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 · 743.4KB87 downloads



Viewed by 307 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

The perceptions of MOOC among learners based on Activity Theory
Goh, Wei Wei; Kaur, Sukhminder; Chion, Zheng Hao Addy; Tang, Siew Fun; Logonnathan, Loshinikarasi
Since Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) have started to bloom in education industry, there are many discussions about their design, structure, effectiveness and openness to the community. It is undeniable that MOOCs ...
Match: MOOC

Comparing institutional MOOC strategies 2015- Czech Republic report: Status report based on a mapping survey conducted in October – December 2015
Rohlíková, Lucie; Rohlík, Ondřej; Jansen, Darco; Goes-Daniels, Miriam; et al.
Executive Summary Institutional MOOC involvement Czech HEIs are mostly still in the process of finding their way to their own MOOC courses. The Czech Association of Distance Teaching Universities (ČADUV) at the ...
Match: MOOC

Editorial: Massive Open Online Courses, a perspective paper by Sir John Daniel
McAndrew, Patrick; Jones, Ann
This issue focusses on a perspective article by Sir John Daniel. Sir John has a long history of involvement with the Open University, the UK home of JIME. Indeed as he points out in his biography (Daniel, 2012), he ...
Match: MOOC

MOBIMOOC 2012: A new tree structure for the delivery of Connectivist MOOCs
Rodriguez, Osvaldo C.
Based on the explicit principles of connectivism (autonomy, diversity, openness and interactivity) and on the activities of aggregation, remixing, repurposing and feeding forward resources and learning, connectivist ...
Match: MOOC

A social learning space grid for MOOCs: Exploring a FutureLearn case
Manathunga, Kalpani; Hernández-Leo, Davinia; Sharples, Mike; Kloos, Carlos Delgado; et al.
Collaborative and social engagement promote active learning through knowledge intensive interactions. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are dynamic and diversified learning spaces with varying factors like flexible ...
Match: MOOC; Spain

A systematic analysis and synthesis of the empirical MOOC literature published in 2013–2015
Veletsianos, George; Shepherdson, Peter; McGreal, Rory; Conrad, Dianne
A deluge of empirical research became available on MOOCs in 2013–2015 and this research is available in disparate sources. This paper addresses a number of gaps in the scholarly understanding of MOOCs and presents a ...
Match: MOOC

How do virtual teams collaborate in online learning tasks in a MOOC?
Verstegen, Daniëlle; Dailey-Hebert, Amber; Fonteijn, Herco; Clarebout, Geraldine; Spruijt, Annemarie
Modern learning theories stress the importance of student-centered and self-directed learning. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) supports this by focusing on small group learning centered around authentic problems. PBL, ...
Match: MOOC

Adapting a MOOC for research: Lessons learned from the first presentation of literature and mental health: Reading for wellbeing
Hodge, Rachael
The University of Warwick’s FutureLearn MOOC Literature and Mental Health: Reading for Wellbeing, which began its first presentation February 2016, was identified as an opportunity to conduct some research into the ...
Match: MOOC

MOOCs are more social than you believe
Blom, Jan; Verma, Himanshu; Li, Nan; Skevi, Afroditi; et al.
We report about two ongoing studies, which challenge the individualistic model of MOOC based learning. MOOC usage is embedded in the context of collocated study groups. The ability to pause a lecture and discuss its ...
Match: MOOC; Spain

Toward a typology of MOOC activity patterns
Bachelet, Rémi; Chaker, Rawad; Kloos, Carlos Delgado; Jermann, Patrick; et al.
This paper aims at understanding MOOC learners' activity patterns, taking into account factors like personal schedule, traditional working hours, domestic time, nighttime and their relation with MOOC course opening ...
Match: MOOC; Spain