MOOC Replication Across Platforms: Considerations for Design Team Decision-making and Process
Rebecca M. Quintana [rebeccaq@umich.edu], Yuanru Tan [yuanru@umich.edu], University of Michigan, 500 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America
Abstract
As universities consider how Massive Open Online Courses can complement their public engagement strategies, the design space for learning at scale is expanding. Universities are now broadening their reach by offering the same MOOC on more than one course delivery platform because of the potential to reach larger audiences. Although a promising direction, relatively few universities have adopted this approach and few guidelines exists about how to proceed. The work of replication is challenging because differences in platform features and affordances make creating a “near replica” of a MOOC a complex endeavor. This design case focuses on one design team’s decision to replicate a MOOC on a different course delivery platform. We describe associated challenges and identify approaches that allowed the design team to achieve their goal of maintaining pedagogical consistency from one platform to another. The case concludes with a set of lessons for designers of online learning experiences, including (a) key considerations to factor into decision-making about course selection for replication and (b) processes-oriented guidelines to achieve desired pedagogical outcomes. Related work includes the mutual impact of technology and pedagogy, and the roles and processes within MOOC design teams.
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