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 · 743.4KB94 downloads



Viewed by 363 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

Changing the tune: MOOCs for human development? A case study (pre-print)
Balaji, Venkataraman; Kanwar, Asha; Bonk, Curtis J.; Lee, Mimi M.; et al.
The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is covered in critical analysis as well as in popular media as a development exclusively bearing on the Higher Education sector (The Economist, 2014). This term has also acquired an ...
Match: MOOC

Facilitated MOOC support – closed bubbles in a sea of openness
Creelman, Alastair; Witthaus, Gabi
Many of the people who could gain most from open online education lack the necessary study skills and digital literacies to participate effectively. Although most MOOC providers offer some online support services, they ...
Match: MOOC

MOOCs in Europe: Overview of papers representing a collective European response on MOOCs as presented during the HOME conference in Rome November 2015
Bang, Joergen; Dalsgaard, Christian; Kjaer, Arne; O’Donovan, Maria; et al.
Table of contents Foreword Part 1: Regional MOOC initiatives Building OOC layers on top of existing courses (M)OOCs in Iceland: Language and learning communities EduOpen network in Italy Part 2: Role media ...
Match: MOOC

The "Promises" of online higher education: Profits
Campaign for the Future of Higher Education
With so much national focus on the “promises” of online higher education to expand access and to reduce costs, one truth about online higher education rarely mentioned is that it is big—Very Big—business. ...
Match: MOOC

MOOC instructor designs and challenges: what can be learned from existing MOOCs in Indonesia and Malaysia?
Sari, Annisa R.; Bonk, Curtis J.; Zhu, Meina
The purpose of this study was to explore Indonesian and Malaysian instructors’ perceptions of massive open online course (MOOC) design and how they deal with the design challenges. Surveys, email interviews, and ...
Match: MOOC

The role of Open Educational Resources in personal learning
Downes, Stephen; McGreal, Rory; Kinuthia, Wanjira; Marshall, Stewart
Match: MOOC

Integrating a MOOC into the postgraduate ELT curriculum: Reflecting on students' beliefs with a MOOC blend
Orsini-Jones, Marina; Gafaro, Barbara Conde; Altamimi, Shooq; Qian, Kan; Bax, Stephen
This chapter builds on the outcomes of a blended learning action-research project in its third iteration (academic year 2015-16). The FutureLearn Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) Understanding Language: Learning and ...
Match: MOOC

Mathematics courses: Fostering individuality through EMOOCs
Martschink, Bastian; Ullmo, Pierre-Antoine; Koskinen, Tapio
When it comes to university-level mathematics in engineering education, it is getting harder and harder to bridge the gap between the requirements of the curriculum and the actual mathematic skills of first-year ...
Match: MOOC; Spain

Are you MOOC-ing yet? A review for academic libraries
Creed-Dikeogu, Gloria; Clark, Carolyn
What is a MOOC? What should librarians know about MOOCS? This article introduces librarians to Massive Open Online Courses by discussing the historical development, key structure and features that make them a unique ...
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