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 · 743.4KB83 downloads



Viewed by 253 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

Offering cMOOCs collaboratively: The COER13 experience from the convenors’ perspective
Arnold, Patricia; Kumar, Swapna; Thillosen, Anne; Ebner, Martin; et al.
This paper shares the experience of offering the community-oriented MOOC called “COER13.” The focus is on how the convenors perceived the collaborative endeavor of planning and implementing this cMOOC, and on the ...
Match: MOOC; Spain

All things considered: Educational radio as the first MOOCs
Dousay, Tonia A.; Janak, Edward
Those who do not learn history, even educational technology history, are doomed to repeat it. Every windshield has a rear-view mirror: using historical trends can yield lessons and guidance as we navigate the future. ...
Match: MOOC

Second language learning in the context of MOOCs
Wu, Shaoqun; Fitzgerald, Alannah; Witten, Ian H.
Massive Open Online Courses are becoming popular educational vehicles through which universities reach out to non-traditional audiences. Many enrolees hail from other countries and cultures, and struggle to cope with ...
Match: MOOC; Spain

Russian perspectives of online learning technologies in higher education: An empirical study of a MOOC
Larionova, Viola; Brown, Ken; Bystrova, Tatiana; Sinitsyn, Evgueny
There has been a rapid growth of massive open online courses (MOOCs) in the global education market in the last decade. Online learning technologies are becoming increasingly widespread in the non-formal education ...
Match: MOOC

MOOCs: A systematic study of the published literature 2008-2012
Liyanagunawardena, Tharindu; Adams, Andrew; Williams, Shirley; McGreal, Rory; Conrad, Dianne
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are a recent addition to the range of online learning options. Since 2008, MOOCs have been run by a variety of public and elite universities, especially in North America. Many ...
Match: MOOC

A study of veterinary scholars’ perception of MOOCs
Kumar, Kutty
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are a currently trending e-learning platform that presumably attract thousands of participants because of boundless participation, are open to any person to enroll, are free to begin ...
Match: MOOC

Gamification in MOOCs to enhance users' goal achievement
Antonaci, Alessandra; Klemke, Roland; Stracke, Christian M.; Specht, Marcus
Gamification in engineering education has been applied with success in the last years. Also, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are recognized as a good strategy to enhance engineering education. Nevertheless, MOOCs ...
Match: MOOC

MOOCocracy: The learning culture of massive open online courses
Loizzo, Jamie; Ertmer, Peggy A.
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are often examined and evaluated in terms of institutional cost, instructor prestige, number of students enrolled, and completion rates. MOOCs, which are connecting thousands of adult ...
Match: MOOC

Evaluating the validity and applicability of automated essay scoring in two massive open online courses
Reilly, Erin; Stafford, Rose; Williams, Kyle; Corliss, Stephanie; et al.
The use of massive open online courses (MOOCs) to expand students’ access to higher education has raised questions regarding the extent to which this course model can provide and assess authentic, higher level student ...
Match: MOOC

A Kenyan cloud school. Massive open online & ongoing courses for blended and lifelong learning
Jobe, William
This research describes the predicted outcomes of a Kenyan Cloud School (KCS), which is a MOOC that contains all courses taught at the secondary school level in Kenya. This MOOC will consist of online, ongoing subjects ...
Match: MOOC