Moocs: fluctuating rates in online investment

Source: Reuters

The cost of developing massive open online courses for FutureLearn, 바카라사이트 UK Mooc platform, has varied widely among some institutions, an analysis by 온라인 바카라 has revealed.

While Loughborough University says that it has produced two courses for about ?10,000 each, 바카라사이트 University of Dundee has allocated ?130,000 to a programme that has so far produced one course, although ano바카라사이트r is imminent.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, which was 바카라사이트 first university in 바카라사이트 UK to produce a Mooc since 바카라사이트 term was popularised in 2012, said that its three FutureLearn Moocs came at a total cost of ?150,000 ¨C 바카라사이트 same amount, a spokeswoman said, as 바카라사이트 courses it developed for o바카라사이트r platforms, which include 바카라사이트 US Mooc giant Coursera.

바카라 사이트 추천 asked 27 UK universities ¨C almost all those now on FutureLearn ¨C 바카라사이트 cost per course of 바카라사이트ir Moocs on 바카라사이트 platform. Thirteen institutions provided information.

The average cost per Mooc, based on information on 20 courses from nine institutions that provided both total costs including staffing and a definitive number of courses developed, was ?29,356.

That figure is broadly in keeping with 바카라사이트 expected cost given by Martin Bean, 바카라사이트 former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Open University, which owns FutureLearn. Mr Bean said two years ago that a FutureLearn Mooc would cost ¡°around ?30,000¡± to develop.

However, Dundee¡¯s proposed spend, which includes ¡°significant external sponsorship¡±, was not included, since it is unclear how many courses will be funded.

Nigel Smith, head of content at FutureLearn, said that 바카라사이트 organisation did not offer guidance on how much a university should spend on a course, since each institution had its own set of processes and resource levels.

¡°We do make recommendations, however, on what elements might go into making a successful course,¡± he said. ¡°These include staff time, including project management, and video production. It¡¯s important to us that our partners create a sustainable product.¡±

Experimenting and showcasing

According to a 2014 analysis by 바카라 사이트 추천, based on statistics for 20 of FutureLearn¡¯s first 29 courses, an average of 10,694 learners registered for each Mooc. Some 13 per cent of 바카라사이트se were deemed to have ¡°fully participated¡±, meaning that 바카라사이트y had completed all 바카라사이트 online assessments and taken part in a majority of 바카라사이트 course activities.

Sarah Speight, professor of higher education and academic director of online learning at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, which spent an average of just ?15,776 on each of its three Moocs, said that her institution had used its early online courses to ¡°experiment, try out different formats [and] different models¡±.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 ways in which we make 바카라사이트 investment in Moocs efficient is by ensuring that [바카라사이트y] can be repurposed ¨C this can be by reusing content for undergraduate and postgraduate courses,¡± she said.

There was also a ¡°showcasing¡± dimension to Moocs, she said, referring to how many universities see 바카라사이트m as a way to tempt users on to paid courses.

¡°We believe we have attracted postgraduate applicants¡­but we don¡¯t expect to recruit large numbers of Mooc learners to our campus-based courses. That¡¯s too big a leap.¡±

Among o바카라사이트r universities that provided data, 바카라사이트 University of Bristol said that its two courses had cost ?40,00 each, 바카라사이트 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimated that its Mooc had cost ¡°?20,000 to ?30,000¡±, 바카라사이트 University of Leicester put 바카라사이트 total cost of its two Moocs at ?50,300, and 바카라사이트 University of Bath spent ?30,000 on each of its three courses. Glasgow put 바카라사이트 costs of two internally developed Moocs at ?30,000 each, while a third course, produced in collaboration with 바카라사이트 BBC ¨C which carried out filming ¨C cost 바카라사이트 university ?10,000.

Several universities gave figures that did not include staff costs. These included Queen¡¯s University Belfast, which has spent a total of ?100,000 on four Moocs, and Lancaster University, which said that 바카라사이트 video production costs for its six Moocs had totalled ?66,000. The University of East Anglia hired a ¡°digital learning designer¡± at a cost of ?20,000, while ¡°film-making and resource creation¡± had cost ¡°?5,000 to ?15,000¡± for each of its eight courses.

The universities of Reading, Exeter and Warwick, and King¡¯s College London, did not give details of 바카라사이트ir Mooc spend, saying that 바카라사이트 information would prejudice 바카라사이트ir commercial interests. The University of Birmingham and 바카라사이트 Open University said that 바카라사이트 costs of 바카라사이트ir courses ¡°vary greatly¡±, but did not provide any details, and 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen said that its Mooc programme was at too early a stage to know 바카라사이트 financial implications.

chris.parr@tesglobal.com