MOOC – Massive Open Online Courses can be run from cloud services, servers, and local hard server (1). The MOOC software can be complex using a mix of technologies to deliver a web interface.
Distance education via the Internet tends to have several common core data attributes:
Messaging can be synchronous or asychronous that includes: email, forums, chat, teleconference, and whiteboard.
Files are what the messages become including documents, web pages (blog, wiki, html, xhtml, php, etcetera…). Files may arguably be considered the source of data, whereas messaging is a transient data entry stage resulting in files.
Administration is required to organize and manage the data and the users of the data. Courses, lessons, and membership are examples of organization of the data.
A network port is the software/hardware required between the human and data interface for a communication commons. Network communications include modem communication to a server port, and Internet communications.
Attempts at addressing interoperability of content include SCORM (2) and integrators applications (3).
However, what if you wish independance, portability, and ‘near’ future proofing?
A mini MOOC is possible with the available open-source content management systems such as Drupal and WordPress. WordPress offers free plugins that will assist in building an administrative framework. In addition there are several commercial LMS plugins for WordPress to achieve a similar but lite version of Moodle. Drupal offers both distributions and modules that can be developed as MOOCS.
The disadvantages to Drupal and WordPress (and Moodle) are the dependencies on other applications to function such as a database engine (i.e., MYSQL), and scripting engine (i.e., PHP). Hence, there are many layers of programs required to achieve a course lesson. Fortunately all the programming layers are open source and can be assembled into one virtual data file; which is important for archival sustainability (4ab).
CONCLUSION
It is possible to create a portable MOOC using a self-contained mobile server. The challenges for developing such a package include stability, accessibility, transparency, and goals for the MOOC.
ENDNOTES
1. Massive open online course, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_open_online_course
2. Sharable Content Object Reference Model, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharable_Content_Object_Reference_Model
3. Tin Can API, http://tincanapi.com
4a. “Google’s Vint Cerf warns of ‘digital Dark Age'”, Pallab Ghosh, http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31450389
4b. “Digital Vellum and the Expansion of the Internet into the Solar System”, http://www.cmu.edu/silicon-valley/news-events/dls/2015/cerf-news.html
The post MOOC portable mini appeared first on Distance Ed At Large.
Original: http://on-linelearning.ca/agora/deal/2015/02/15/mooc-portable-mini/
By: admin
Posted: February 15, 2015, 3:34 am
The Landing is a social site for Athabasca University staff, students and invited guests. It is a space where they can share, communicate and connect with anyone or everyone.
Unless you are logged in, you will only be able to see the fraction of posts on the site that have been made public. Right now you are not logged in.
If you have an Athabasca University login ID, use your standard username and password to access this site.
We welcome comments on public posts from members of the public. Please note, however, that all comments made on public posts must be moderated by their owners before they become visible on the site. The owner of the post (and no one else) has to do that.
If you want the full range of features and you have a login ID, log in using the links at the top of the page or at https://landing.athabascau.ca/login (logins are secure and encrypted)
Posts made here are the responsibility of their owners and may not reflect the views of Athabasca University.