo 1, a virtual workshop run on 25 May 2021 by faculty from the Institute of Educational Technology at The Open University, UK.
Presentation by Rebecca Ferguson to Open University PGCE Students in Wales about ‘Teaching at a Distance’. Adobe Connect webinar on 11 November 2020. Translation from English by OU Wales.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty, In...Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty,
International FDP on Fundamentals of Research in Social Sciences
at Integral University, Lucknow, 06.06.2024
By Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Safalta Digital marketing institute in Noida, provide complete applications that encompass a huge range of virtual advertising and marketing additives, which includes search engine optimization, virtual communication advertising, pay-per-click on marketing, content material advertising, internet analytics, and greater. These university courses are designed for students who possess a comprehensive understanding of virtual marketing strategies and attributes.Safalta Digital Marketing Institute in Noida is a first choice for young individuals or students who are looking to start their careers in the field of digital advertising. The institute gives specialized courses designed and certification.
for beginners, providing thorough training in areas such as SEO, digital communication marketing, and PPC training in Noida. After finishing the program, students receive the certifications recognised by top different universitie, setting a strong foundation for a successful career in digital marketing.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
Executive Directors Chat Leveraging AI for Diversity, Equity, and InclusionTechSoup
Let’s explore the intersection of technology and equity in the final session of our DEI series. Discover how AI tools, like ChatGPT, can be used to support and enhance your nonprofit's DEI initiatives. Participants will gain insights into practical AI applications and get tips for leveraging technology to advance their DEI goals.
Executive Directors Chat Leveraging AI for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Rethinking education
1. Educational Futures:
The Challenges of MOOCs
Rebecca Ferguson
Institute of Educational Technology
The Open University, UK
Rethinking Education: Stockholm
2. The Open University (UK)
•
•
•
•
•
Supported distance education at scale
Largest university in the UK
More than 240,000 students
8,700,000 iTunes downloads in 2013
5,100,000 YouTube views in 2013
3. What are MOOCs?
Massive
thousands may sign up
Open
no payment is required
Online
resources on the Internet
Courses
time-bounded cohorts
4. Inspiring learning for life by
•Telling stories
•Provoking conversations
•Celebrating progress
5. Launched September 2013
29 partners; 26 universities
Nearly 400,000 course sign-ups
Over 200,000 registered users
Six of the first eight courses hit
their cap of 10,000
Nearly 30,000 learners joining
some of this year’s courses
http://about.futurelearn.com/blog/
6. Advantages of massive
for teaching and for life by
learning
Inspiring learning
•Telling stories
•Provoking conversations
•Celebrating progress
7. Advantages of massive for learners
Massive participation offers learners
•support from a wide range of other learners
•resources provided by those learners in the
form of discussion and links
•a range of diverse cultural perspectives.
Advantages of MOOCs
8. Support, resources and a
variety of perspectives
Improving Your Image:
Dental Photography
University of Birmingham
Elias Adan Gimenez Feliu
I'm one of the very few photographers in an area trice as
big as Scotland (the Paraguayan Chaco), where 8
different cultures live together. There's no recordkeeping or proper research done with regards of dental
treatment, specially among the most remote areas on
the country. I believe there's huge opportunities to
enhance the dental service through the powerful medium
that photography provides, by providing material for
research and education. Mainly to inform central and
local government and other decision makers, about the
realities the region faces, but specially to educate
patients (elderly and children) dental workers and other
professionals, that sometimes have to travel hundreds of
kilometres on very bad roads, in order to reach a small
town with no proper facilities but where people in need of
proper treatment live.
Advantages of MOOCs
9. Advantages of massive for educators
Massive participation offers educators
•affective benefits
•potentially increased access to resources
•motivation to develop teaching practices
Advantages of MOOCs
10. Enjoyment, resources
and motivation
Corpus Linguistics: Method,
Analysis and Interpretation
Lancaster University
I am very passionate about the study
of language based on naturally
occurring speech and writing. So
getting more people to know about it
and be able to do it is my goal
Practise what you preach, as they say.
So I have decided to do some reflective
learning and blog about my experience
with our Climate Change MOOC.
