Montgomery College to Become First Maryland Community College to Offer Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)
Montgomery College will offer a massive open online course, or MOOC, beginning September 30. The MOOC format is intended for large-scale participation and offers open access to higher education via online courses. The Montgomery College course is an introductory English course over eight weeks designed to prepare future MC students for the rigors of college English. The course is entirely online, highly interactive, and free. Literally, anyone in the world with Internet access can register for the MOOC.
The goal of the course is to prepare students for college level writing, whether it's for an English class or another class that requires extensive writing. The target audience is high school seniors who may need a refresher or supplemental materials, current students who would benefit from access to video lectures that they can view multiple times, those serving in the military and do not have access to a college campus or who have never taken an online course before and want to try it risk-free.
Students will learn via short (8–12 minute) video lectures, peer-to-peer online interaction, interactive discussion board assignments, and instructor feedback.
“The days of lecturing are long gone,” said Dr. Michael Mills, the College’s director of distance education and learning technologies and interim director of the Center for Teaching and Learning. “Students don’t respond to that. They’re coming to us with a different style of learning. And we’re meeting them halfway with the technology and tools they expect.”
English Professor Emily Rosado, who enrolled in MOOCs herself to become familiar with the format and student needs, will be teaching the course.
“Students who place into developmental courses have a low completion rate,” said Rosado, noting that college-level English is a prerequisite for virtually all credit-bearing courses. “This MOOC will hopefully bridge the gap and prepare the students to enroll in college-level English.”
Rosado and Mills plan to use a host of newer technologies in the MOOC and videos created with the help of the production staff from Montgomery College Television.
To enroll in Montgomery College’s MOOC, click HERE or email Emily.rosado@montogmerycollege.edu.
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