My evolving
project which is a hybrid MOOC has three learning environments. The FutureLearn
(2015) MOOC environment, the face-to-face community meetings and a dedicated
website for the learning group on WordPress called “Learning with MOOCs”. Overall,
the principles of experiential learning and social constructivism are deployed
in this hybrid course. The learner will develop his/her own
research project proposal by following a step by step process over an
8-week period, a method consistent with the principle of experiential learning.
Social constructivism, a theory which emphasizes the role of language and
social interaction in development and learning is also used. Below I have
described the different assessments that are planned and, for each set, I have
linked it to the teaching and learning theory developed by Laurillard (2012),
which incorporates experiential learning and social constructivism as well as
other theories, and describes them in a comprehensive yet concise manner.
Assessment- Learning goals
As the adult lifelong learners are
participating in a ‘free’ course during their ‘free’ time, it is important that
they are clear on their motivation to join the learning community. Assessment
activities will start with having learners clarify their personal learning
goals at the outset (Week 0) and re-assessing their achievement at end of
course (Week 8). In both instances they will compare personal goals with the
set course goals.
Teaching/learning
theory. This is aligned with Laurillard’s (2012)
teaching principles and strategies “align goals, activities, assessment”
specifically “draw on learners’ experiences to align their goals with the
teacher’s” (p. 79).
Formative assessments- discussions and reflective
journaling
As the course progresses there
are weekly discussions in all three learning environments on content areas and
on learning reflections. It is expected that the face-to-face learning
environment and the dedicated website discussions will be most used as the
learners will “know” each other and have established a level of trust between
each other. By week 2 weekly reflective writing in e-journals is introduced to
assist in metacognition.
Teaching/learning
theory. This is aligned with Laurillard’s (2012)
teaching principles and strategies “monitor alternative conceptions” especially
“use formative assessment to make students’ thinking visible to themselves,
their peers” (p. 79).
Formative Assessment-quizzes and exercises
To develop their research project
proposal, each week step-by-step guidance is given and formative assessment
such as online quizzes are available. Exercises
to draw out learners’ thinking on topics such as making a live presentation are
provided in hand-outs to be completed individually. Learners are encouraged to
participate in asynchronous discussions reflecting on their learning and this
is repeated in the face-to-face sessions and dedicated group online
discussions. Weekly uploading of their artifacts (draft documents, exercises)
and their reflections on the same are to be included in their e-portfolios.
Summative assessment- draft summaries, peer reviews,
self-assessments and quizzes
Learners prepare summaries of
their research projects that are then peer reviewed to assess progress in Weeks
2 and 7. A course Quiz is included in Week 8. These are all contained within
the MOOC learning environment. For the hybrid version additional opportunities
to peer review summaries are offered in the face-to-face meetings and on the
dedicated website. In additional summative assessments such as quizzes, e-portfolio
self-assessment and peer-review self-assessment rubrics are included in the
dedicated website.
Teaching/learning
theory. This is aligned with Laurillard’s (2012)
teaching principles and strategies “scaffold theory-based practice”
specifically “simplify the task, so that the learner can manage components of
the process and recognize when a fit with task requirements is achieved; design
exercises that provide the meaningful instrinsic feedback that learners are
able to interpret and use to revise their actions; create tasks and conditions
that reveal student thinking; [and] give learners the means to build an
external representation of their knowledge to share with others” (p. 79).
Assessments - metacognition
This course has a diversity of assessments
conducted both on and off-line including: individual e-journaling on a weekly
basis, participating in three different learning
spaces for discussions on content and reflections, sharing their summaries and conducting
peer reviews and self-assessing their own peer reviews, summarizing main
content and learning and comparing descriptions and highlighting differences
with peers and with the larger group, and testing their knowledge through online
quizzes.
Teaching/learning
theory. This is aligned with Laurillard’s (2012)
teaching principles and strategies of encouraging metacognition especially “encourage
students to practice and discuss metacognitive practices; model the use of
meta-cognitive strategies; encourage students to practice and discuss these
strategies; engage students in grading their own and their peers’ performance;
show students have different conceptualizations; and compare descriptions and
highlight differences and inconsistencies” (p. 79).
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.
