David,
Looks like a powerful, if complex, model to me.
It even recovers some of the aspects of the apprenticeship model that
have been lost - especially that of *community* - that take
apprenticeship even beyond mentoring. Your model seems to imply the
necessity of community in the education process. Community has largely
been lost in the MOOCsland, and even in traditional undergraduate
classroom education. It seems that most undergrads "take courses" rather
than involve themselves in a community.
Grant
On 3/27/13 6:35 PM, Prof David West wrote:
On Wed, Mar 27, 2013, at 09:57 AM, Grant Holland wrote:
David,
What is YOUR opinion on the matter? Do you, or are you intending to,
teach any MOOCs or other online programs? Does Highlands offer, or plan
to offer any. (I assume you are still at Highlands.)
I left Highlands in December (three months back) but I am actively
engaged in establishing the same kind of program at several other
universities as well as a pure, for-profit, alternative. So on-line is
part of my teaching future.
However, I have come to the opinion that on-line is useful only as a
replacement for the "lecture + textbook" aspect of education. This
means that I believe you acquire the same knowledge in a MOOC as you
would if you spent a semester with three times a week lecture, reading a
textbook, plus classroom "discussion."
Unfortunately, in both cases, you learn almost nothing. By that I mean
there is nominal retention (score 100% on your final exam in December
and you will be lucky to score above 50% on the exact same exam when
classes resume in January), essentially zero integration with other
knowledge, total absence of any pertinent tacit knowledge, lack of
significant context, and close to zero application of the knowledge in
any meaningful way.
[When the esteemed members of this list report that their personal
experience with MOOCs is quite different that what I am describing, they
must recognize how atypical they are - probably 1-2 percent of the
people involved in a MOOC will have a similar experience. Fifty-percent
or more ("survey says" - the average is 70% dropout rate) will never
even finish the class.]
The model I am currently pursuing:
- define a set of "competencies," things people should be able to do
using their acquired knowledge
- each competency is assessed at seven different levels; concepts and
vocabulary, do under supervision, do independently, do in novel
context, mentor others, teach others, make an original contribution
- each competency is supported by 3-to-n (n usually less than ten)
"learning modules," the scope of which is roughly equivalent to the
material covered in a chapter or two of a typical textbook
- the set of modules associated with a specific competency are almost
always, multidisciplinary
- all learning modules are on-line, can be entirely self paced and
directed or involve both synchronous and asynchronous interaction with
instructors and peers.
- completion of all learning modules associated with a particular
competency results in level one assessment for that competency.
- the knowledge space is flat - meaning you can engage any learning
module at any time
- engagement with a learning module(s) is driven by actual work - a
real world project - on a "just-in-time" basis, i.e. you encounter a
problem and need some knowledge to solve that problem, so you engage
the appropriate learning module.
A last point - in my model, students spend 40 hours a week in a physical
studio - doing things, working with both peers and mentors
(professionals with lots of tacit knowledge to pass along) as well as
"faculty." "School" is totally virtual.
So I consider on-line to be essential - but as a means for achieving the
most minimal educational objectives.
The MOOC bandwagon is, in my opinion, a tragi-comedy that will end very
very badly. And I come by this opinion via experience. I taught my
first on-line course in 1995, was director of on-line learning at the
University of St. Thomas, introduced the first on-line courses at
highlands, facilitated on-line delivery to the point that almost 90% of
Highland's classes have on-line classes and the school of business
offers a totally on-line degree.
But, then again, I also think that K-12 is totally inadequate and that
higher education, with the exception of elite research universities and
2 year professional / vocational institutions, is irrelevant and will
also come to a bad end in the relatively near term future.
davew
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