When it comes to acquiring new knowledge, online learning is the right way for me to go.At first, I'm looking for new information on a search engine, then I turn to recorded material and then I'm looking for online courses that can teach me what I need.
But in a web-based course without feedback, it is harder for me to maintain my interest compered to a course that is interactive. I think the same goes for my students. I have a lot of courses on distance . I usually start by explaining the difference between "internet courses" and distance courses for my students. In some cases, they believe they can study and work at the same time. They think that what we do online they can teach themselves in the evening. But they can´t. Just because we are fare away from each other does not mean just watching film clips to learn. We discuss and interact online.
To me the concept of MOOC includes interacting. The term MOOK is new to me. learned from the ONL course and the article by Weller and Anderson (2013) that it is short for Massive Open Online Course. I see MOOC both as a opportunity and an challenge. I like the idea of interactivity but I am not ready to create such a course at the time being.
Referece:
Weller, M., & Anderson, T. (2013). Digital resilience in higher education. European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning, 16(1), 53.
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I was just nodding my head in recognition reading about the preconceived idea of students to what a distant course is (since taking place online). I am very much stuck with mixed feelings of the "fun, fast and easy" idea of online courses. Learning is many time just plain hard work, effortful and not that fun - but interactivity sure helps to keep the mood up. And it is good for developing brain connections as well :)
SvaraRaderaI think there is a distinction between xMOOCs and cMOOCs where the latter is the one with the collaborative features.
Remembered another question: Have you compared the type-activities in your distant courses to collaborative MOOCs? It would be interesting to see how the activities can be converted, or maybe they are already functional as part of a online (massive) course?
SvaraRadera