Improvement Cycles in Teacher Development Massive Open Online Course Design

• In Event: 72.041 - Leveraging Massive Open Online Courses to Foster Teacher Professional Development

Abstract

Purpose
This paper describes how the design of a teacher development MOOC was informed by an improvement cycle rooted in student engagement data. The study underscores how content curation, learner choice, discussion forum facilitation, and assessment design can promote student engagement in a MOOC.

Perspective or Framework
MOOCs have emerged as an opportunity for college-educated professionals to find and take advantage of professional learning opportunities. Research on MOOCs does not offer much insight on how to appeal to or reach this audience of adult learners. Part of the problem stems from the fact that the current focus of much of that work continues to pursue the question of whether and how MOOCs can approximate the in-person experience. However, given the enormous data and Web resources as well as the vast personal experiences and knowledge that can be shared, MOOCs are also a way to iteratively innovate a new type of learning experience for adults.

Methods and modes of inquiry
This is a case study of the improvement cycle that was integrated into the MOOC design process for three versions of the same course. The course explored key ideas of positive psychology and discussed strategies that teachers can use to integrate character-based objectives into their academic lessons to support student engagement and learning.

Data sources
Learner data come from a demographic survey, a pre- and post-course survey, and learners’ online engagement data collected by Coursera.

Results or Substantiated Conclusions
The case study revealed several core insights. First, there is no ideal student engagement profile. In fact, students who interacted with the content in different ways achieved many of the same learning goals. Indeed, students participated in the MOOC in ways that were consistent with their initial ambitions. Second, students view MOOCs as resources for collective, in-person learning. Learners downloaded content from the MOOC in large numbers. Follow-up surveys revealed that they intended to use those resources to guide in-person workshops for their colleagues. Additionally, learners appreciated having access to all materials in advance since it gave them flexibility to engage with the material in a pace that worked for them while also enabling them to meet the course deadlines. Finally, assessment profiles that enable learners to compile a portfolio of work over the course of several weeks increased the likelihood that students will persist through the course.

Scholarly significance
Judging a MOOC’s efficacy by course-completion metrics alone ignores the myriad definitions of “success” that individual students create. The categories of success may include reach, engagement, persistence, and performance. For some, it may come from engaging with a diverse community of learners on a given topic. For others, downloading and watching videos in a non-streaming environment may be the best path toward objective mastery. Still, a third group may see value in extrinsic “Statements of Accomplishment,” and, as such, will approach all course assignments with alacrity. Learners have different and varied needs. This case study offers design recommendations for MOOC development that are based on student engagement patterns.

Authors

• Billie Gastic, New York University

• Dan Konecky, Relay Graduate School of Education

• Aaron Soffin, Relay Graduate School of Education