Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Avoiding the 'exercise bike' problem with MOOCs

Over the past few days I've been reading what seems like hundreds of articles and blog posts about MOOCs.  This is mostly because I've discovered a number of sites that aggregate these articles in convenient ways.  I've given up trying to remember everything I read about MOOCs - I'm just letting the flood wash over me and seeing what might stick.

But I want to think a bit more about one article (or is it a blog?): MOOCs and exercise bikes: more in common than you'd think.  Although some writers see the high attrition rate of MOOCs to be evidence of failure, I've been taking more of a toe-in-the-waters view - the barriers to signing up for a MOOC are so low that of course lots of enrollees will subsequently decide not to continue. 

This article suggests a different perspective, that of the well-meaning learner who somehow loses motivation.  Just like with that exercise bike, they feel bad about dropping out, and really wish they could have continued.  Sometimes they will have stopped for a solid reason (bike equivalent - sprained ankle), but for many it was just lack of motivation.  They know that they're missing a lot by not keeping up with the work, but their motivation fades and they're left with another failed attempt at learning.

So how can I build features into Useful Genetics that will help students stick with the course and get the full benefits of the course and the personal reinforcement of being a successful learner?  

One part of the solution is course-specific - building relevance into every week's work.  For Useful Genetics, week 1 is likely to be highly motivating (how people differ), but the next few weeks material may be very dry (gene expression, how heredity works), and I can see a lot of attrition happening here unless I make a special effort to prevent that.

Another other part of the solution is more general.  What features of courses make them easier to stick with to completion? I haven't seen much discussion of this yet.  Maybe this is one of the things that course-analytics can help with.  (If any readers know of studies, please post them in the comments.)

The exercise-bike article mentions the motivational benefits of being part of a group.  I don't think this motivation can come from the discussion forums; there are too many participants.  Face-to-face study groups are great, and I can encourage students to form them, but these won't be an option for most people.  But there might be a way to have people form interest-group-based online study groups, for genetic diseases or dog breeding or political concerns or whatever.  Perhaps, once I see the feedback from the 'Why are you taking this course' part of the initial survey, I can encourage the formation of many small discussion groups focused on the specific motivations students describe.

161 comments:

Matthew Yanez said...

Submitting anecdotal evidence relevant to the topic of characteristics that encourage, or alternatively, discourage completion.

I am currently taking two MOOCs; the first is an introductory programming course and the second is an applied physics course. Both require roughly equivalent levels of algebraic background.

Suppose, for each course, an assignment requires correct execution in five subsequent steps. One option is to ask the student to submit the final output of the 5th step. Another option is to test the student's result at each step. The second option improves the student's ability to locate his or her mistake, and IMO, reduces the potential for frustration.

This is a narrow response to a broad question, but still..

FWIW, it is encouraging to me to see instructors asking questions like this about what I think will prove to be a beneficial innovation in ed.

-Matthew Yanez
@Speedygoneyanez

Jack said...

I recently signed up for several course with Coursera and then dropped out after a few weeks.

The problem isn't distance learning; I got my degree from the Open University so I'm used to self-directed learning. Nor was the problem lack of time, I had time to study.

The problem was that Coursera, frankly, doesn't provide a particularly high quality of distance learning materials. Video lectures are simply a slow, difficult, means to teach. With the Open University you get a well-designed book to learn from, specific for your course, which is then supported by video lectures, audio, interactive learning tools, forums and the odd tutorial; in Coursera you only get video lectures - and not even lectures with transcripts. This is, put simply, just not as good a way to learn.

If MOOCs are to succeed, they need to start looking at best of breed, well established, distance learning programs and consider how they do it.

Unknown said...

Wonderful blog post. That is what I was searching for. I really like your blog and I appericiate your efforts. Your article is very helpful for me and many others to work out. I will definitely come back on your site for more stuff. Good Luck for the future posts.
Visit Here

Unknown said...

Wonderful blog post. That is what I was searching for. I really like your blog and I appericiate your efforts. Your article is very helpful for me and many others to work out. I will definitely come back on your site for more stuff. Good Luck for the future posts.
crystal handbags

Unknown said...

Very informative post! There is a lot of information here that can help any business get started with a successful social networking campaign! CBT Test

Unknown said...

What a fantastic post by you! Once again, you have successfully amazed us! Wow, just creepy wow! Sometimes I ask myself the question that how do you do it ? Man, this is just awesome! fut autobuyer

Unknown said...

Wonderful blog post. That is what I was searching for. I really like your blog and I appericiate your efforts. Your article is very helpful for me and many others to work out. I will definitely come back on your site for more stuff. Good Luck for the future posts. amazing way to get your ex back

Anonymous said...

