Give me a target, and I can hit it. Syllabi are my learning targets, so, am a bit hamstrung in this open class without a course syllabus. Although the class expectations appear weekly, in a sequential and timely manner, part of me thinks I’m aiming for a more challenging moving target. Perhaps it is like having all the ingredients to bake cinnamon rolls, but having no recipe?
Having participated in a MOOC before, please read my first blog entry below, which begins to answer the inquiry into what makes an Open Class Engaging.
In the intro to Connected Courses, the unfamiliar term autodidact caught my ear. Also, delving further into the literature, another unfamiliar word caught my eye, andragogy, which focuses on adult learning, more information about it on Wikipedia and here. These two terms, a person who has learned a subject without the benefit of a teacher or formal education, i.e., a self taught person, and a study of adult learning, I feel contribute to making an Open Class engaging.
Making an Open Class engaging is more about creativity in design, collaboration and discussion, interactions, connections, flexibility, open ended problem solving, and multiple measures of success. Other terms of engagement which pegged my brain were: high quality content, short videos, diversity of learners and cultures.
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