How can we save the Mooc?

One of the problems with online learning is failing to generate any kind of a sense of community. Back in 2012, I took a MOOC course called "Internet History, Technology and Security" taught by Dr Chuck Severance on the Coursera platform. I found it fascinating and stuck with it to the end. However I was startled to receive an e-mail saying I was one of the best students and inviting me to join an interesting innovation, a team of 'community TAs' whose role was to retake the course and hang around on the discussion boards supporting the other students. This programme continued for, I think, 4 repititions of the course and seemed to help students to engage more... It was quite time-consuming but suggested that you cannot just record your material and sit back; and led to concepts I have brought to my teaching on Degree Apprenticeship modules about ensuring the personal touch. Student feedback shows that they enjoy things like the 'weeknotes' - weekly messages not just talking about what they should study next and upcoming events, but chatting about things of relevance, perhaps news items or innovations in the area being studied. This has also spun off into more conventional 'on-campus' teaching... and stood us in good stead when we've had to take the full-time students online.

It's a difficult time going across world, people want to learn but they have so many distraction in their lives and negativity to concur getting through news channels, friends and even some are actually going through pandemic conditions. So I suggest in the beginning and in the end of every course create some intentional effort to keep students attached, motivated and keep looking up for better future. Bcz now no one talks about better future, we r in the middle of the crisis, people know what to do but they don't have courage to do it, just remind them of the competition they have to face after this crisis, walk positively and happily throughout the course they will get attached and continue till the end.

Hey M. Robertson and Preeti, Thanks so much for your comments. Some reactions: M. Robertson: I think we already see that we are failing quite miserably in the "posting and discussion" part of #AirMOOC. Part of this is due to that we are lacking resources and struggling with finishing up every module just in time (still are), so that we are putting too little into activating students. We still get good feedback. Another factor is the asynchronous nature of the MOOC learning and the mixed background of professionals, which might make "opening up" on issues that relate directly to one's venture difficult. Also, using the strategy within Uni courses has proved to work much better, because then you have a joint schedule and a more cohesive (and partly coercive) setting. I love the "successful students as tutors" model. Maybe we'll try that out as we go. For some participants we'll have the blended learning part to make up for it and engage them more. Preeti: A lot for the contents we focus on actually strike that cord, so you might like them. You can register on the platform, or check out the resources on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/yPUVuh_uFgg Thanks again both! Gorgi