Wonderful blog post. That is what I was searching for. I really like your blog and I appericiate your efforts. Your article is very helpful for me and many others to work out. I will definitely come back on your site for more stuff. Good Luck for the future posts. Seattle homes for sale

Unknown said...

Very informative post! There is a lot of information here that can help any business get started with a successful social networking campaign! how to Get Rid Of Cellulite

Unknown said...

I am much entertained to read thorough your nice piece of content. I have to speak about on-line training and their particular growing importance. Flora Drive Condo

Anonymous said...

Very informative post! There is a lot of information here that can help any business get started with a successful social networking campaign! yeast infection no more system

Unknown said...

I am much entertained to read thorough your nice piece of content. I have to speak about on-line training and their particular growing importance. Psychologist Los Angeles

Unknown said...

This is very good! Thank you so much for this post! Proactol Reviews

Mercer Island Realty said...

Mercer Island depends on Lake Washington east of the City of Seattle and west of the City of Bellevue. Mercer Island real estate

Unknown said...

This is a very good post. It has a lot of information, it has finesse, it has class, it has everything that I needed to complete my next project which I had to give today. Thank you very much for that! amy waterman save my marriage today

Unknown said...

This post is just out of this world! This is just the best post I've ever seen. The amount of knowledge personified in this post is just way too awesome! Thank you a lot! mistakes to avoid

Unknown said...

This is a very good and nice post. It has all the information I needed to complete my project. Thank you for this information! workout finishers 2.0 mike whitfield

Unknown said...

Thank you for this very good post. This is truly one of the best posts I've ever seen. Cheers! Partnervermittlung

Unknown said...

This is a very good post, sir. It has all the information I need for completing my next project. Thank you a lot! cheap used engines

Unknown said...

Wonderful and lovely post this is. It has all the knowledge in it and all the information in it. Both are packed together in this nice post. People may not appreciate it, but I am appreciating, this is a very very helpful post. Thanks! idol lash scam

Unknown said...

Hey! Just wanted to drop by and say thank you for providing us with this information. Thanks! Plastic Surgeons Green Bay WI

Unknown said...

Wonderful and lovely post this is. It has all the knowledge in it and all the information in it. Both are packed together in this nice post. People may not appreciate it, but I am appreciating, this is a very very helpful post. Thanks!continue reading

Unknown said...

This is the best post. It has the best knowledge. Cheers! RV curtain track

Unknown said...

Sir, I would like to thank you for posting this. This was very helpful for me. Really really helpful. Thank you. text your ex back by michael fiore

Unknown said...

I would like to very much thank you for providing this post. This post has been really helpful to me. And once again, thank you! Boat Storage

Unknown said...

This is a very nice post. I know that many people will appreciate this post. Though, they won't tell. women clothing websites

gamer123 said...

This is a very nice post. I know that many people will appreciate this post. Though, they won't tell

gamer123 said...

his is a very nice post. I know that many people will appreciate this post. Though, they won't tellrusty moore visual impact cardio

gamer123 said...

This is a very nice post. I know that many people will appreciate this post. Though, they won't tell.why men lie to women they love

Unknown said...

This is the best post one could ever see. Thank you a lot for this post! read his mind

Unknown said...

Very very good post. You've included all the great information in this post. Thanks a million for that. Cheers! how to get bigger breasts without surgery

gamer123 said...

Very very good post. You've included all the great information in this post. Thanks a million for that. Cheers!

gamer123 said...

Very very good post. You've included all the great information in this post. Thanks a million for that. Cheers!matt traverso overcome your diabetes today

Unknown said...

This post is just purely wonderful. It is filled with glamourous and glistering information. Thank you. RV Storage Orange County CA

Unknown said...

This is awesome work from you, man. Damn, this is awesome. I like this very much. Please continue to do this fantastic work of yours, never stop. Cheers! buy high quality glass bongs online

Unknown said...

Wow, man! This post if filled with awesomeness. I'd like to thank you a lot for providing me with this post. On one level, it is truly helpful. http://www.rebelmouse.com

Unknown said...

Wow, what an awesome post. This is just too awesome! Thumbs up. Vehicle Storage

Unknown said...

This is a post that is worth liking and commenting. Just too frigging awesome. Just keep up the good work. I'd like to see more post like this from your side. sefo-steuerberater.de

Unknown said...

I definitely learned something new while I was reading this post. And this post is awesome and everyone knows that! letter identification

Unknown said...

Awesome work! Truly helpful. Thanks! BOCA raton Financial advisor

Unknown said...

Great work! This post is filled with beautiful information and I would like to say thank you to you for that. Boat Storage

Unknown said...

