How do we begin?

[Alec Couros]

There are a number of technologies that we can use to collaborate. I set up a Google Doc, but I'm already thinking that this will not be close to sufficient to collaborate on this course.

I am not sure about Google Groups - I know it's not perfect. What else can we use to collaborate sufficiently to do this well?

And, who's with me to help lead the development of this project?

[verenanz]

I'm in - Will chat with you next week about what I can help "lead".

At this point in time, I am creating a comparison of platforms for possible "open learning" opportunities. I'll start a spreadsheet in google.docs, then people can add to it as well?

I'll create a wordpress blog to keep up with the Jones' and then I can learn with everyone. I don't know the difference between the free wordpress blog and the one I am now paying for, so i will learn.

For the "design" discussion about implementation - I think the "types" of activities (love #ds106) and the timing (#moocmooc in one week was amazing) , but also consider options- like one week of massive "synchronous" activities - like #moocmooc- then other weeks with different "open" options....Although I think weekly guidelines as key as well. Is the goal to explore all types of EdTech? I support some aspects of scaffolding for the learners to get the party started...:)

Assessment is also a big question - we are blending the "open" learning into projects in "regular" classes - that way students can still participate and get a grade, or not...I would like to have more discussion on this though.

Verena  :)

[Matthew Kruger-Ross]

My conundrum exactly with course organization - there doesn't seem to be a technology that adequately does what I want it to do! Google Docs and Groups seems to fulfill the purpose for now on my end. But I am wide open for other tools that might streamline the process.

[Matthew Kruger-Ross]

Am in to help design/lead as well. Will need to familiarize myself with #ds106 - am not as fluent there as the others.

I'm also interested in what "curriculum" means and is enacted in an "open" format...

So exciting. :)

[Darren Kuropatwa]

Yeah, assessment is a big question. I was intrigued by David Wiley approach to using Badges for assessment in his Introduction to Open Education mooc.

http://openeducation.us/badges

I wonder what folks think about developing along these lines for our etmooc.

Also, I'm starting to feel like the topic list is getting away from us; I have a fear of trying to "do it all". Maybe we should discuss on a specific focus or set of outcomes from the course and build it around those objectives. I kind of feel we might be better off doing a few things very well rather than skimming the surface of too many big ideas. What do you think? [Maybe this should be another thread in the Google Group?]

[Alec Couros]

Maybe let's keep at it here, then move it to Google Hangouts or sort of thing to get some of the big things out of the way. I don't know of much that is better, and free is nice. :-)

[Alison Seaman]

I've been feeling the same way. I think it might help to refine the scope of this MOOC—what do we want to accomplish? To help narrow the focus, I'm wondering if once the topics are all listed we can group them by theme and then see how they do or don't fit together? We could then review the groups that complement one another and prioritize items (if there is too much). Or maybe I've been working in an office for too long—heh.

[Elizabeth Dill]

I agree. With my instructional design thought process I would begin with objectives, (forgive me if too provincial) and try to sketch out some rough syllabus of what topics in what context will be presented. Once this is accomplished in some manner, ways to facilitate and assess and the specific roles people can play will be able to be determined much easier imho  : )  

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[Alec Couros]

I have a fairly clear week coming up (sept 10-14), so what I hope to do is draft out an overview of the course, topics, and a rough calendar. As I have done (successfully IMO) with #eci831, I won't look to go into great depth when developing the topics but rather, leave them fairly open ended.

My initial thoughts for this course are

- we base it around the topic of educational technology integration

- overviews of tools (and toolsets/categories) linked directly to practice (to encourage focus on pedagogy)

- have a strong focus on the development of personal learning networks/environments from early on

- develop a strong component on literacy, citizenship, identity, and other important similar topics for educators & institutions

- facilitation will be based on both synchronous and asynchronous activities

- we help to develop subgroups & nodes (based on geographies, sectors, etc.) where more contextual work can be done, but this feeds into the larger course community

So, I am hoping to develop a bit of a draft framework next week, and I'd be happy if others could take a look at it. OR, if you have comments on what I just wrote above (necessary inclusions on topics or focus), please let me know and I'll try to make this happen. I really do want this to be a group effort, but I think collaboration will be easier once we have agreed upon constructs and a solid place to start.

Thanks again all for being part of this.

Cheers.

[Elizabeth Dill]

Just a couple of thoughts I'm throwing out there if appropriate, disregard if not.

Who is your primary audience? Academics? full-time students, etc. Being a MOOC it is probably impossible to determine this as precisely one would like, but keeping your primary audience in mind to inform decisions is helpful. (and identifying demographics is definitely something I'm sure you've thought about doing at the onset of the MOOC for eventual analysis purposes). 

What type (or types) of literacy do you want to address? There are hundreds now, LOL.

Also, one thing to think about is the option of open-ended (or more flexible) deadlines.  In every non-credit MOOC I've been in, there have been issues with deadlines, particularly among those who work full-time and/or have significant outside obligations. In my anecdotal experience, I think deadlines are a strong factor involved with drop-out rates. While you could have deadlines, for most, you might consider creating an open-ended path option so if people miss a deadline, they don't quit the class (like I have in the past).

I just wanted to get these thoughts down before I forgot them. Hope they're helpful.

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[Alec Couros]

Great stuff, Elizabeth.

I think audience is a huge piece of this, so I'll be sure to work that out and ask the group for feedback. As well, in terms of assessments, I'm with you on the deadlines or whether to have them at all. I think we could learn from #ds106 and just create a community that wants to do them as part of their own learning, vs. having any pressure to perform or to do them at all - not grading pressure, that's for sure.

