{"id":5125,"date":"2014-11-19T09:46:58","date_gmt":"2014-11-19T07:46:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oeb.global\/OEB_Newsportal\/?p=5125"},"modified":"2016-11-10T15:33:39","modified_gmt":"2016-11-10T13:33:39","slug":"george-siemens-moocs-elearning-online-educa-berlin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oeb.global\/oeb-insights\/george-siemens-moocs-elearning-online-educa-berlin\/","title":{"rendered":"George Siemens: \u2018Students need to take ownership of their learning\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"GeorgeSiemens\"<\/a>

George Siemens<\/p><\/div>\n

George Siemens is an internationally renowned and highly respected professor and researcher of technology, networks, analytics, and openness in education. Currently the Executive Director of the Learning Innovation and Networked Knowledge Research Lab at University of Texas, Dr Siemens<\/a> has, amongst others things, been responsible for pioneering MOOCs, advised government agencies and numerous universities around the world on digital education and learning analytics, and has authored books on connectivism and knowledge processes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A keynote speaker at ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN 2014<\/a>, Dr Siemens spoke to OEB Editor Annika Burgess<\/em> about how data is providing opportunities that teachers and educators can\u2019t, why his latest \u2018new-look\u2019 MOOC has its critics and where he sees e-learning headed in the future.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As its OEB 20th<\/sup> anniversary, we\u2019re not only reflecting on the past 20 years of e-learning but more so what\u2019s in store for the future. What do you think will be the next big e-learning trends? <\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In higher education the credentialing pipeline is a significant trend and what I mean by that is that individuals are learning in a variety of spaces. They always have but it\u2019s now being formalised more so, meaning that even though the certificate or the degree might come from one university they will likely have a patchwork of courses and learning activities \u2013 sometimes driven by cost and sometimes driven by just convenience that they are available.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So, the credentialing pipeline is going to be one of the more interesting innovations in the next several years because it will cause us to think a bit more differently around this process of degree granting.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Another trend in the US is competency-based learning. In different parts of the world competencies have a bad rap, if you will, because they are acquainted with training for corporate spaces rather than getting a degree. But, certainly the opportunities an individual has to work with competencies they gain anywhere in their daily lives is going to be a significant factor.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Even in Wisconsin, for example, there is the possibility for someone to get a bachelor\u2019s degree without ever stepping foot into a university campus.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In regard to data and analytics \u2013 analytics are going to continue to be a growing factor in universities as organisations try to do a better job at facilitating student success. Particularly for students that fall into the under-represented environment in the US.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In regard to MOOCs, what do you think are the most important factors that need to be addressed to improve user experience and boost MOOCs to the next level?<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are a few things, but one is the interaction component \u2013 users need to have better opportunities to learn from each other. A lot of what\u2019s wrong with MOOCs stems from how they emulate traditional classrooms, and so that means we are very heavily emphasising the knowledge of the teacher and the students\u2019 activity in relation to that teacher\u2019s knowledge.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To adopt better peer-based models where students are teaching one another; where you have models that allow you to serve as peer-evaluators and peer-mentors, and so on, I think that\u2019s a key element.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Another aspect is to start using better use of data. Typically the current use of data is just for publishing, so the use is still very much a post-course evaluation when it comes to data rather than real-time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Another crucial factor is the recognition that learners have different levels when they engage in MOOCs \u2013 this is for digital learning in general. There\u2019s the need to start using adaptive and personalised learning approaches so that the existing knowledge of a learner determines or influences what we teach.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

