Well,
here goes my 3rd MOOC - and I anticipate that I will be lurking around again! I am referring to the rather neat categorisation of mobiMOOC (my 2nd MOOC) - participants were asked to self-categorise into the following options, before and after completion of the course:
1)lurker
2)moderately active
3)memorably active
While I had initially aspired to the 2nd category I never managed to get beyond 'lurker'. Nevertheless, I found that just being involved on the periphery, subscribing to the googlegroup, email digests and also the Facebook groups was very useful indeed. I learned an enormous amount through links which were shared, and I was able to follow up topics which interested me in my own time. Of course I would have gleaned more if I had participated more actively - something which holds for everything in life, the more you put in the more you get out. While I was initially beating myself up about this, I have now cheerfully missed the first online session of #edumooc - although I do have to admit that 'the first come fist serve basis' of getting into the online class room put me off from even trying.
So here goes to a summer of lurking - the online equivalent of being the kid in the back of the class who sometimes surprises. Although in my case it's not attention deficit, but attention overload by trying to juggle too much stuff. Everything is interesting!
here is the link for anyone who wants to dip their online toes into an open learning environment:
https://sites.google.com/site/edumooc/
I set up feeds (twitter, search alerts, blogs, etc) and email updates to follow from a distance ~ a big help but could also be considered 2nd hand lurking.
ReplyDeleteHaving had those kids at the back of the class who surprise, I learned to wait and see. Teacher-lurk. Since the moderators and most of the other participants are teachers, I expect they are doing the same. Of course, as a teacher you always wish that bright kid who blows you away would contribute.
Can part of the attraction to MOOCs be the recreation of the atmosphere of what it's like to be in the midst of an educational environment? Maybe we are all weary of explaining why "school matters" and just want to be among other people who are open to the potential of that kid contributing?
ReplyDeleteScott