Advantages of MOOCs
Web Science: How the
Web is Changing the World
University of Southampton
11. Advantages of massive for society
Massive participation offers society
•potential to develop tools and resources
•potential to develop professional practice
•increased access to higher education
•potential for global impact
Advantages of MOOCs
12. FutureLearn launch event
[UK] Universities and Science
Minister David Willetts said: ‘I
encourage all our institutions to
explore the opportunities offered by
new modes of technology, such as
Moocs. This will keep the UK ahead
in the global race to deliver
education in worldwide markets.’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24109190
Advantages of MOOCs
13. Challenges of massive
for teaching and learning
Inspiring learning for life by
•Telling stories
•Provoking conversations
•Celebrating progress
14. Access for all – supporting
inexperienced learners
We have provided a short video to
highlight a few points to help make
your learning experience effective
and enjoyable. The video includes:
Preparing to learn […]
Listening and reflecting […]
Making notes […]
Communicating with others
Challenges of MOOCs
Fairness and Nature:
When Worlds Collide
University of Leeds
15. High levels of engagement
– potentially overwhelming
Introduction to
Forensic Science
University of Strathclyde
Challenges of MOOCs
You have been actively engaged in
the discussions, which is excellent,
thank you, but with more than
23,000 participants it means that our
responses and comments risk
getting lost. One way to ensure we
keep in touch with all of you is by
sending out our weekly email – like
this one
16. No prior qualifications required
– getting the level right
This will be primary school material for
some of you and exactly the opposite for
others. It is just not possible to tailor the
material to each of you […] If it appears
too technical, forget the detail and
concentrate on the higher level principles;
if you think ‘yes I know all about that’
we’d encourage you to be an active
participant in the learning community
Challenges of MOOCs
Introduction to
Forensic Science
University of Strathclyde
18. What does success look like…
…for learners?
…for educators?
…for the institutions?
…for society?
increasing global reach
increasing employability
having a worldwide impact
showcasing research
developing new teaching methods accrediting learning
increasing alumni numbers
earning certificates making a profit
widening access
learning a little
learning a lot
being seen as innovative
keeping up with others
attracting investment
Editor's Notes
Title page
I’m from the UK’s largest University. Over 40 years old
Runs its own courses and awards its own degrees
342 undergraduate modules, 60 CPD modules and 141 post-grad modules
43% have 1 A level or lower at entry
My subject today is MOOCs
For those coming new to the area – this is what it stands for
Names you may have heard of include the US platforms Coursera, Udacity and edX
You may also hear of xMOOCs and cMOOCs.
Time cover points to some of the expected benefits
The Open University initiated FutureLearn, as a UK-based platform
First courses ran in September last year, so this is a new platform, just coming out of Beta
Draws on the OU’s experience of open and distance learning
We know it is not enough to put resources and videos online
FutureLearn is based on a pedagogy of social learning – where you have the opportunity to learn from the comments of other learners as well as from educators
Some figures here
To put them in context – Stockholm University has around 66,000 students
Uppsala University has around 25,000 students
You can see that this isn’t a gradual scaling up – universities are having to deal with massive numbers from the start
I’m going to look at some of the advantages and challenge of MOOCs.
In the time available I need to be selective, so I will focus on the benefits and challenges from a teaching perspective
This means looking beyond the big numbers of registrations to think about what we actually gain or lose by having so many students enrolled on a course
I will present them from the perspective of FutureLearn.
We can look at the advantages of MOOC from three perspectives: learners, educators and society as a whole.
We know that the economies of scale mean that students can access short university courses free of charge.
However, once they are enrolled, what are the benefits of massive for them?
We have seen three main benefits on FutureLearn
I am going to illustrate those benefits with just one example.
This quote came from a course on Dental Photography run by the University of Birmingham.
The participants, as you would expect, were mainly dentists and staff working in dental practices.
In this particular discussion they were asked why they used dental photography in their practice.
Most of the uses were similar – before and after shots, providing evidence of what had been done, discussing treatment.