To be honest, this post is good. But some improvement can be done. Although, the information you've provided is remarkable. Can't find this information elsewhere. Truck Parking

Unknown said...

Awesome work this is. Truly great. Thank you! https://rebelmouse.com

Unknown said...

A very awesome article indeed. I really like it. It has all the things that a best post has. Legit Information. Best Use of Words etc. Keep working good like this. 2013 women dresses

Unknown said...

Hi. This is an awesome post. Just one of the very best. Thanks a million for providing us with this post. Cheers! capture his heart dashboard

Unknown said...

What an awesome article! Just too damn good. Surfing through the internet and finding this article is really a bonus for me. Thanks! brazilian hair extensions

Unknown said...

Hello. This is an awesome post. Just one of the best I've ever seen. Thanks a lot for that. Cheers! voyance telephone gratuite

Unknown said...

Wow, what a really reliable article. If one can not find this information elsewhere, this article is definitely the place to find the information. Best Chocolate

Unknown said...

Best article. The amount if information here is sufficient and as needed. I know many people will appreciate this but they won't comment about that. Trailer Parking

Unknown said...

Great for travelers who travel often or even if you want to just travel a couple of times a year we will make it happen and meet up to your needs and every direction. Were here to help you save your money so you can be stress free during your trip! membership

Unknown said...

This is an awesome post. Information level = Awesome. Coolness level = Over 9000. Just the best post! petua besarkan payudara

Unknown said...

An awesome post this. Really great. Everything in this post is simply awesome. It's truly good. WOW! serp movement

Unknown said...

What a really really good and fantastic post this is. Truly awesome and remarkable post. Really good and helping information! voyance

Unknown said...

Nice work you've done on this article. The things have been well-written and everyone loves your information. Thanks a lot, mate. Abmahnung Geschmacksmuster

Unknown said...

What an awesome post this has turned out to be. Never thought that you could produce this quality of work in your articles. Well, you have proven me wrong. That's why I am thumbs up. Trailer Parking

Unknown said...

This is a really good post. I really like the way you've written and I would like that you contribute some more information on this topic on your next article. Cheers! water softener reviews

Anonymous said...

I have the best Pirater mot de passe Facebook, check this out : Pirater mot de passe Facebook

Unknown said...

Very nice article this. It has all the credentials to qualify in the 'Best Article' award. And I am 100% sure this article will bring home the award. Keep this up! 4x4 parts online australia

Unknown said...

I found one of the best Twitter Password Hack, this is working very good, check this : How to hack Twitter

Anonymous said...

This is very nice article, i found really great program, check this out : Pirater mot de passe Facebook

Anonymous said...

Hello guys, very nice article, i have something to tell you, see this : Generateur de code PSN

Anonymous said...

Hello guys, very nice article, i have something to tell you, see this : Generateur de code PSN

Anonymous said...

Hello there, really great article, i wanna show something, really awesome : Pirater mot de passe Wifi

Anonymous said...

Good article, check this out : Pirater mot de passe WinRar

Anonymous said...

I found really great site for programs, check it : Generateur de code PSN

Anonymous said...

This is the best method for Perte de poids, you must follow the instructions, and than you will be successful. Thanks

Anonymous said...

Wow this is so great, really great article is this! instructeur-forme.com

Anonymous said...

Ce site Web - http://free-lessons.tumblr.com/ Saved my life when someone hacked my facebook account.

Anonymous said...

Really great and so helpful, thanks a lot for this. Yahoo Password Hack

PSN Code Generator said...

Thanks for making this you help me a lot! PSN Code Generator

Free Xbox Live Codes said...

You help me a lot! Really amazing and so good! Free Xbox Live Codes

Prendre de la masse said...

Very helpful, thanks for this, a gain mass very fast. Prendre de la masse

http://elitehacking.net/generateur-de-kamas-dofus-gratuit-2014/ said...

Really great and so helpful!

PSN Generateur free said...

Really great and so helpful program!

Facebook Pirater said...

Very Helpful site! Thanks a lot!

Twitter Best Free said...

Really great and so helpful is this! Help me a lot!

How to Hack Wifi Online said...

Really great and so helpful is this! Help me a lot!

Xbox Live Codes Free Online said...

Really great and so helpful is this! Help me a lot!

How to Hack Facebook Online said...

Really great and so helpful is this! Help me a lot!

How to Hack Facebook Online said...

Really great and so helpful is this! Help me a lot!

Anonymous said...

Check this website : http://fre-tutorials.blogspot.fr/2014/01/pirater-mot-de-passe-facebook.html, you will be thankfull to me ! I promisse you.

