Introducing Blended Learning MOOC – A Study of One bMOOC in Norwegian Teacher Education

Abstract

Although MOOCs have been around for a decade, the use of MOOCs in teacher training is a new development. In 2015, a Norwegian teacher education received internal funding to develop a MOOC intended for blended learning, which we call bMOOC. The bMOOC consisted of four different modules, and the course content was created internally by highly competent teacher trainers. One goal with the bMOOC was to familiarize teacher students and teacher educators with the concept of blended learning. Another goal was to support students' academic writing processes across courses and possibly take some of the workload connected to instruction and feedback off the teacher trainers. The article analyzes the outcome of the implementation of the bMOOC, which shows low user adoption rate and low course completion. The study questions whether teacher educators see the pedagogical value in MOOCs and whether teacher students have enough digital competence to make use of online learning objects in formal learning.

From Tools to Complexity?—A Systematic Literature Analysis of Digital Competence Among Pre-service Teachers in Norway

“…Another argument for the broader perspective is found in the need for a deep technological understanding. This is foundational in the work of Lund et al (2014) but also an important part of several discussions in other articles (e.g., Brevik et al, 2019;Brox, 2017;Langseth & Haugsbakken, 2016). Despite not always containing an explicit link to common notions of digital competence, these articles still bring up important discussions about the implications of digitalisation for education and the challenges the field faces when attempting to relate to constantly evolving technologies.…”

“…These are 'resilience to digital distractions' and 'ICT self-efficacy'. Other authors use the quantitative approach to measure other aspects relevant to the study, e.g., the evaluation of courses or work form (Helgevold & Moen, 2015;Langseth & Haugsbakken, 2016;Lund & Vestøl, 2020), and the quantitative sections of these studies are thus less relevant to this discussion.…”

“…Other articles from the period are not as explicit in defining and applying PDC theoretically, but nevertheless raise discussions considering the even broader understandings of technology and education that are vital to the conceptualisation of digital competence (see Brox, 2017;Langseth & Haugsbakken, 2016).…”

Designing an Educational Action Task Force for MOOCs and Online Course Production

“…The rationale for designing an Educational Action Task Force "EATF", a flexible, collaborative and networked support unit that will support faculty to make online courses, is based on research and experiences acquired at a large Norwegian university. This research shows the increased need for putting focus on how online courses are made [1,2]. There is a demand for a technological infrastructure, and pedagogical support for faculties that wish to make high-quality online courses.…”

Digital professional development: towards acollaborative learning approach for taking higher education intothe digitalized age

“…Developing micro-cultures, on the other hand, share an interest in innovation, creating and shaping new approaches and new ways of interacting in and outside the group. Research on higher education carried out in Norway found that the attitude to new technologies in these two types of micro-cultures may impede or encourage digitalization (Fossland 2015;Jacobsen 2017;Langseth & Haugsbakken 2016). Consequently, leaving digital professional development entirely to the meso-level is also not a sustainable strategy when it comes to developing well-informed digital practices in higher education.…”