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Saturday, September 17, 2011

MOOCs for networked learning

#cmc 11 Although I've registered for other MOOCs (PLENK, MobiMOOC, EduMOOC), this is my first time in many ways. I've been reading the DailyPosts and checking out other blogs.  And, I'm participating in the Google group.  I've already found someone interested in using play for learning and have reached out to him.  And, I'm excited to see some participants excited about this model.

I'm listening now to the press release on the Digital Media and Learning  competition on badges. Should we consider badges for participating in a MOOC?








3 comments:

  1. Betty, I've started a Creative Play in Education channel at http://creativeplay.ning.com -- and I'm learning that getting a channel rolling, getting people to remember to come by and post their thoughts, share their resources, comment on others' posts, is a bit of a challenge. I've kicked of the forum on that site with a few questions for the group ... feel free to have a look and join up if this is something that you'd like to collaborate on. I'm hoping to use channels I set up as sort of "special-interest working subcommittees" of the MOOC.

    As for badges, I'd prefer not to see any sort of meritocratic environment set up. I understand the wish to hold out reward carrots in these early stages to encourage regular participation, but, later on, I'm afraid that something like badges may inadvertently create a clique of those who simply have the most time to be involved and might discourage from speaking up those who are latecomers or who finally see something that really gets them fired up. I also think that the disposition of badges by a select few creates more of a top-down leadership model and less of an egalitarian exchange.

    That said, if the MOOC leaders add badges, I will simply blithely ignore the system. LIke I have always ignored all systems, LOL.

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  2. (I am presuming you meant some sort of badge reward system that turns from, say, yellow to silver to platinum, or something like that, depending on participation rates, and as decided by some individual or committee or algorithm written by an individual or committee. If you meant instead a simple single-level badge people can add to their blogs & web sites & email sigs saying they are participants, then, sure!)

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  3. Hi Betty,

    Not sure what you mean with badges.

    If Ilyse understood you well and it is a reward system, I would agree with Ilyse. I think rewards for learning should be defined by the individual learner by setting achievable goals, or small learning steps if you like. It is hard enough to get people actively participating online, I am not sure if such rewards would help community building as Ilyse pointed out. I think it would be useful to focus on collaboration instead of competition.

    I had a look at Ilyse's ning and am very interested in playful learning at all stages, including Higher Education, and plan to sign up. It might be useful to find a focus, something we would like to explore together, to get started.

    Betty, I would be interested to find out more about your experiences as a participant in other MOOCs and how it feels to organise and facilitate one at the same time. ;o)

    Speak again soon.
    Chrissi

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