Something we should all discuss as I think the topic is fascinating. I just don't think we can really innovate when this is not tied to a credit officially.

[Alison Seaman]

If this helps somewhat (and I'm not as familiar with exactly what happens in DS106) in terms of deadlines, I really liked having the flexibility to have the semester to complete my assignments in EC&I 831.

Looking forward to hearing more of your thoughts Alec.

[Alison Seaman]

But I think decisions like that depend largely on the types of activities (DS106, if I have this correctly, has short activities to complete, so waiting until the end wouldn't be ideal). But flexibility is always nice.

[Lenandlar Singh]

Alec

One of the things i've observed over the years participating in MOOCs is that there's hardly a below 40 participant around. I often wonder whether MOOCs are for the inexperienced given that the participants are mainly from mainstream education with X years experience in research, teaching and administration. Maybe the actual statistic is different. So the question is if younger/lesser experienced folks are not participating then why not? I believe here's a great opportunity to find out.

Len

[Lenandlar Singh]

Alison

Some tasks could be done much more rapidly while bigger tasks could be done over a longer period but progressively - sort of like an agile approach to software development where pieces of the solution are developed and "tested" and iteration continues until the end.

Identifying and organising assessments will be key.

Len

[Lenandlar Singh]

I agree, the type of activities will and should determine the time. I wonder if it would be possible to have short,sharp bursts of exciting activities together with more extensive?

One of the other things i've noticed (or perhaps missed) are small group synchronous sessions among participants to compliment the weekly 1-hr synchronous weekly session with MOOC presenter/leader of the week.

Len

[Robin]

I am jumping in late and I will pretty much do whatever is needed. If it helps, I am a wordpress administrator, so can help with that. I am also an ID, so any learning activity design I can help with. I also have access to a graphic artist and I can use her a bit if we need it.

Someone just tell me what you would like me to do!

Robin

 

[Kirsten Hansen]

Like Robin, I'm happy to help out however I can. I have some experience in the back end of WordPress and have some experience using Buddy Press if we're interested in going that route. 

For organizing, BaseCamp is an option although it's functionality with emailing messages is not what it used to be and Google Groups is far better for that.

I have experience with workshops and a variety of educational technologies so if there's something I can do, please let me know!

I agree that figuring out a target audience would be helpful. ds106 from what I know is targeted at the students enrolled in the class but is built to allow the participation of everyone else who wants to join in and do a quick project or get involved. 

I have a few questions based on the issue of audience, assignments, etc.

* Are we looking for people to "finish" the class or is drop-in-drop-out a method that addresses a variety of participants better?

* If people are participating in interest groups, is the goal to have them participate in that and the rest of the class or is it okay to just be active in an interest group?

* Can you join for one issue, engage in one question, complete one or two projects and still consider your learning a success or should participants complete all of the projects, synchronously and asynchronously, to feel that they have been part of the class?

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[Alison Seaman]

The agile idea is really interesting—I like the idea of tinkering as more is learned, in addition to more extensive projects. But yeah, it depends on what's involved.

I hadn't noticed small group synchronous sessions form during EC&I 831. In which MOOC were you observing this? That's really interesting. When I took EC&I 831 there were asynchronous conversations that would take place out on Twitter or in learners' blog posts. I wonder if that was a function of that MOOC's structure?

[Lenandlar Singh]

Allison

i have followed many MOOCs (getting to the "too numerous to mention" point) and don't recall any of the small group synchronous conversations. Of course many asynchronous 'sessions' are ongoing on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc. 

I believe there's some correlation between the overall structure and what is practiced. not sure one causes the other though. Many MOOCers already do things the way they do before coming to MOOCs.

I love the idea of a "do" MOOC. 

Len 

[CogDog]

Late to the party. I'm a bit fuzzy on the purpose here, and would hope that maybe we can move the 4th bullet higher, and not make it a tools focus.

And it is still sounding a bit course-ish. Is this supposed to mimic a course or maybe something larger? Need it be a course? 

I'd like to see a focus on *doing* something, more than talking about doing things. This means rolling in more of the DIY component, maybe something where we go out in the world and change it, maybe on a local scale, with these tech tools.

[Rob Wall]

I'll come out of lurk mode to toss in some thoughts/epiphanies (in no particular order). I'm not sure how/if any of these connect with ideas that have already been put up and sorry if I copy someone's ideas without due props.

The notion of game-ifying the MOOC is a good one for encouraging peripheral participants to become more actively/visibly engaged. I also think that the core (tuition paying) group should be the focus of the MOOC; everyone else is along for the learning party.

How about creating some sort of guild/group structure with each guild centred on or led by one of the paying students. Part of their challenge would be to gather some members to their group so there would be incentive to develop a trusted network of people. Maybe Alec or some group of advisors could seed the process with a few individuals that would be good starters to their group. Each group would have a project to create something (which I have no idea what it is) that requires participation of a medium to large group of people.

Alan did this along with D'Arcy Norman and Brian Lamb in their "Small Pieces Loosely Joined" project back in 2004. I'm thinking of something like that but scaled up and with a more formal core to the experience.

[Kirsten Hansen]

I'm really finding the email streams crossing here although that may just be reading them all at once. 

Gamification can work really well, but it does involve a lot of planning and I admit that badges aren't particularly appealing to me. I can happily spend hours playing a video game and have read the Horizon Report and agree that well-used gamification is definitely useful (Minecraft!). Badges are the entry point to gamification. Even in games badges are fairly secondary and rarely a driving goal within the game. They are a product of play and they are something you worry about when you are more skilled in a particular game. Beating the challenges, solving puzzles, proceeding to the next level or moving the story are the things that make a lot of the really good games interesting.

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