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Mackness, J, Mak, S and Williams, R (2010) The ideals and reality of participating in a MOOC, proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Networked Learning 2010, University of Lancaster, available at: www.lancaster.ac.uk/fss/organisations/netlc/past/nlc2010/ abstracts/PDFs/Mackness.pdf' This is a peer reviewed scholarly article, frequently cited, based on mixed method research which studied the learners in the first connectivist MOOC. As such it was the first study of its kind. It appears to have correctly analyzed the relatively small quantitative sample of learners, including an instructor or two. Its contribution is to test the connectivist theory (Siemens and Downes) with a case. As noted in the abstract "The research found that autonomy, diversity, openness and connectedness/interactivity are indeed characteristics of a MOOC, but that they present paradoxes which are difficult to resolve in an online course. The more autonomous, diverse and open the course, and the more connected the learners, the more the potential for their learning to be limited by the lack of structure, support and moderation normally associated with an online course, and the more they seek to engage in traditional groups as opposed to an open network." P. 266 Analysis was focused on the "characteristics of connectivism outlined by Downes, i.e. autonomy, diversity, openness and connectedness/interactivity" p.266. Generally the research outlines the strengths and weaknesses of cMOOCs using this format. Not a lot of further research is recommended other than using a larger sample in future research and "the aims of experiencing learning within a massive open online network are constrained by a course framework and many design issues and aspects of learner experience remain unresolved." P. 273 Abstract "CCK08' was a unique event on Connectivism and Connective Knowledge within a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) in 2008. It was a course and a network about the emergent practices

Ho, A. D., Reich, J., Nesterko, S., Seaton, D. T., Mullaney, T., Waldo, J., & Chuang, I. (2014). HarvardX and MITx: The first year of open online courses (HarvardX and MITx Working Paper No. 1). Retrieved from http://ssrn.com/abstract=2381263 The report analyzes in detail the interaction between the students and courses and draws conclusions based on the findings and suggests further research. One of the insights that makes MOOCs quite different than traditional classroom courses is the usage patterns. The authors pointed out that "[n]ew metrics, far beyond grades and course certification, are necessary to capture the diverse usage patterns in the data. A simple comparison of grades and viewed content shows thousands of users who fit a range of profiles. Of particular interest may be those students who accessed substantial course content but did not participate in assessments." (Ho, et al., 2014, p. 3.)

To Marian: I never really paid that much attention to MOOCs until you presented all this information on them. I suppose distance learning and MOOCs are the wave of the future. I am going to have to learn a lot more about MOOCs to understand where higher education may well be going -- at least at the undergraduate level.

Marian: We have an unusual culture where I work. If there is work, it comes with a price. We have many faculty who feel that they need to be paid a lot more to develop in this platform model. 100 students in a course is hard for them to imagine, but much of the grading can be automated. I would like to encourage the use of MOOCs for a few reasons, but I have two that are of value to the education industry. The first is students who are unsure of their educational goals can take advantage of the free or very low cost access to content to see if the path is for them. Second, there seems to be an opportunity for increased enrollment. This is an area that many institutions across the nation are struggling with. Having so much more online availability and larger classes could be part of the solution.

Category: report, Abstract: The face of learning has changed. Over the past two decades, learning has evolved from traditional instructor-led classroom training to distance learning to e-learning to virtual learning environments and to massive open online courses. And, the face of learners has changed as well.

From Gale: Russell is not alone in opposing the use of an ECL system. David Hansen, a clinical assistant professor and faculty research librarian at University of North Carolina School of Law, also served as the University of California-Berkeley School of Law's Digital Library Fellow for the Digital Library Copyright Project. His research has focused on how libraries and related information intermediaries can overcome copyright and other legal obstacles to provide better access to their collections online. He has written about copyright exceptions for libraries and archives under Section 108 of the Copyright Act, orphan works, mass digitization, copyright protection of metadata, and issues related to expanding copyright protection of traditional knowledge. Hansen is one of the facilitators for a project to create the Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use of Collections Containing Orphan Works for Libraries, Archives, and Other Memory Institutions, which was released in December 2014.

EducationWorld is pleased to present this article by Lisa Monthie, an education specialist at ESC Region 12 in Waco, Texas . Monthie enjoys finding innovative means of integrating technology in the English Language Arts/Reading classroom. The article originally appeared in TechEdge, a quarterly magazine published by Naylor LLC for Texas Computer Education Association members. What is interesting about this is the infographic that predicts that by 2018 there will be more full-time online students than students in traditional classrooms.

Bill, I was surprised to read that 12% of current high school students have taken an online course on their own just to learn more about a topic of interest! I appreciate that the article begins by informing the reader to consider answering a list of basic questions (albeit far from a complete list) related to online instruction, before making a commitment to develop an online course.

