MOOC used with a Group (Power Searching with Google)
Expanding the MOOC?
One of the main ideas in CPD for BSS was to create, readily available online courses for Schools to use in the best tradition of “Available when needed”. The School should log into the home base and select a course from the catalog, request teachers to use available resources in-line with local environment.
For the past year I have been passionately interested in MOOCs, these are great opportunities to learn, especially when it comes to self-directed learning. With the launch of Power Searching with Google MOOC there was this opportunity to use a MOOC with a group and therefor I suggested to my team (24 people) we take this course together.
The format is to review the material individually during the day at our own convenience, later same day we meet in groups of four to discuss the material and what we have learned. Next day we all meet for 30 minutes to discuss the topic and collect group notes, which will be compiled into topic notes to be distributed to everyone.
MOOCs can be treated as a compilation of OERs but organized in an Online course like format, which is very suitable to be used as described above. There seems to be a noticeable growth in number of available MOOCs and it is matter of connecting the nodes (Thank you Lane & Downes).
The objective for this MOOC is to enhance web-search skills using Google and for myself to determine how a MOOC can be used in group learning environment. We are into Day one and the energy seems very positive, more than 75% had seen the first lecture and some had even participated in the forum.
At the end every participant will be requested to write about their experience and some of them will be posted here.
Peace …