This quotation, I think forms part of a conversation that develops the worldwide dental photography community and extends what it can achieve
It gives a powerful sense that this is a skill that can be life changing for individuals and communities.
It provides a new perspective, it widens what is possible, it helps to change the view of a profession.
Massive numbers of students are challenging for educators – but we found that, while teaching the courses, they identified a lot of benefits. They were proud to be involved and excited by the scale of their courses.
They were able to access experts and resources due to the size of their audience
And they were interested in extending their practice and finding out what works in such environments
Two quotations to illustrate thes points.
The first is typical of many – the lead educator talking about his excitement about the course and his passion for engaging people with the subject.
The second shows the MOOC prompting a change in professional practice. Not only reflecting, but also modelling good learner behaviour. And, in so doing, showing that the MOOC extends beyond a single online platform.
Across the MOOCs, you repeatedly see the course extending beyond the platform, with face-to-face events, Google Hangouts, blogs, Facebook groups and Twitter discussions.
Finally, advantages from the point of view of society.
These begin with the relatively small scale – making and sharing resources that can be used elsewhere.
There is the potential to develop professional practice, as on the FL courses related to Teaching Programming and to Dental photography.
There is the wider benefit of increased access to higher education
And the more ambitious view that this is a way of changing how and what people learn worldwide
That last point relates to the speech the UK Universites and Science Minister gave at the launch of FutureLearn.
He was pleased to see the potential for teaching and learning, and to see the UK moving ahead in this respect – but he also presented this as a national endeavour, that extended beyond individual institutions, to the country as a whole and to the UK’s place in the world.
That was a brief overview of the advantages of massive from a teaching and learning perspective.
I’ll now turn to the challenges.
There are three big challenges of MOOCs that I won’t discuss here because you see them debated extensively elsewhere: (1) how to develop an effective and sustainable business model (2) how to keep learners on board (3) how to handle assessment.
Instead, I am going to highlight a few of the challenges for teaching and learning.
These challenges are closely allied to the advantages, so we need to consider both when we are developing for MOOCs.
The first challenge is to be aware that most MOOC learners are new to online learning
We are used to students who come to university with at least ten years experience of learning face to face.
They know what is expected of them in the classroom. They know when to attend where to focus their attention, who to listen to
They arrive in an online learning situation and they are thrown in at the deep end.
So some guidance in learning how to learn at this level can help them to settle in.
The second challenge is to be aware of what you are taking on.
There is more to a MOOC than simply producing resources and putting them somewhere for people to work through
Students are hugely enthusiastic – particularly if you encourage discussion and give them opportunities for meaningful discussion
If you encourage students to compare different perspectives, to challenge and think through ideas, then there is an active role for the educator
This doesn’t mean one-to-one discussions with 23,000 students, but it might mean weekly emails, or short videos answering some queries, or blogging, or tweeting.
A third challenge is deciding how to pitch your MOOC.
People are coming to MOOCs for lots of reasons.
They may be complete beginners. They may be teachers, looking for new resources. They may be students who want to improve their English, or Swedish. They may be young teenagers, just beginning to explore higher education, or senior citizens who want to keep their minds active
A final challenge is one we have always faced at the OU, but which is even clearer within MOOCs.
Above are some figures from a start-of-course survey. Just one survey, so I can’t tell you they are representative – but they are indicative.
People with a disability are likely to find it easier to enrol for a MOOC than for a face-to-face university, and so we do see a significant percentage of learners with a disability.
If these figures were scaled up to a course of 10,000, we could expect about 1380 students to be living with a disability
We could expect about 145 to be deaf or hard of hearing
We could expect around 40 to be blind or partially sighted.
This means that we need to consider accessibility from the start. We need to provide transcripts for video and audio files, we need our PDFs to be accessible by screen readers, and we need to think about how we make ourpictures and our graphs and our exam papers accessible to people who cannot see them
Overall, we need to look at these advantages and these challenges in the context of what we are trying to achieve.
In the past, I have spoken to people developing MOOCs and have asked them what success would look like.
They are not always sure. They haven’t always thought about it.
So, in order to think about the advantages and challenges for you and the people you work with, I encourage you to think about what success would look like.