ABSTRACT: The teaching of digital literacies is regarded as an important facet of literacy teaching in the 21st century. With many literacy tests continuing to indicate that students' levels of achievement tend to be differentiated along socioeconomic lines, it seems timely to consider the connections between home and school and how these play out in relation to digital literacies. This is particularly important in light of the considerable evidence that has demonstrated how important home-school connections are in ensuring improved traditional literacy outcomes for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. With these points in mind, this article reports on an investigation into the usage of digital technologies in two middle-years classrooms in low socioeconomic suburbs in a regional Australian city. Using a range of ethnographic techniques, the study explored two teachers' approaches to teaching students how to use digital technologies in one school term. Through snapshots of digital practices in the two classrooms, three issues are considered: teachers' pedagogical approaches; students' access to digital technologies at home and at school; and the teachers' recognition of students' prior knowledge of digital technologies. The article concludes by reflecting on the need for teachers to draw on the digital literacies that students are using in their out-of-school lives, to make bridges to school learning and thus address the challenge of preparing students to be literate in the 21st Century.

"Mobile cloud learning, a combination of mobile learning and cloud computing, is a relatively new concept that holds considerable promise for future development and delivery in the education sectors. Cloud computing helps mobile learning overcome obstacles related to mobile computing. The main focus of this paper is to explore how cloud computing changes traditional mobile learning. A case study of the usage of Moodle in the cloud via mobile learning in Khalifa University was conducted." [Abstract from ERIC database.] Wang, M., Chen, Y., & Khan, M. J. (2014). Mobile Cloud Learning for Higher Education: A Case Study of Moodle in the Cloud. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. 15(2), 254-267.

"The 2009 "Horizon Report" called mobile technologies "an opportunity for higher education to reach its constituents in new and compelling ways." The report implied that academic libraries would find them to be the ideal tools for bringing reluctant researchers to the library, mainly for their convenience. It's not hard to see why--in 2008, mobile phones were in the hands of more than 4 billion users, a 61% penetration rate worldwide. By 2012, the mobile phone is expected to outsell the personal computer. The leaders in mobile communication are, not surprisingly, adults in the 18 to 29 age group, the traditional college-age student. Academic libraries are not blind to this--a 2009 "Library Journal" survey found that 65% of academic libraries either already offer or plan to offer mobile services. If one's library is in that 35% with no plans for mobile outreach keep reading--one will find ideas to make his/her library a true 21st-century information hub." [Abstract from ERIC Database.] Link to the full-text article in the ESC EbscoHost Education Source database: http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.library.esc.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=28&sid=777400f5-917a-43a0-83b8-26cdc83f8315%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=63993342&db=a9h Kosturski, K., & Skornia, F. (2011). Handheld Libraries 101: Using mobile technologies in the academic library. Computers in Libraries, 31(6), 11-13.

Hi Robert, the proliferation of mobile technologies and the need for all Internet using facitilties, including libraries, to make their content available and searchable is definitely here. My personal experience is that I keep toggling back and forth between my smartphone and my laptop. However, I notice that my children (now in their 20s) are using their phones for everything. So keeping abreast of the changes this requires, like keeping everything legible within the relatively small screen, expecting users to use the 'portrait' version more frequently than landscape, is something that all web designers have to adapt to. Thanks for this article. M

"Mobile device use has been soaring in recent years in all user groups. Mobile learning is no longer an optional activity for academic institutions, but a necessary endeavor. Developing a curriculum around mobile learning is essential, particularly for distance-based, non-traditional students. Understanding how students use their mobile devices is important to supporting mobile learning initiatives. Student survey responses were examined to determine how students use mobile devices in education. Librarians must stay on the forefront of mobile technology by using their skills in curating and teaching to support this important educational initiative and to become leaders in this area." [Abstract from ERIC Database.] Gebb, B.A., & Young, Z. (2014). Mobile Resource Use in a Distance Learning Population: What Are They Really Doing on Those Devices? Journal of Library & Information Services In Distance Learning, 8(3-4), 288-300.

I wasn't able to read the article - even through the ESC library connection. However, I am curious about the use of mobile devices in distance education and why there is not a higher level of support for some of the apps that are available. For example, my employer fully supports the Blackboard app on iPhone and Android platforms. Whereas at ESC, the Moodle mobile app is still not functional. Many times I have been out without my laptop and would like to get some work done on the phone, but looking at the Moodle website is horrid - even with its responsive theme. It seems the more we expect students to be mobile, the more we should embrace and support its many facets.

You could usually put in an Inter-library loan request (ILL) to get the full-text of articles that only appear in abstract form or do not appear in the ESC database. I just went to chat with a library as ESC and they gave me this web site adress: http://www.esc.edu/library/interlibrary-loan/