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 · 743.4KB66 downloads



Viewed by 203 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

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

A policy brief on MOOCs
Porter, David; Beale, Russell; Daniel, John; McGreal, Rory; Prabhakar, T V
A MOOC (massive open online course) is an online course that normally requires no prior qualifications for entry, can be accessed by anyone who has an Internet connection, and includes large or very large numbers of ...
Match: mooc

Report of the massive open online course on introduction to technology-enabled learning (TEL MOOC)
Cleveland-Innes, Martha; Ostashewski, Nathaniel; Wilton, Daniel; Murphy, JoAnne
This is a report on the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Introduction to Technology-Enabled Learning (TEL) organised by Athabasca University, Canada in collaboration with the Commonwealth of Learning from January 9 ...
Match: mooc

An architecture based on Linked Data technologies for the integration and reuse of OER in MOOCs context
Piedra, Nelson; Chicaiza, Janneth Alexandra; López, Jorge; Tovar, Edmundo
The Linked Data initiative is considered as one of the most effective alternatives for creating global shared information spaces, it has become an interesting approach for discovering and enriching open educational ...
Match: mooc

Gamification in MOOCs: A review of the state of the art
Khalil, Mohammad; Wong, Jacqueline; de Koning, Bjorn; Ebner, Martin; Paas, Fred
A Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is a type of online learning environment that has the potential to increase students' access to education. However, the low completion rates in MOOCs suggest that student engagement ...
Match: mooc; spain

Democratizing higher education: Exploring MOOC use among those who cannot afford a formal education
Dillahunt, Tawanna; Wang, Brian; Teasley, Stephanie; McGreal, Rory; Conrad, Dianne
Massive open online courses (“MOOCs”) provide free access to higher education for anyone with Internet access. MOOCs are considered a means for democratizing education. These courses will hopefully provide an ...
Match: mooc

MOOCs for professional teacher development
Jobe, William; Östlund, Christian; Svensson, Lars
A MOOC is a trending concept in education that is disrupting traditional methods of learning consumption. The emergence and use of MOOCs for professional teacher development is still uncommon, but on the verge of ...
Match: mooc

Failure of access: Rethinking open education
Abeywardena, Ishan S
Presented by Dr. Ishan Abeywardena, Adviser - Open Educational Resources, Commonwealth of Learning, at the keynote presentation for Open Education Week at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada on 28 March ...
Match: mooc

Interactions in MOOCs: The hidden part of the iceberg
Cisel, Matthieu
Interactions that take place between MOOC users outside of discussion forums, and out of the reach of course designers, have received little attention from the scientific community despite their potential influence on ...
Match: mooc

Report of the Massive Open Online Course on Blended Learning Practice (BLP MOOC 2 and 3)
Cleveland-Innes, Martha; Wilton, Daniel; Jensen-Tebb, Carmen; Ostashewski, Nathaniel
This is a combined report on the second and third offering of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Blended Learning Practice (BLP) organised by Athabasca University, Canada in collaboration with the Commonwealth of ...
Match: mooc