PSN Free Codes said...

Really great and so helpful! Very helpful.

Yahoo Password Finder Free Online said...

Really great and so helpful! Very helpful.

Unknown said...

This website : http://fre-tutorials.blogspot.fr/2014/01/pirater-mot-de-passe-facebook.html helps me a lot with recoverying my facebook account !!!

Anonymous said...

You must read this post : http://fb-piraterr.blogspot.fr/2014/02/moyen-facile-comment-utiliser-facebook.html if you're seriosly interested to start learn hacking !

Unknown said...

Facebook Pirater is so easy process now !!!

Best Hosting Reviews said...

Really great and so good, this is very helpful for me! Best Web Hosting

Look Younger Tutorial said...

This is really great and so helpful tutorial, i am so happy now. How to Look Younger

Online Work Free said...

This help me a lot, i am so proud for this Online Work From Home,

Stanben Kredit said...

Nice article, I totally loved it!

stanben kredit

arvixe coupon said...

Here is a big dicount for your Arvixe hosting 50% off Arvixe Coupon

Unknown said...

New big discount 50% off for hosting company Arvixe.com.You can find this coupons on google or you can go on Arvixe Coupon

Unknown said...

I have checked all the hosting companies that give discounts and find the best option Arvixe.com. We offer up to 50% discount and free domain for life.Arvixe Coupon

Unknown said...

Ako ste vo potraga ste po najdobiot stanben kredit vo mk togas posetete ja malx.net

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Uste ne ste resile, veruvajte ovoj e za vas toj stanben kredit sto go posakuvate vo mk i moze da ja posetite malx.net

Womens Magazime said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Womens Magazime said...

very good article , if you want to know more about bicycle read this great article

Unknown said...

Edni od najdobrite solarni kolektori koi mozete da gi najdete na nashat oficijalna strana. So dokazan kvalitet ovie solarni paneli se najdobrite solarni sistemi vo Makedonija.
solarni paneli

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

very good article , if you want to read something about skin problems we provide you very good article for skin problems

Healthy Soup Recipes said...

Very Good Article
If you want more to know for healthy ideas we recommend to visit our incredible article Healthy Soup Recipes

Michael Brown said...

Suppose, for each course, an assignment requires correct execution in five subsequent steps. One option is to ask the student to submit the final output of the 5th step. Another option is to test the student's result at each step. The second option improves the student's ability to locate his or her mistake, and IMO, reduces the potential for frustration. If you are interested in healthy food than you should check out our pafe, we have great articles.

Unknown said...

Very good article i am really impressed, if you want to find good article i present you women daily magazine.
Women Daily Magazine created a new journey to happiness for every woman
Visit us, if you want to find out more about fashion, beauty, health, love, happiness and entertainment.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

i am really impressed of this great article , this article need to read every woman, keep writing good article

Unknown said...

Hey this is great I really like.Here is a new Arvixe coupon for 2014

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Zdravo,tuka mozete da gi najdete najdobrite solarni paneli za 2014.

solarni paneli

The best of Health said...

This was a good suggestion that you put up here...dude…..hope that it benefits all the ones who land up here
Healthy Soup Recipes

Unknown said...

Excellent article very well written
watch maleficent online

Website FB free said...

This is working so good and this is so awesome Website FB free

Womens Magazime said...

Wonderful blog post. That is what I was searching for. I really like your blog and I appericiate your efforts. Your article is very helpful for me and many others to work out. I will definitely come back on your site for more stuff. Good Luck for the future posts
Kristina Pimenova

Free PSN Codes Generateur said...

The best from the best, this is working so good Free PSN Codes Generateur

Pirater mot de passe Wifi Free Online said...

The best for me, and for you i thing : Pirater mot de passe Wifi Free Online

XBOX Live Generateur said...

Awesome product and so great : Free XBOX Live Generateur

FB Info said...

The best and the great, thanks a lot for this FB Info

Free PSN Code Generatuer Online said...

The best and the great, thanks a lot for this Free PSN Code Generatuer Online

Wifi Pirater Down said...

The Best For Me

RAR Remover said...

The best and the great, thanks a lot for this, really awesome RAR Remover Free

Pirater mot de passe Facebook Article Free said...

The best for me, this is very helpful and so great Pirater mot de passe Facebook Article Free

Bovada Poker Review said...

If you want to gamble just choose Bovada or Bodog Casino's.
This is a opportunity for us to take big money if you try. You have a real bonus of $1000 with every sign up.
Choose Bovada Poker Review and play online poker ....
http://bovadapokerreview.wordpress.com/

Free Twitter Hack website said...

