Module 3 Proposed Project: Developing Your Research Project Hybrid MOOC

Description of My Project and Preliminary List of Learning Outcomes

The draft hypothesis for my project is that ‘by attending weekly face-to-face community learning meetings, as a supplement to participating in a ‘live’ online MOOC, learning by adults will be enhanced.’ For my project I am focusing on one particular MOOC entitled: ‘Developing Your Research Project, University of Southampton’ on the FutureLearn platform. It is 8 weeks long and in 2016 it ran 3 times starting in June, September and October. My learners will be adults living in or around The Glebe neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada. The learning goals and outcomes have been developed by the MOOC designers and I have included them, together with my proposed face-to-face learning outcomes, in the attached document Outline of goal, objectives and learning outcomes.

How will the Online and Face-to-Face Learning Activities Link to the Learning Theories

While the MOOC requires learners to contribute online discussion posts where peer-to-peer and tutor-to-peer discussion and reflection takes place, I propose to create an additional opportunity for oral discussion of the learning topics in a face-to-face environment between a group of learners living in proximate distance. Consistent with social constructivist theory, this discussion will help learners in formulating their ideas in a way that is immediate and direct with peers, unlike the asynchronous discussion in the online forums.  In addition, as all the learners are adults, it is expected that this face-to-face environment will give them the opportunity to identify areas in which they are having difficulties and by sharing and receiving feedback they will be ‘scaffolding’ each other.

The MOOC course has already been designed consistent with scaffolding theory such that it has reduced “the number of steps required to solve a problem by simplifying the task, so that the learner can manage components of the process and recognize when a fit with task requirements is achieved” (Bransford et al., quoted in Laurillard, 2012, p. 72). In this particular course the amount of didactic teaching is limited and an experiential learning approach is integrated throughout as a way of engaging the learner’s interest (Laurillard, 2012). The face-to-face meetings will augment the interaction designed in the online MOOC, especially the reflection discussions, and allow the oral discussion of, for example, the summary of the hypothesis and research questions with comments from other learners using the feedback rubric as a guide. This is strengthening the learning in a manner consistent with social constructivism theory.

Initial Ideas on Learner Assessment and Link with the Learning Theories

In the MOOC there are formative assessments in the form of quizzes and 2 peer-reviewed short assignments (200 words each) and one summative assessment in the form of a multiple-choice question test at the end of the 8-week course. In this course there is no formal portfolio assessment plan required by the instructors, but rather a portfolio is recommended to serve as a learning log, an important part of academic research. “Keeping track of your research process in the form of a learning log, reflecting upon changes you have made and the reasons for this is as important a part of your research project as the essay at the end” (FutureLearn, 2015).

In the face-to-face meetings, learners could be encouraged to keep track of their research project using an e-portfolio not only to file and aggregate resources but also to share it with others in the academic or professional communities that they are linked with or even with peers in the face-to-face learning group. This could enhance learning by encouraging metacognitive (reflective) journaling and, by obtaining additional feedback from their peers on their reflections.

References

FutureLearn. (2015). Developing Your Research Project, University of Southampton (online course). Retrieved from https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/research-project/7/steps/111785.

Laurillard, D. (2012). Teaching as a Design Science. New York: Routledge.

Module 2 Journal: My Project – Enhancing Learning in MOOCs through Face-to-Face Meetings

The draft hypothesis for my project is that ‘by attending weekly face-to-face meetings, as a supplement to participating in a ‘live’ online MOOC, learning by adults will be enhanced.’ For my project I am focusing on one particular MOOC entitled:  ‘Developing Your Research Project, University of Southhampton’ on the FutureLearn platform. It is 8 weeks long and in 2016 it ran 3 times starting in June, September and October. My learners will be adults living in or around The Glebe neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada.

Teaching and Learning Theories

The teaching and learning theories that I am most committed to supporting in this project are ‘experiential learning’ and ‘social constructivism’. 

Experiential learning is based on Dewey’s characterization of learning.

