MOOC's are Overhyped

Before I go into the over-hyping of a new trend in instructional technology, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC's), I will state that I am 1) a fan of innovation 2) support free education (especially to developing countries/communities) and 3) interested in finding solutions to educational challenges using technology. There have been several efforts to deliver free educational content to a massive audience and the most popular are the Khan Academy and Coursera, respectively. The Kahn Academy delivers interesting and attention getting videos that allow for the audience to learn complex math or even have current laws such as SOPA and PIPA explained very well. I have a fourteen year old in the house who has benefited from Kahn in the area of math and I use the SOPA and PIPA video in my Communications Law class. In addition, I have attended Coursera offerings for my own professional development. They both have been great supplemental tools for learning. That's just it - they're supplemental, at best, yet thousands are over-hyping MOOC environments as being the next big thing to change Higher Education (http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/2012/12/11/how-moocs-are-changing-higher-ed/). In fact, the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD), Educause, Edutopia, MacArthur Foundation, and even the Chronicle Higher Education have recent articles praising and in the end, over-hyping, MOOC's. Why is it over-hyped? Because they are missing crucial elements to make them anything but supplemental. For starters, there is little to no contact between the student and instructor. This is a critical element in the educational process - feedback, coaching, and guidance are extremely limited in these examples. However, if a MOOC used as a supplement by an instructor where students can participate in the massive environment and then be brought into an environment where feedback and individual attention can be provided - MOOC's can be a useful tool. In addition, MOOC are extremely useful in situations where remedial training or professional development is concerned, as I mentioned doing in the past myself. If that was the limit of hype surrounding MOOC's - I would be alright with it. What is over-hyping MOOC's are the same hang-ups that have kept online learning from taking over education. Remember that over-hyping a decade ago? Online courses were going to "revolutionize" education and many feared that the student/teacher interaction in brick and mortar classrooms would go away. Contrary to popular belief at that time, education has actually taken a step back from full online courses and offering more blended learning courses. Forbes reported in 2011 that K-12 institutions were making this change in 2011 and Higher Education was following suite (http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhorn/2011/01/27/the-rise-of-k-12-blended-learning/). What forced many educators to shift back to blended learning courses rather than continuing to offer only full online only courses? We learned from the medium. We learned that online learning was optimal for specific types of content and learning. We also learned that not every student was suited for the online learning environment. In a university setting, it has changed the way I advise students in the courses they will take. These lessons have also changed the way I teach in online environments. Innovation in education technology is great when applied for the right objectives and outcomes. MOOC's are nothing more than an introduction to a topic, a supplemental medium, and a social environment where students can learn together. Let's not fool ourselves, though, and think that the importance of a one-on-one relationship with an instructor/mentor can ever be replaced or is not an important element.

Back at It/Updates/New Developments in the Virtual World

After a long year of planning, adjustments and side projects I will be back at it for Open Source Thinking and posting weekly blogs with some adding video segments. I am hopeful this will catch on and I also want to use it as a way to connect with students and the community. In the last year: 1. The Usability Testing Lab has been in development at the Metropolitan State University of Denver 2. Membership in the User Experience Professionals Association is in the works 3. Academic papers have been written by members of this group in regards to Geo-spatial Reasoning and Augmented Reality Design Models 4. A new study combining Interactive Realities and Geo-spatial Reasoning methodologies will begin soon 5. New technologies are pushing the boundaries The new lab has the capability of tracking eye movement, analyzing task completion of interactive technologies, analyzing brain wave activity, using multiple devices, and a motion controlled interface. Yes, we have been busy and the results will be worth it and the wait. A part of # 5 above, Leap Motion is push our boundaries to look at a new era of immersion into Virtual Environments: http://blog.leapmotion.com/post/66044509917/user-spotlight-leaping-into-virtual-reality?utm_source=Leap+Motion+Newsletter&utm_campaign=b0829bd821-Consumer_Newsletter_16&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f0a6fbd89e-b0829bd821-60637285 What this combination of motion control interfaces and virtual environments means is full immersion without clunky devices worn by participants. This adds another layer towards our research into Interactive Realities and Geo-spatial Reasoning. Now, if we can only get "Smellivision" to become reality! --Chris