1. From Massive Open Online Courses to Meaningful Open Online Communities
In Immersive Humanities MOOCs
Richard L. Edwards, PhD
Executive Director, iLearn Research
Integrated Learning Institute
Ball State University
19th Annual Sloan Consortium International Conference on Online Learning
Orlando, FL
November 22, 2013

2. The Stanford Daily, June 4, 2013
Humanities Debate over MOOCs
“The debate over MOOCs has been particularly contentious within the humanities, where classes are typically taught in smaller groups or seminars…Richard Saller, dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences [at Stanford University], suggested that there are certain qualities of the humanities that are better suited to an intimate classroom setting than to a massive online format. “The humanities have to deal with ambiguity [and] with multiple answers,” Saller said. “The humanities, I think, benefit hugely from the exchange of different points of view [and] different arguments.”
The Stanford Daily, June 4, 2013

3. Image from www.wsc.edu/schools/ahu/humanities/
The Intimate Classroom: MOOC Framed as Narrative of Loss
Image from

4. The Massive Classroom: MOOC Framed As New Opportunity

5. Digital Humanities projects with large datasets
Under What Conditions Might Teaching and Learning in the Humanities Be Improved at Large Scales?
Digital Humanities projects with large datasets
Real world relevance and problem solving
Greater range of points of view
Global perspectives
Diverse groups of students
Building knowledge archives
Peer-to-peer engagement
What are the goals of a liberal arts education?
What will we learn about teaching and learning?

6. Why MOOCs Involving Movies and Comic Books?
Subject Matter Expertise at Ball State
Readily Accessible Course Texts
Public domain films noir
Comixology website

9. Why MOOCs Involving Movies and Comic Books?
Subject Matter Expertise at Ball State
Readily Accessible Course Texts
Public domain films noir
Comixology website
An Idea Around Fandom & Fan Communities
(brief word about MOOC completion rates)
Offered opportunities for innovation

10. Initial Brainstorms Around Designing Humanities MOOCs
Make it feel like a seminar course
Encourage real time engagement among the students (and possibly the instructor)
Find or create tools that support close readings of texts
Engage in different forms of arguments
Create different ways of delivering course content
Enable as many social interactions as possible
Tackle the issues of assessment up front

11. Ball State MOOC Team 2 Instructors 1 Instructional Designer
Quality Matters Rubric
Large Media/IT Support Team
On-location shooting
Green screen studio
Live broadcast with Twitter integration
Course trailers and welcome videos
Motion graphics
1 Programmer
1 Graduate Assistant
LMS Assistance from Canvas Network

12. Enabling An Open Online Community
Canvas Network LMS
Twitter
Facebook Groups
Google+ Hangouts
Storify
Pinterest
Paper.li
YouTube
OTTO (Ball State custom tool)
Audio podcasts
Live video
(Readmill: collaborative reading)

13. Weekly Instructional Rhythm
Monday
Thursday
“Live”
Instructional
Event
Pre-Recorded
Lecture
Output
Input

14. Towards an Immersive MOOC:
Storytelling and Context

15. Towards an Immersive MOOC:
Storytelling and Context

16. Towards an Immersive MOOC:
Lean In vs. Lean Back

17. Towards an Immersive MOOC:
Reinforce Social Interactions

18. Towards an Immersive MOOC: Reinforce Social Interactions
Green screen studio, with live author interview and Twitter Integration

19. Twitter Activity During Live Interview in SuperMOOC

20. Film Noir: Storify-ing the Lecture
Towards an Immersive MOOC:
Reinforce Social Interactions
Film Noir: Storify-ing the Lecture

21. Film Noir: Pinning the Film
Towards an Immersive MOOC:
Reinforce Social Interactions
Film Noir: Pinning the Film

22. OTTO (Open Text Tool for
Online video): Close Reading

23. OTTO (Open Text Tool for
Online video): Knowledge Archive

24. Initial Survey Responses (NoirMOOC)
Time Commitment You Are Willing
To Give MOOC:
2% - Less than 1 hour
6% - Between 1-2 hours
26% - Between 2-4 hours
39% - Between 4-6 hours
20% - Between 6-10 hours
3% - More than 10 hours
What is your reason for taking this class (multiple responses OK)
27% - Check out Canvas Network
89% - Learn about the subject
20% - Be part of a community of learners
23% - Complete the course
15% - Gain skills for a career opportunity
Ages: 5%
26%
23%
21%
15%
6% or older
Highest Level of Education
2% - High School
10% - Some College, no degree
2% - Completed 2 year college degree
16% - Completed 4 year college degree
10% - Some graduate school
49% - Master's Degree
6% - PhD, J.D. or M.D.

25. The “Whole Story” Behind Completion Rates
NoirMOOC
SuperMOOC
~7%
~13%

26. Twitter in Online Education: Connectors, Mavens, Motivators, and Regulators

27. Follow or contact me at:
Lessons Learned & Conclusion
Need more research on social interactions and collaboration in large scale online courses
Different design needs for a Humanities MOOC
A little MOOC goes a long way: strategies that can work at any course scale
Follow or contact me at:
@redwards7