This program is working so nice and so good and it is really awesome product and so amazing program Free Twitter Hack website

Codes PSN Free said...

The best for me, it is working so good and so nice, really amazing Codes PSN Free

Free Advice for Minecraft Premium Account said...

The best for me, this is working so good and amazing Premium Account Generator Free best Minecraft Premium Account

Free Article for Minecraft said...

The best for me, this is working so good and amazing Premium Account Generator Free Article for Minecraft

Instagram Password Finderr said...

The best for me, this is working so good and amazing Instagram Finder Instagram Password Finderr

Article for Instagram Finderr said...

The best for me, this is working so good and amazing Instagram Finder Article for Instagram Finderr

Anonymous said...

I’m glad to find so many useful and informative data on your website.
Daily Magazine

Starpass web said...

Really the best and very helpful Starpass web

Starpass Generateur Articles Free said...

Really the best and very helpful Starpass Generateur Articles Free

Generateur XBOX web free said...

Really the best and very helpful Generateur XBOX web free

Cracker RAR free article said...

Works so good, really helpful info Cracker RAR free article

Anonymous said...

Works so good, really helpful info spinach recipes

Unknown said...

I’m glad to find so many useful and informative data on your website.
Kristina Pimenova

Read More for this Club Penguin Membership said...

Working so good thanks for this. Really amazing and helpfulRead More for this Club Penguin Membership

Unknown said...

If you want to buy web hosting choose JustHost, the cheapest hosting with affordable price.
Read our JustHost Review on BlogMakingSchool:
JustHost Review

The best Spotify Generator said...

This is working really great, thanks for this : The best Spotify Generator

Wifi Password Hacker said...

The best application for me is this amazing Wifi Password Hacker

Anonymous said...

i am very impressed of this great article, check this great article for where to meet rich men you can find inside many tips where you can meet rich men.

Health 101 said...

The best application for me is this amazing spinach recipes

Unknown said...

Informational website that will provide you useful information about health care,
healthy food , healthy recipes etc

Anonymous said...

Works so good, really helpful info healthy food home

Unknown said...

Amazing article. That is what I was searching for. I really like your blog and I appreciate your efforts. Your article is very helpful for me and many others to work out. I will definitely come back on your site for more stuff. Good Luck for the future posts. where to meet rich men

Unknown said...

lemon detox diet as a part of a weight loss diet.

Unknown said...

I’m glad to find so many useful and informative data on your website, i will recommend very useful information about how to meet rich men

Anonymous said...

Najdobrite ponudi za zimskiot period, vo najdobriot skijacki centar банско.

Банско

Unknown said...

Eden od najdobrite skijacki centri vo Evropa, posetete go ovaa zima, vi nudi bezbroj uslugi. Na nashata web strana imate popust za uslugite vo bansko.
Банско

Anonymous said...

Kozmetikata e sporedna rabota kaj sekoj covek. Proverete ja nashata oficijalna strana kupinapopust.mk i odberete ja vashata usluga za kozmetika.козметика

Unknown said...

Great post, well writen .. Najdobriot zimski ski centar банско nudi golem broj na ponudi od koi del od niv se kaj nas na oficijalnata strana kupinapopust.mk so popust duri do 90%.банско

Unknown said...

Find the best car supermarkets in the UK and buy the next used car of your dreams.
Used Cars Supermarkets

Anonymous said...

If you want to buy a used car, check our supermarkets in Uk and find your secondhand vehicle.Used Cars Supermarkets

Unknown said...

I really like your post ...I was searchig for this long time ago..лето 2015

Anonymous said...

You can check the best car supermarkets in North West England.
Car Supermarket near Manchester

Anonymous said...

If you want to buy a used vehicle in United Kingdom then visit Fords of Winsford, the greatest used car supermarket in Cheshire,UK.
Car Supermarket near Bolton

Tom said...

Thanks for sharing your information and knowledge. If you're looking for a Marriage Therapist near Sacramento come look us up.

Anonymous said...

Great information here. Exercise is essential for a healthy and enjoyable life. Having the support of a life coach can be a great way to set goals and make progress. When you need to make progress hire Life Coach Sacramento to support you through meeting your goals.

Anonymous said...

Great information here. Exercise is essential for a healthy and enjoyable life. Having the support of a life coach can be a great way to set goals and make progress. When you need to make progress hire Life Coach Sacramento to support you through meeting your goals.

Ispartakule Çilingir said...

Bahçeşehir çilingir anahtarcı hizmetleri
http://www.bahcesehircilingiri.com

Bahçeşehir Locksmith said...

Bahçeşehir Çilingir
esenkent çilingir
Boğazköy çilingir
ıspartakule çilingir