The OER Knowledge Cloud makes use of cookies. By continuing, you consent to this use. More information.
The discrete optimization MOOC: An exploration in discovery-based learning
Coffrin, Carleton and Hentenryck, Pascal Van

Alternate titleIssue No.37 Experiences and best practices in and around MOOCs
PublishedMarch 2014
JournaleLearning Papers
Volume 37, Issue March 2014, Pages 51-56
Publisherelearningeuropa.info
Original PublicationEMOOCS 2014 conference
EditorsUllmo, Pierre-Antoine and Koskinen, Tapio
CountrySpain

ABSTRACT
The practice of discrete optimization involves modeling and solving complex problems which have never been encountered before and for which no universal computational paradigm exists. Teaching such skills is challenging: students must learn not only the core technical skills, but also an ability to think creatively in order to select and adapt a paradigm to solve the problem at hand.
This paper explores the question of whether the teaching of such creative skills translates to Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). It first describes a discovery-based learning methodology for teaching discrete optimization, which has been successful in the classroom for over fifteen years. It then evaluates the success of a MOOC version of the class via data analytics enabled by the wealth of information produced in the MOOC.

Keywords computer science education · discovery-based learning · MOOC · problem solving skills

Published atBarcelona
ISSN1887-1542
RefereedYes
Rightsby-nc-nd/3.0
URLhttp://openeducationeuropa.eu/en/article/The-Discrete-Optimization-MOOC%3A-An-Exploration-in-Discovery-Based-Learning?paper=136477
Export optionsBibTex · EndNote · Tagged XML · Google Scholar



AVAILABLE FILES
From-field_37_2.pdf · 743.4KB97 downloads



Viewed by 389 distinct readers




CLOUD COMMUNITY REVIEWS

The evaluations below represent the judgements of our readers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Cloud editors.

Click a star to be the first to rate this document


POST A COMMENT
SIMILAR RECORDS

Hei Mookie! Where do I start? The role of artifacts in an unmanned MOOC
Ponti, Marisa
Three artifacts were examined in a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) called Mechanical because there is no professor to offer the course. Employing the notion of inscription from actor-network theory, the analysis ...
Match: MOOC

Exploring co-studied Massive Open Online Course subjects via social network analysis
Jordan, Katy
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) allow students to study online courses without requiring previous experience or qualifications. This offers students the freedom to study a wide variety of topics, freed from the ...
Match: MOOC

The potential social, economic and environmental benefits of MOOCs: Operational and historical comparisons with a massive ‘closed online’ course
Lane, Andy; Caird, Sally; Weller, M.
Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) have recently become a much discussed development within higher education. Much of this debate focuses on the philosophical and operational similarities and differences between the ...
Match: MOOC

Digital entrepreneurship: MOOCs in entrepreneurship education the case of Graz University of technology
Vorbach, Stefan; Poandl, Elisabeth; Korajman, Ines; Auer, Michael E; Tsiatsos, Thrasyvoulos
Digital Entrepreneurship has gained substantial attention in theory and practice in the last years. In addition, new technological as well as pedagogical approaches have emerged. A special focus is set on massive open ...
Match: MOOC

Case study on using MOOC materials in a small private online course
Chen, Whai-En; Uden, Lorna; Liberona, Dario; Feldmann, Birgit
In National Ilan University, we utilize Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as the courseware in a Small Private Online Course (SPOC). In this paper, we share the experience that how we manage and operate the SPOC ...
Match: MOOC

Disrupting and democratising higher education provision or entrenching academic elitism: Towards a model of MOOCs adoption at African universities
Rambe, Patient; Moeti, Mamello
Challenges of broadening access, escalating cost, maintaining desirable quality and enhancing meaningful learning experiences in African higher education (HE) have spurred debates on how to restructure higher education ...
Match: MOOC

Characterizing video use in the catalogue of MITx MOOCs
Seaton, Daniel T.; Nesterko, Sergiy; Mullaney, Tommy; Reich, Justin; et al.
Lecture videos intended to substitute or parallel the on-campus experience are a central component of nearly all current Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Recent analysis of resources used in the inaugural course ...
Match: MOOC; Spain

A comparison of learner intent and behaviour in live and archived MOOCs
Campbell, Jennifer; Gibbs, Alison; Najafi, Hedieh; Severinski, Cody; et al.
The advent of massive open online courses (MOOCs) has created opportunities for learning that are clearly in high demand, but the direction in which MOOCs should evolve to best meet the interests and needs of learners ...
Match: MOOC

Similarity and difference in fee-paying and no-fee learner expectations, interaction and reaction to learning in a massive open online course
Cross, Simon; Whitelock, Denise
The new pedagogical opportunities that massive open online course (MOOC) learning environments offer for the teaching of fee-paying students on university-accredited courses are of growing interest to educators. This ...
Match: MOOC

Investigating MOOCs through blog mining
Chen, Yong; McGreal, Rory; Conrad, Dianne
MOOCs (massive open online course) is a disruptive innovation and a current buzzword in higher education. However, the discussion of MOOCs is disparate, fragmented, and distributed among different outlets. Systematic, ...
Match: MOOC