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Project-based MOOCs. A Field Report on Open Learning in
Media Education
Friederike Siller, Jasmin Bastian, Jöran Muuß-Merholz and Tabea Siebertz
University of Mainz and Jöran und Konsorten (J&K)
Abstract: Interest in designing online courses, projects and activities that focus on the learner and the learning
community tends to place lower priority on instructional aspects, and instead promote pedagogical approaches
to using digital opportunities for problem-oriented and interest-driven learning, and collaboration. The pMOOC
format introduced in this article puts collaborative online projects at the centre of learning. (1) Courses offered
are open to everyone interested. Digital resources and practices are incorporated not over a single platform as
the infrastructure is open and mostly open-license technologies are used. Content provided and collaboratively
produced is released under a CC BY license (2) Evaluation results of the pMOOC Good Apps for Children with
more than 250 participants show that there is a demand for the format by academics and practitioners, dropout
rate is fairly low, and participants are by majority positive with course outcomes.
A constructivist approach to MOOC
The dualism between xMOOCs and cMOOCs has been
discussed at large (see e.g. DBIS 2013). So far the question
of which model of higher education pedagogy MOOCs
will apply and advance in the long run remains open. Large
MOOCs and MOOC platforms have been criticized for
not picking up and giving only little recognition to constructivist
approaches to learning. Peer-to-peer learning,
collaboration and interest-driven learning might be jeopardized
while being subordinated under the massiveness
of the courses. The pedagogical view on learning within
the digital scope seems in many instances to lack treatment.
The big MOOCs replicate renowned instructional
teaching methods, according to perceptible criticism (see
Reclaim Open Initiative 2013).
There have already been thoughts about introducing a
third format (see e.g. Lane 2013). The authors approach
MOOCs in a way that it is not primarily about instruction,
but about working together on real-world tasks. Rather
than instructional teaching methods via for instance,
video-based delivery of facts to a high number of course
participants, a didactic model is applied that places the
focus on the learner. By offering project-based MOOCs,
participants collaboratively work on real-world problems
while developing connecting practices. The learning theory
behind this is constructivism as the digital options for
peer-to-peer learning, interest-driven learning, collaboration,
and problem-oriented learning are applied. Since
Seymour Papert’s Mindstorms in the 1980s, a broad
range of different approaches (e.g. learning by design,
communities of practice, case-based and problem-based
learning) tied to constructivism and offering multiple suggestions
and encouragement to implement technology in
education are on hand. The application of these concepts
to the MOOC format could add an important, if not constitutive
pedagogical value. This is especially applicable
for community-driven MOOCs. MOOCs have great potential
to change and improve higher education pedagogy
substantially.
An alternative format: pMOOC
We explore the MOOC format by offering open online
courses at the Media Literacy Lab (1), based at the Department
of Media Education at the University of Mainz,
Germany. Project-based learning is the key to our work.
Primarily, the p stands for project-based as the design
allows for short (ca. four-week length), tightly arranged
courses in which participants work together on a project
from beginning to end. Phases of individual work alternate
with collaborative performed tasks in small groups as
well as cooperation with other participants. Instructional
scaffolding and technical support are offered to complete
the tasks. At the end of the course, participants submit
their accomplished work and project outcomes.
P also stands for Problem. Following the principle of
problem-based learning, students benefit from being
challenged to complete an authentic task - a real-world
problem. Courses aim at solving a problem that is not only
important for the individual learner but also for the entire
field of media education and digital media in education.
P stands for Production and Publishing. Courses offer
the opportunity to create a digital artefact or product (e.g.
text, video, podcast, mind map, database) for course participants,
but also for everyone interested from outside
the course. So the course culminates with the public presentation
of a product or a digital artefact.
Experience Track |288