No matter what their age or stage, the learner will continually develop their knowledge through attempting to work through realistic experiential problems involving “the formation of ideas, acting upon ideas, observation of the conditions which result, and organization of facts and ideas for future use” (Dewey 1938: 88 quoted in Laurillard, 2012, p 48).

I choose ‘experiential learning’ as this particular course focuses on the learner’s own research project and step by step over an 8 week period the learner acquires the skills and knowledge (and obtains feedback) to develop a summary of their own research proposal.

Social Constructivism. I am also committed to ‘social constructivism’ which emphasizes the role of language and social interaction in development and learning (Laurillard, 2012). This is based on the work of Vygotsky who argued that “learning through discussion is important, and distinct from learning through practice, because the act of articulating an idea is itself a contribution to what it means to know that idea" (Laurillard, 2012, p.49).

Scaffolding. Linked with social constructivism is Vygotsky’s concept of ‘zone of proximal development’.

The zone of proximal development is “the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers” (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86 quoted in Lipscomb et al., 2004). Italics, my emphasis.

A method consistent with this learning theory to help learners meet their level of potential development is by scaffolding whereby a teacher or peer “offers assistance with only those skills that are beyond the student’s capability. Of great importance is allowing the student to complete as much of the task as possible, unassisted” (Lipscomb et al, 2004). In the case of adult learners “motivation comes from within and is based on the learner’s goals and objectives such as advanced degrees, career opportunities, and increased pay. Ultimately, the learner assumes a dual role in that they are students and peer instructors as they scaffold their classmates” (Lipscomb et al., 2004).

While the selected online course has numerous activities in the online discussion forum where peer-to-peer and tutor-to-peer discussion is encouraged, my project is proposing an opportunity for oral discussion in a face-to-face environment between a group of learners living in proximate distance. This discussion alone will help them in formulating their ideas.  In addition, as all the learners are adults it is expected that this face-to-face environment will give them the opportunity to identify areas that they are having difficulties with from the course content and to ask peers to provide guidance and advice. In this case they will be ‘scaffolding’ each other.

Learning Outcomes and Bloom’s Cognitive Categories

The course objectives are already fairly well developed and listed in the selected MOOC. In order to make them more clearly linked to Bloom’s Cognitive Categories (Green and Johnson, 2010) I have changed the verb in several instances and in the table below specified the particular cognitive category and also noted which week (W) that each objective refers to. This is a first step in developing a table whereby I will integrate the online and face-to-face activities on a weekly basis to support the course objectives.

Course Objectives (FutureLearn, 2015)
Students will …
Define the term ‘academic research’. (Cognitive category: Knowledge) W1
Describe skills that can be developed from undertaking a research project. (Cognitive category: Comprehension) W1
Compose key research questions drawn from your draft research proposal & hypothesis (Cognitive category: Synthesis) W2
Formulate a draft research proposal and hypothesis. (Cognitive category: Synthesis) W2
Analyze the pros and cons of using different types of sources to be used for a research project. (Cognitive category: Analysis) W3
Justify a methodology which fits your research project and update your research proposal (Cognitive category: Evaluation+Synthesis) W4
Explain a range of effective reading techniques and distinguish which is suitable for what source (Cognitive category: Comprehension + Analysis) W5
Use appropriate techniques to actively note down the important information you find when you're doing this reading. (Cognitive category: Apply) W5
Recognise the different styles of referencing and use references consistent with an academic standard. (Cognitive category: Knowledge + Application) W6
Construct a well-supported, original academic argument. (Cognitive category: Synthesis) W7
Write a summary of your proposal that will prepare you for writing an abstract for your research project (Cognitive category: Synthesis) W7
Identify the key elements of delivering an effective academic presentation based upon your research project. (Cognitive category: Knowledge) W8

References

FutureLearn. (2015). Developing Your Research Project, University of Southhampton (online course). Retrieved from https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/research-project/7/steps/111785.

Green, S. & Johnson, R. (2010). Assessment is Essential. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Laurillard, D. (2012). Teaching as a Design Science. New York: Routledge.

Lipscomb, L., Swanson, J., West, A. (2004). Scaffolding. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/