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 257 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

Presentation to UNCTAD's advisory group on "Developing skills, knowledge and capacities through innovation: E-Learning, M-Learning, cloud-Learning"
Downes, Stephen
Match: MOOC

Negotiation and conflict resolution education in the age of the MOOC
Ebner, Noam
Even as online learning is increasingly embraced by institutions of higher education, the past decade has seen the arrival of yet another new educational vehicle: massive online open courses (MOOCs). These courses are ...
Match: MOOC

Massive Open Online Courses: Innovation in education?
Siemens, George; McGreal, Rory; Kinuthia, Wanjira; Marshall, Stewart
Match: MOOC

Effectiveness of integrating MOOCs in traditional classrooms for undergraduate students
Israel, Maria Joseph; Conrad, Dianne; McGreal, Rory
The idea of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) has attracted a lot of media attention in the last couple of years. MOOCs have been used mostly as stand-alone online courses without credits. However, some researchers, ...
Match: MOOC

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

Multimodal profusion in the literacies of the Massive Open Online Course
Knox, Jeremy; Bayne, Siân
This paper takes a view of digital literacy, which moves beyond a focus on technical methods and skills in an attempt to maintain a broader approach that encompasses a critical view of the learning subject. In doing ...
Match: MOOC

Integrating MOOCs in traditionally taught courses: Achieving learning outcomes with blended learning
Bralić, Antonia; Divjak, Blażenka
It has been several years since Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) have entered the higher education environment and many forms have emerged from this new way of acquiring knowledge. Teachers have been incorporating ...
Match: MOOC

The MOOC model for digital practice
McAuley, Alexander; Stewart, Bonnie; Siemens, George; Cormier, Dave
The MOOC Model for Digital Practice responds to the “Building Digital Skills for Tomorrow” section of the consultation paper Improving Canada’s Digital Advantage: Strategies for Sustain- able Prosperity by ...
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

GamES MOOC - Conceptual ideas and first steps towards implementation of a MOOC for children
Berkling, Kay; El-Husseny, Abdullrahman; Latt, Dennis; Petrov, Christian; et al.
This paper presents conceptual ideas and a first prototype towards establishing a GamES (GAM)ified (E)lementary (S)chool MOOC for children who do not have access to schools. The project is being developed across several ...
Match: MOOC