Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 5, 2025
04:12
Mixed Reality for Education MRE Implementation and Results in Online Classes for Engineering
Published on: June 23, 2023
950
Stepping back and stepping in: Facilitating learner-centered experiences in MOOCs.
Sarah Blum-Smith1, Maxwell M Yurkofsky1, Karen Brennan1
1Harvard Graduate School of Education, 13 Appian Way, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
Computers & Education
|October 19, 2020
Summary
Facilitators in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) enacted learner-centered teaching by balancing control and intervention. Six key actions reveal how they adapted pedagogy to online environments.
Area of Science:
- Educational Technology
- Online Learning Pedagogy
Background:
- The initial hype surrounding Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has decreased, yet these platforms remain valuable for studying teaching, learning, and technology.
- Learner-centered pedagogy in online environments presents unique challenges and opportunities for facilitators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how facilitation teams enacted learner-centered pedagogical aspirations within MOOC platforms.
- To identify specific facilitator actions that support learner-centered approaches in massive online settings.
Main Methods:
- In-depth interviews were conducted with facilitation teams involved in MOOCs.
- Qualitative analysis was used to identify recurring facilitator actions and strategies.
Main Results:
- Six distinct facilitator actions were identified: 'giving up control,' 'distributing facilitation,' 'being live,' 'amplifying,' 'modeling,' and 'being explicit.'
- These actions represent a negotiation between pedagogical goals and the constraints/possibilities of the MOOC medium.
- Facilitators strategically 'stepped back' to empower learners and 'stepped in' to guide and direct.
Conclusions:
- Facilitator actions in MOOCs demonstrate a dynamic interplay of relinquishing and asserting control to foster learner-centered environments.
- This research provides specific insights into the practice of learner-centered teaching in large-scale online courses.
- Understanding these actions is crucial for addressing the challenges of implementing learner-centered pedagogy in massive online spaces.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Purposive Learning
328
E. C. Tolman emphasized the purposiveness of behavior — the idea that much of our behavior is goal-directed. For instance, employees who aim for a promotion work diligently to meet their targets. Tolman argued that when classical conditioning and operant conditioning occur, the organism acquires certain expectations. In classical conditioning, a child might fear a dog because they expect it to bite. In operant conditioning, a person might consistently work overtime because they expect a...
328
01:21Cognitive Learning
896
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
896
01:18Introduction to Learning
751
Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge or skills through practice or experience, leading to long-lasting behavioral changes. This acquisition occurs through interaction with the environment and requires practice or experience. For instance, mastering a skill such as surfing requires considerable practice and experience, highlighting the essential role of repeated interactions with the environment in learning.
In contrast to learned behaviors, unlearned behaviors such as crying, sexual...
In contrast to learned behaviors, unlearned behaviors such as crying, sexual...
751
01:25Learning Disabilities
466
Learning disabilities are cognitive disorders caused by neurological impairments that affect cognitive functions like language and reading, without indicating overall intellectual or developmental challenges. These disabilities differ from global intellectual or developmental disabilities as they are limited to distinct cognitive functions. Common learning disabilities include dysgraphia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, each of which impacts unique aspects of learning.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
466
01:12Observational Learning
695
Albert Bandura's observational learning, also known as imitation or modeling, occurs when a person observes and imitates another's behavior. It is a quicker process than operant conditioning. A well-known example is the Bobo doll study, where children who saw an adult acting aggressively towards the doll were more likely to act aggressively when left alone, compared to those who observed a nonaggressive adult. Many psychologists view observational learning as a form of latent learning...
695
01:27Associative Learning
942
Associative learning is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology, wherein a connection is established between two stimuli or events, leading to a learned response. This process is critical in understanding how behaviors are acquired and modified. Conditioning, the mechanism through which associations are formed, can be divided into two main types: classical conditioning and operant conditioning, each elucidating different aspects of associative learning.
Classical conditioning, also known...
Classical conditioning, also known...
942