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 · 743.4KB97 downloads



Viewed by 381 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

Distance Higher Education and MOOCs in China
Li, Xiaobin
China has the largest higher education system in the world. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the literature on distance higher education, including MOOCs, development in China, its accompanying ...
Match: MOOC

Planning to design MOOC? Think first!
AlDahdouh, Alaa A.; Osório, António J.
Over the last years, educators have been forced to rethink about the whole education system. In 2005, Connectivism, a new learning theory, was emerged. Consequently, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have been ...
Match: MOOC

A comparison of learner intent and behaviour in live and archived MOOCs
Campbell, Jennifer; Gibbs, Alison; Najafi, Hedieh; Severinski, Cody; et al.
The advent of massive open online courses (MOOCs) has created opportunities for learning that are clearly in high demand, but the direction in which MOOCs should evolve to best meet the interests and needs of learners ...
Match: MOOC

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in Sub-Saharan African Higher Education Landscape: A Bibliometric Review
Yunusa, Abdullahi Abubakar; Umar, Irfan Naufal; Bervell, Brandford; Cvetković, Dragan Mladen
In this study, we examined articles focused on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) implemented in the sub-Saharan African (SSA) Higher Education context that describes the different models of MOOCs enacted as an ...
Match: MOOC

MOOCs as a method of distance education in the Arab World – A review paper
Adham, Raniah Samir; Lundqvist, Karsten Oster
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in the Arab World are still in their infancy. Many Arab countries are now starting to launch their MOOC platforms; however, there are only a few who have actually implemented such ...
Match: MOOC

Design model for integrating Learning Activity Management System (LAMS), Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) and flipped classroom in Taylor's Integrated Moodle e-Learning System (TIMeS)
Wong, Seng Yue; Tee, Wee Jing; Lim, Pui Voon; Tang, Siew Fun; Logonnathan, Loshinikarasi
The e-learning strategic plan for Taylor's University is being much student centred and focuses on intentional learning. Blended learning has been proposed to apply in Taylor's University to enrich students' quality via ...
Match: MOOC

From low-scale to collaborative, gamified and massive-scale courses: Redesigning a MOOC
Ortega-Arranz, Alejandro; Sanz-Martínez, Luisa; Álvarez-Álvarez, Susana; Muñoz-Cristóbal, Juan A.; et al.
Despite the success of MOOCs to promote open leaning, they are usually criticized for their high drop-out rates and behaviorist pedagogical approach. Some active learning strategies, such as collaboration and ...
Match: MOOC; Spain

Gli Open Educational Path: per una accezione epistemologica di “apertura”
Calvani, Antonio; Menichetti, Laura
L’e-learning universitario ha visto affermarsi nuovi orientamenti all’insegna di una filosofia di “apertura” (openness) intesa come libero accesso e/o gratuità: i MOOC ne sono l’esempio più noto. È questa ...
Match: MOOC

OER in and as MOOCs
Czerniewicz, Laura; Deacon, Andrew; Walji, Sukaina; Glover, Michael; et al.
This chapter reports on the investigation into the production and rollout of four Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa, and on the experiences of the educators ...
Match: MOOC

Are MOOCs the long-awaited technological revolution in higher education?
Daniel, John; Uvalić-Trumbić, Stamenka
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a portent of the potential of online learning and teaching to transform higher education. The University of Manitoba offered the first online course to bear the name MOOC in 2008. ...
Match: MOOC