Internet Learning Volume 3, Number 1, Spring 2014 | Page 70

Many Shades of MOOC's
Technical Design
The community college courses
were mounted on the stand-alone edX
LMS platform developed by edX during
Fall 2012 and piloted for this project. The
entire MITx 6.00x course was copied into
what has become the “Open edX” platform
(“Open edX code,” 2014). MassBay and
BHCC instructors could independently access
their respective course shells to insert
announcements, set up discussion forums,
etc. The edX staff provided extensive technical
support throughout the design phase
and during the Spring 2013 semester.
Implementation
The pilot courses (CS 270 and CTI
523) ran once, starting in January and ending
in May, 2013. Students registered for
these college credit-bearing (and transferable)
courses at their respective colleges, as
usual. Upon completion of the course, students
received a final (letter) grade along
with the opportunity to qualify for the certificate
of completion issued by edX. A student
thus could be successful in the course
by completing the stated course requirements
in the syllabus for CS 270 or CIT 523
and not qualify for the edX certificate.
Marketing
MassBay and BHCC recruited students
internally through informational
flyers, posters, emails, and a specially produced
edX video posted on the websites
(“edX-BHCC,” 2013; “edX-MassBay,” 2013).
However, the most effective approach was
to visit classrooms in fall 2012 and explain
the project with its potential benefits to the
students.
Outcomes and Next Steps
Dr. Damien Bell, the edX evaluator
from Boston College, conducted interviews,
and completed pre- and postsurveys
of students’ and instructors’ perspectives at
both colleges. He conducted student focus
groups, gathered data on student participation
for in-class and online course activities,
and made classroom observations
(Bell, Hunter, L’heureux, and Petersen,
2013). Preliminary analysis of project results
demonstrates that students at both
community colleges were able to handle
the MITx 6.00x MOOC course materials
with structured, in-class support from
their instructors. The MassBay and BHCC
students’ overall academic performance
was better than that of the participants in
the Fall 2012 MITx 6.00x MOOC where
the great majority of those that earned the
MITx completion certificates had at least a
bachelor’s degree or higher. The Fall 2012
MITx 6.00x MOOC started with around
20,000 active students. Of the roughly
11,000 who took the MITx 6.00x MOOC
midterm exam, 59% passed compared to
90% of the community college students that
tested (N= 29). The retention rate was better
for the community college students. Of
the original 40 community college students
(21 at MassBay; 10 at BHCC), 73% took the
MITx 6.00x midterm exam and 26 students
(65%) completed their courses (and also
earned MITx completion certificates). For
the Fall 2012 MITx 6.00x MOOC, about
5,000 participants (~25% of the original
20,000) successfully finished the course
and earned the MITx completion certificate
(Bell, Hunter, L’heureux, and Petersen,
2013; “MCO-Keynote,” 2013). The final report
with the full analysis of this project is
expected in Spring 2014.
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