ELI Online Spring Focus Session: Learning and the MOOC

Over the past year, the massive open online course (MOOC) has emerged as a significantly different course model. But how robust is the MOOC as a vehicle for learning? In this focus session, through presentations and discussions, the ELI will explore the MOOC and its viability as a new learning model. Topics will include:

• The MOOC instructional/learning model and how to support faculty teaching in it;
• Quality assurance mechanisms, accreditation, and analytics;
• Instructional design challenges and opportunities;
• Student evaluation, assessment, and academic integrity; and
• The future of higher education and the MOOC

Join us April 3 and 4 for the ELI Online Spring Focus Session 2013, "Learning and the Massive Open Online Course," where we will engage the teaching and learning community in exploring this new online course model. Tour institutional examples of MOOCs, various instructional designs and delivery models, processes, methodologies for setting up and evaluating the model, and implications for teaching and learning.  

Hosted inside an Adobe Connect learning environment, this virtual event will be much more than your usual online seminar. You’ll exchange ideas and collaborate interactively with the ELI community—all without leaving your institution. You'll also receive all the resources and guided activities you need to help frame discussions and organize team events locally in your department, college, or institution. 

Is This Event for You?

This online session will bring together a variety of teaching and learning professionals to begin to address challenges and opportunities related to working with emerging technologies and innovations around open educational content. The session will be valuable for:

• Information technology professionals
• Learning technologists and designers
• Faculty members and instructors
• Administrators
• Librarians
• Others functioning in related roles

You will receive the greatest value from this online session if you attend as member of a team or host a group event on your campus. Team participation can help your institution advance a current or upcoming project and encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration. Team members also find that active discussion and engagement with each other during focus session activities builds rapport, solidifies plans, and enriches collaboration. By sharing a common focus session experience, participants can reflect on the implications for their institutions.

How You Will Prepare

You may be asked to complete presession activities and a survey in preparation for this online event. Please also visit the Resources page to learn more about informal networking opportunities before the event begins. We recommend that teams consider the ways they can interact both inside the online learning environment and together at their institution. Resources and guided activities will be provided to help you frame discussion locally and organize team events.