You recently launched the DALMOOC, which you created with a focus on improving the social experience of learners<\/strong> \u2013 can you tell me a bit about the <\/strong>structure and format you have chosen? <\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We call it a dual layer MOOC, but we don\u2019t mean that in a binary sense, it\u2019s more like saying there are two pathways to take. You can either take a structured pathway \u2013 the way that you see with a lot of MOOCs that are run, say, on Cousera or edX \u2013 and that\u2019s a heavy teacher focus with guidance. As in, you click through to the next level.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We\u2019ve created a second level that we\u2019re calling more of the \u2018social layer\u2019 and we\u2019re basically asking students to engage with one another and to create artefacts that reflect their understanding and to share those artefacts.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the learning process we need different cycles of scaffolding \u2013 there are times when you come across a new idea completely and you can\u2019t really create and socialise around it effectively because you just don\u2019t know anything. So, there may be a cycle by which the learner follows a traditional structure or pathway but as soon as they become more confident they move into social and more emerging formats. In a way they\u2019re oscillating between these two elements of the MOOC: structure and linear versus emergent and social.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How it has been received so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We\u2019re three weeks into it now and there\u2019s this real sense that because we stopped innovating with MOOCs the moment they were successful \u2013 if you take a MOOC today, you basically have the same structure as you had in 2011 when Coursera and edX were introduced \u2013 students have a certain set of expectations. They want that format, it seems.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So, we\u2019ve had some pushback with students saying that they don\u2019t like the creating artefacts model focus. So we\u2019ve said \u2018that\u2019s fine, we realise that some students don\u2019t want that. Stay on the linear path if that\u2019s what\u2019s important to you.\u2019<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To some level I wonder if it\u2019s Pavlovian in a sense that you\u2019ve\u00a0 been conditioned to interact with it in a certain way, so when you get to a MOOC you\u2019re expecting that structure and that content presentation and it takes time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I had this with the first MOOC I ran in 2008 \u2013 the exact same experience that students pushed back and said \u2018this isn\u2019t learning; I don\u2019t like this.\u2019 But, even recently I\u2019ve seen a dozen or two dozen posts over a couple of days that emphasise \u2018oh, ok I\u2019m starting to get what they\u2019re saying.\u2019<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What we\u2019re essentially trying to promote is enlightenment \u2013 being able to do for yourself what others have done for you. There\u2019s this sense where you take ownership of yourself and your knowledge. Students need to go through an age of enlightenment with regard to their own learning \u2013 meaning that you own your learning process; you\u2019re responsible for what you learn.\u00a0 You\u2019re in charge; you own the space where you post your artefacts and so on.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The theme of DALMOOC also ties in with your OEB participation, which is in the debate: <\/strong>‘This house believes that data is corrupting education’. Going against this motion<\/strong>, can you give me a couple of examples of learning analytics that people may not be aware of? \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Basically, we\u2019re still importing our ideas from other fields \u2013 predictive models. Who is going to fail, who won\u2019t and how do we provide support for them? But I don\u2019t think that\u2019s really where we want to get to with data and analytics; we really want to get to the point where we are providing an adaptive, personalised learning experience for each individual student.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If we can take the social networks that learners interact within and do a natural language analysis on top of those social interactions, we can get a sense of who\u2019s talking to whom, what they\u2019re talking about and what the learning implementations are of that. That\u2019s something that a teacher or an educator by themselves can\u2019t do.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I see analytics being part of \u2013 for lack of a better word \u2013 a cognitive aid for both the student and the teacher.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Data can be used to recommend courses for students; for example, the next course a student takes in university can be based on their profile, which then hopefully results in better learning results and retention for that student.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In a corporate setting, if you want to launch into a new market, in the past it would be an ad-hoc \u2018who do we bring in?\u2019 But now, with a degree of accuracy you can determine what the competences and skills are that are needed to be successful in this launch and who in our organisation has those skills. Once we have knowledge profiles we can be much more intelligent about how we take on new projects or how we move into new markets.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

See George Siemens in the <\/em><\/strong>OEB debate<\/em><\/strong><\/a> on Thursday, December 4, 2014, at 17:45 \u2013 19:00. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

George Siemens is an internationally renowned and highly respected professor and researcher of technology, networks, analytics, and openness in education. Currently the Executive Director of the Learning Innovation and Networked Knowledge Research Lab at University of Texas, Dr Siemens has, amongst others things, been responsible for pioneering MOOCs, advised government agencies and numerous universities around […]<\/p>\n

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