MOOC Review: The Future of Storytelling

by Tracy Jones
CTE Web Coordinator

MOOC’s: What Are They?

A Massive Open Online Course, commonly known as a MOOC, provides open access to an educational event via the web. Typically a MOOC has structure, goals, and opportunities for collaboration with other participants. Currently, most MOOCs are free, but as MOOCs gain credibility and popularity, there are movements to incorporate a fee.
For more information on MOOCs, check out this You Tube video at http://youtu.be/mSxTw3pXCj4

The MOOC I am reviewing in this blog is Iversity’s “The Future of Storytelling” an 8 week seminar presented by the University of Hamburg. First of all, the content of this course is fascinating. I consider myself relatively well-versed in current trends in technology, but this course exposed me to many new (and not so new) methods for communicating a story.

I took this course to experience a MOOC first hand. I am interested in eLearning structure and delivery methods. This MOOC delivers most of its content through videotaped lectures and interviews. The creators overlay supporting graphics on the videos that feature animation of hand drawings. The content of the videos use well-known authors speaking to a variety of topics from the history of storytelling to emerging trends.

Additionally, the course leverages discussion bulletin boards and community shared content. It provides links to all the resources mentioned and creates opportunities for participants to collaborate in story creation and peer reviews. In considering how the course functions based on the number of students it attracts and how the creators manage delivery, I found it to be quite professional and user-friendly. As a student in the course I learned a great deal and took away the desire to explore further the concepts and trends introduced.

Transmedia is this year’s buzzword. This is the concept of telling a story using two or more delivery methods or platforms to illustrate a concept. The course describes the Star War’s franchise as a transmedia marketing endeavor. Star Wars spans multiple movie episodes, electronic games, comic books, cartoons, and live events such as Sci Fi conventions. Each user interaction affords the franchise an opportunity to tell a different story using the same characters or environment.

I found this course to be sufficiently thorough to grab and hold my attention, yet broad enough in scope to spark the desire to explore multiple avenues that I might not have easily discovered if I had conducted research on this topic using traditional sources such as written materials or lecture seminars. I am eager to incorporate some of the strategies and technologies used in this MOOC in my own courses. I can only aspire to achieve the level of finesse the creators of this MOOC use to engage their learners.

For a no cost, novel learning experience, try participating in a MOOC. The MOOC reviewed here (The Future of Storytelling) is no longer accepting participants. I suggest the following resources for a listing of available MOOCs:

• MOOC List http//www.mooc-list.com
• Iversity http://www.iversity.org
• Corsera: http://www.corsera.org

Keeping Up with Changes in Technology

by
Tyler Kuckelman
CTE Web Developer

I am constantly challenged by changing technologies. The need to keep up-to-date with technology is ever-present in order to remain relevant in the field of web development. The challenges aid me in expanding my knowledge, but also require considerable resources to overcome.

For a web developer, the technologies evolved from static pages created via text editor, to utilizing databases, frameworks and content management systems, and everything in between. It's easier to develop an online presence than ever before, with services in the cloud supplementing or transplanting technologies traditionally available. This means that the job of a web developer is now easier in some aspects, while also harder and more complex, with its own unique challenges.

As the tools for web development get better, expectations increase. A microblogging service like Twitter was impractical in the early days of the web because the underlying technologies were not available. "Dynamic" and "Web 2.0" are terms now synonymous with the modern web. Services that don't encourage user activity quickly find their way to obscurity. Static pages are insufficient; users must be able to interact with and contribute in some way to the service they are using. This includes the ability to comment/provide feedback and have a personal, customizable user space.

Choosing the Right Tools

The greatest challenge with changing technologies lies in choosing the right ones. To do so is no small task; it requires time and effort, feature and cost analysis, and testing. The most important question to choosing a technology tool being, "Is it the right tool for the job?" But, this question creates a set of questions that form criteria which is used to focus the search for the right tool. Some of these questions are:

• Can we afford it/Does it reduce costs?
• Does it have more/better features?
• Is it more effective in accomplishing tasks?
• Does it fit with organizational goals?

It's important not to become overwhelmed by the amount of technologies available and feel that they all must be utilized; it's better to implement and focus on a few technologies that fulfil most requirements. Too many disparate technologies can result in difficulties with integration and management. E.g., is it necessary to use Facebook, Twitter and Blackboard for communication, or is one technology better suited for the required type of communication? In addition, a technology chosen today is not typically irrelevant tomorrow, next week or even next year. Many tools can be adapted to serve other needs over time or improved to make them comparable with competing technologies.

Changing Technologies in the Classroom

In the classroom, properly utilizing new technologies can mean the difference between engaged and apathetic students. An Educator's primary goal is to assist students in the learning process by teaching, and encourage students to be successful and perform at a high standard. Without an engaged student, the goal becomes much more difficult. The difficulty is compounded by the fact that so many technologies today are competing for the attention of young persons. It's important to identify the current trends in technology usage among students so that the most relevant technology tools can be adopted.

Technologies used in the classroom should be similar to those used by students outside the classroom. If a student is already familiar with the technology, they are more likely to be engaged when using it to complete educational tasks. Also, the resources available for learning need not change once a student leaves class. A tablet used to view digital versions of course material, such as e-books, can be more accessible to students than standard textbooks. Cloud editing tools like Google Docs encourage collaboration among students, and social networks that students already use can also tie classrooms together. It makes sense for students who are already connected with such services to use them in other capacities.

Additional Reading

Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students

How Technology and Teaching Meet Today's Education Challenges

How Technology is Changing the Ways Students Learn and Teachers Teach

7 tech tools now available in the classroom, for better or worse

How will future technology change the classroom?

Reference

Groff, J., Haas, J., Klopfer, E., & Osterweil, S. (2009). "Using the technology of today, in the classroom today." <http://education.mit.edu>