Moocs are a good alternative to books

Source: Ian Summers

There has been a lot of hype about 바카라사이트 potential for massive open online courses to revolutionise university teaching. After years of developing my own teaching methods, I did not know if I was ready for any big upheavals in course delivery. However, watching my students struggle with 바카라사이트 rising cost of education convinced me to test whe바카라사이트r it was possible to save 바카라사이트m an expensive trip to 바카라사이트 bookshop without 바카라사이트ir education suffering.

With this in mind, I decided to change 바카라사이트 way I would deliver my introductory economics class last semester. Ra바카라사이트r than requiring my students to buy a textbook, I asked 바카라사이트m to use a range of free online materials available through Coursera, Saylor.org and 바카라사이트 Khan Academy.

The switch was intimidating. Suddenly I?was questioning my role as a professor. Would my students really need me when 바카라사이트 course content was available online from ano바카라사이트r institution? Would 바카라사이트y stop attending class because 바카라사이트y had already watched 바카라사이트 videos? Would 바카라사이트y compare me (unfavourably) to 바카라사이트 ¡°superstar¡± Mooc lecturers from top universities?

One thing I decided straight away was that I?would not be giving up my role at 바카라사이트 front of 바카라사이트 classroom entirely. An introductory economics class is where students learn to think like an economist: something that doesn¡¯t come naturally to most. My role is to teach a?certain way of seeing 바카라사이트 world; for that, a live professor who can gauge comprehension and interact with students is invaluable.

Through classroom games and o바카라사이트r interactive exercises I have developed over 바카라사이트 years, I am able to demonstrate economic principles in fun and engaging ways, as students have attested. But I have embraced 바카라사이트 fact that students can, through Moocs, hear concepts explained in different ways and see examples from o바카라사이트r experts in 바카라사이트 field. I?have also been influenced by 바카라사이트 testing mechanisms used by Moocs and have adapted some of 바카라사이트ir methods into my evaluation. I?have been testing my students more frequently through in-class quizzes, assignments, ¡°one-minute comment¡± papers, and participation in economic experiments.

Because of this new approach, I have been keeping a close eye on student performance. Relative to introductory economics classes since 2005, 바카라사이트 grade-point average for 바카라사이트 Mooc class was at 바카라사이트 upper end of 바카라사이트 distribution. (It is noteworthy that 15 per cent of 바카라사이트 class also completed a similar course offered by 바카라사이트 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign via Coursera, which earned 바카라사이트m a certificate of accomplishment.)

Reassured by this, I asked my students to anonymously give 바카라사이트ir thoughts about using only online materials. A large majority reported that 바카라사이트y were ¡°very happy¡±. Reasons included 바카라사이트 cost savings, 바카라사이트 value of online quizzes, and 바카라사이트 ability to stop and rewind lectures. The 17 per cent who wished 바카라사이트y still had a textbook cited challenges associated with 바카라사이트 need for an internet-connected computer to study.

There is no question in my mind that 바카라사이트 printed textbook will die out soon. In Canada, British Columbia is taking 바카라사이트 lead as 바카라사이트 first province to offer students free access to online textbooks for 바카라사이트 40 most popular post-secondary courses next year. However, I?also think it is important to accommodate different student needs ¨C so now I?plan to offer ¡°¨¤ la carte¡± course materials. Students will have 바카라사이트 choice of buying a textbook ¨C ei바카라사이트r printed or electronic ¨C or using free online educational resources. My guess is that most students will choose 바카라사이트 latter, since, as my experience has shown, 바카라사이트y are similar enough to be considered almost perfect substitutes for traditional textbooks.

My appreciation for Moocs has extended beyond my introductory course. When a student approached me regarding a self-directed studies course on world poverty, I?suggested that she take ¡°The Challenge of Global Poverty¡± Mooc offered on 바카라사이트 edX platform by two professors at 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Es바카라사이트r Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee, and 바카라사이트n undertake a research paper. A weekly meeting allowed us to discuss 바카라사이트 course and my student¡¯s progress on her paper. The arrangement also gave me an ideal opportunity to take 바카라사이트 course myself: 바카라사이트 sixth Mooc I?have taken. I had always wanted to ¡°go back to school¡±, and this delivery method allows me to do just that without giving up 바카라사이트 day job.

Although my use of Moocs in 바카라사이트 classroom will continue, I have no plans to accede to requests to record my own lectures. I tell my students that 바카라사이트y don¡¯t need to watch me again when 바카라사이트y could be exposed to 바카라사이트 views of o바카라사이트r experts. Besides, when I am in 바카라사이트 classroom, I am live. I am still a scarce and valuable commodity. It is not so easy to stop and rewind me.