Jean-Bernadette (JB for friends) has a passion: models of monuments, which she makes with toothpicks. Needless to say, she never runs out of dinner invites on Wednesday nights. However, we are in 2021: JB has a few followers on his Insta, a handful of subscribers on his YouTube channel... Why not launch a MOOC to teach others how to make beautiful models?
Real references in the field of elearning, the MOOC, or Massive Open Online Courses, offer numerous opportunities, not only for learners around the world, but also for teachers who want to share their knowledge. While these educational programs are easy to access, the design of a MOOC must however respect a few rules. What are the steps to take to develop a MOOC? What are the points to consider before launching the project? Our advice to all the JBs in the world. As well as to people who have more... let's say, strategic... skills... to promote.
Define the project
The creation of a MOOC must start with the definition of the project. During this first stage, it is essential to ask questions about the overall objective of the training and to know what we are talking about. Be careful to keep in mind the differences between e-learning and MOOC. Other formats may also be more suitable: SPOC, COOC... Take time to review them.
Jean-Bernadette, put down this camera and this box of toothpicks. First you need to start by asking yourself a few questions.
- What is the educational objective of the MOOC to be designed?
- Who is the target audience?
- What are the needs of this audience?
- What are the means to be implemented to meet these needs?
The answers make it possible to guide the project in general and to establish the pillars on which the training will be based.
This first phase of preparation is essential to the success of the project, since The strategic choices to be made depend on the points defined during this stage. From this starting point, the construction of a MOOC can take 9 to 12 months for beginning creators.
Building the team
To design a MOOC, it is necessary to set up a team, in which each stakeholder must have their own area of expertise.
Among other experts, it is necessary to recruit:
- One educational engineer to define the basic lines of training according to the objectives to be achieved;
- Of teachers and/or content experts to develop and deliver online courses;
- One graphic designer to create graphic designs essential to the presentation of the MOOC;
- One video/sound engineer to take care of the shots, sounds, video montages as well as the mixes necessary for the production of video courses;
- One web integrator to integrate data on the online platform;
- An animator, Community manager and moderator to manage all interactions on the portal.
One project manager competent and available must also be put at the head of the team in order to coordinate the entire project.
JB having made a fortune in real estate investments (you didn't expect that one, huh?) , she would have had the means to surround herself with a real Dream Team. However, she preferred to tinker with everything with her friend Françoise Pignon, an amateur graphic designer and expert in everything according to herself. And who works in the tax administration, yes.
Script the course
The structuring of the course consists in defining the different methods by which the training will be delivered. It can be likened to a training plan.
The following will be covered during this stage:
- Questions about the organization of the team, which can be done online using project management and remote collaboration tools;
- The Fixing a schedule for the implementation of the project, step by step;
- The definition of educational resources used;
- The establishment of support resources such as FAQs that will allow learners to access information quickly;
- The definition of animation resources whose implementation is not mandatory but recommended in order to support participants;
- The unwinding training in general;
- The definition of course materials, which may include videos and PDFs for example;
- The establishment of evaluation procedures such as exercises;
- The possible times when you will drive yourself to the ground in panic because you have no idea how to do all this. Isn't that right, JB? We told you to take a team!
Design course materials
There is no mandatory course format for a MOOC. However, with digital technology, video support remains the most appreciated. In general, MOOC designers opt for more or less short videos, lasting 7 minutes, in order to attract maximum attention from learners. However, it is not forbidden to design 20-minute instructional videos if they provide real value.
The production of these videos requires meticulous filming and editing to ensure the quality of the training. In particular for the MOOC introduction video, The visual and sound quality of the video must be excellent. It is also necessary to provide a training phase for teachers who need to prepare to give lessons in front of the camera.
Apart from videos, other course materials can also be used, including texts on PDF, explanatory images or mind maps, among others.
Jean-Bernadette and Françoise decided to film themselves in a sequence shot making a model, then to pass everything on time lapse with a voiceover. Don't do that. Quality, we said.
Implement assessment and interaction tools
In addition to core courses, a good MOOC should also include various activities that will allow learners to participate and interact with each other. So, Spaces specially dedicated to sharing must be provided such as a discussion forum for example or even work to be done in a group. We can even consider using a form of social learning.
The establishment of assessment tools is just as essential. These may include course recall exercises, application exercises, quizzes, peer evaluation or test scheduling. It is also possible to automate the evaluation of copies, but such a program requires a significant investment in advance.
In order to obtain feedback at the end of the training, it is also advisable to develop questionnaires relating to the level of satisfaction of learners. The information provided by the participants constitutes essential data for the improvement of future projects, and is also a reference for future registrants.
And on that point, JB did a great job! There is a forum, a chat, exercise sheets, a satisfaction questionnaire. Too bad there are only four active people on the forum, including one who only speaks Finnish.
Put the MOOC online
When all the elements of the MOOC are in place and the project is ready to be broadcast, the final step is to put it online. There are several MOOC platforms, including the professional platforms Unow, OpenClassroom or even Udacity, and academic platforms such as FUN, edX, or Coursera.
Although access to these portals is often given only to professional projects, in particular those carried out by teachers from prestigious institutions, An alternative is to use an open source solution like Openmooc. The latter allows installation on a local server.
In any case, It is essential to do a “beta-test” before the official launch of the MOOC. This test is essential in order to detect and repair possible malfunctions.
To build a MOOC, it is necessary to know exactly what your goals are and to surround yourself with a competent team. You need to script and plan the course well, to design careful materials. Remember to allow learners to exchange, to be evaluated and to give you feedback on the training. When you go online, you can choose between different platforms but don't forget to test your MOOC before distributing it.
JOB? She went back on social media. His video “top 5 worst toothpicks for carving” got 33 views. A record!
