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ANCES

New associate partners join ECO project: ANCES (Spain)

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Spain’s National Association of European Business and Innovation Centres (ANCES) joined ECO project as Associate Partner. The agreement is expected to open a new scope for dissemination of ECO’s initiatives among new companies and entrepreneurs.

ANCES is an entity with legal personality and non-profit, whose operation is governed by the Associations Law 1/2002 from 22nd of March (Associations Act, 2002). Founded in 1994 with national scope, it came up with the idea of promoting economic and industrial development through the BICs, providing expertise on the creation of new Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) based on innovative elements with development potential.

Map of BICs in Spain (ANCES) - ANCES Website (http://bit.ly/2eQtGwY)

Map of BICs in Spain (ANCES) – ANCES Website (http://bit.ly/2eQtGwY)

Based on this goal, ANCES is presented as the appropriate framework to facilitate its 28 members the systems, services and activities that contribute to the achievement of its objectives with maximum efficiency and professionalism. Among the many ANCES activities, apart from the work of information and institutional representation of the Spanish centers to institutions, agencies and national and international forums, it is included the promotion and dissemination of the role of BICs as key agents between research, development and industry, support organizations in the implementation of new BICs, and establishing ties with different instruments linked to business creation.

ECO is currently open to academic collaboration agreements with like-minded companies and institutions worldwide. Further info on communication@eco-learning.eu

New associate partners join ECO project: Ingenia (Spain)

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In addition to core-member Higher Education Institutions, ECO project is getting attention among private companies throughout Europe. Following a track opened by Microsoft, a number of mainly IT-focused firms are flocking to ECO Project. Latest has been Malaga-based Ingenia, whose CEO José Blanco signed a colaboration agreement with ECO Project coordinator Sara Osuna on October 11th.

Ingenia joins ECO

Ingenia joins ECO

Ingeniería e Integración Avanzadas (INGENIA), S.A., is a multinational company in IT, telecommunications and the Internet.

“We offer innovative solutions with a wide range of products and services in the fields of IT security and consulting, infrastructure and wireless, RFID, managed services, e-learning, software development, Big Data and Internet networks. Since 1992 we collaborate with more than 1,600 clients of public bodies and companies, applying innovation as a differential value for the development of their business.”

Ingenia’s headquarters are located at the Technological Park of Andalusia (PTA) in Malaga. It also has offices in Sevilla, Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Santiago de Chile and Lima. Ingenia has over 20-years of experience in the field of e-learning, both nationally and internationally, in which they have carried out numerous projects in both public organizations and private entities.

“While one of our core values ​​is knowledge of technology, it must be the means and not the end,” it was claimed in the agreement. “In this sense, technology should facilitate and promote learning, the achievement of the training objectives and their transferability to everyday activity.”

ECO is currently open to academic collaboration agreements with like-minded companies and institutions worldwide. Further info on communication@eco-learning.eu

UNAE Universidad Nacional de Educación Ecuador

The National University of Education (Ecuador) joins ECO project

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The ECO project has attracted the attention of many higher education institutions, in and out of the European academic community. In particular, numerous Latin American institutions have seen in the consortium an opportunity of its international projection development and their immersion on new technologies and Open Educational Resources.  At present, the latest institution to join the project has been The National University of Education, from Ecuador, which signed a partnership agreement with ECO in September.

UNAE Universidad Nacional de Educación Ecuador

The National University of Education (UNAE) is a non-profit public higher education institution. It has legal personality, academic autonomy, administrative, financial and organic, in accordance with The Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador. UNAE mission is to contribute to train educators and pedagogues, who will transform the National Education System, their ways of doing, thinking and research, in order to build a more just, equitable, free and democratic society, creating educational, pedagogical and didactic excellence models, appreciated for scientific rigour, rights, and intercultural approach.

The ECO project is open to the signing of partnership agreements with academic institutions around the world which share their values and goals. For further information email at communication@eco-learning.eu

What video production style to choose for a MOOC? Typologies of Video Production Styles

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MOOCs can distribute content in a scalable and high-quality format to a large number of learners around the world. This MOOC is available to learners who want to teach or communicate via the medium of video and the art of video production.

This article forms integral part of the on line MOOC course Videos for teaching, learning and communication, created by The University of Manchester.

Considering that video is the main method of content delivery in MOOCs, we are going to provide you an overview of video production styles. So you will have more information about what video style to choose for recording your own MOOC.

A video production style is the main method of visual organization that is employed to realize a video’s goals and achieve specific results when the video is viewed.

When thinking about video for learning, the choice of video production style will have a great impact on a video’s ability to effect pedagogical objectives and desired learning outcomes.

Typologies of Video Production Styles.

When choosing a production style, it is important to keep in mind the video’s goals and desired results. Different production styles have different affordances, so it is vital that the selection process be both: thoughtful and intentional.

The main production styles that are currently being used in on-line learning context are:

Talking Head:

  • Common style typically shot in a studio.
  • Can be used to build a connection between the person on-camera and the viewer.
  • Multiple camera angles may be used for easier editing and to break the monotony.

Presentation Slides with Voice-Over:

  • Could be PowerPoint or any other presentation format, with voice-over and slides visible full screen.
  • Annotations on a slide can be used to highlight information or draw the viewer’s attention to a specific detail.

Picture-in-Picture:

  • Ability to show slides and instructor at the same time.

Text Overlay:

  • Text or graphics overlaid onto a video.
  • Can be used to summarize main points, highlight keywords, and phrases, or visualize what is being discussed.

Khan-Style Tablet Capture:

  • ‘Chalk and talk’ style made on a tablet.
  • Relatively cheap and easy to produce.
  • Presenter typically uses a conversational tone.

Udacity-Style Tablet Capture:

  • Voice overlay over digital whiteboard / writing hand.
  • Presenter’s hand captures using an overhead camera, but made semi-transparent in post –production, so writing is not obscured.

Actual Paper / Whiteboard:

  • A low-tech alternative to digital tablet capture.
  • Could be an upright whiteboard, or an overhead shot of a piece of paper on a desk.

Screencast:

  • Recording whatever is on the instructor’s screen and adding an audio voice-over.
  • Very versatile, can be used for any on-screen content.
  • Commonly used for technical training, software training, and step-by-step video tutorials.
  • Relatively cheap to produce.

Animation:

  • Useful to visualize abstract concepts and relations.
  • Can range from very simple to highly sophisticated.

Classroom Lecture:

  • Filming a traditional lecture in a classroom.

Recorded Seminar:

  • Recording a seminar discussion, often with the professor and current or the past students of the course.
  • Can be useful to give viewers the feeling that they are in class together with other learners.

Interview:

  • A good way to involve outside experts from a particular field.
  • Gives viewers access to a leading expert’s opinions and ideas about a relevant topic.

Conversation:

  • An informal conversation about a particular topic, typically featuring the instructor(s) and perhaps a guest.
  • Typically unscripted, authentic conversations, which may help build a connection between the presenters and the viewer.
  • Can be used as a method for reflecting on discussions and happenings within the course.

Live Video:

  • Live virtual office hours can help instructors establish a presence in the course.
  • Hangouts-on-Air can also be useful to bring in external experts.
  • Gives students a chance to get their questions answered live.

Web Cam Capture:

  • Relatively cheap to produce, web cams are easily accessible.
  • Similar to a talking head style video, but more informal and not shot in a studio.

Demonstration:

  • Allows viewers to see a concept, process in action, rather than just seeing someone talking about it.
  • Can give viewers special access to art, tools, etc.
  • Very useful for showing experiments that viewer would not otherwise be able to see or do on their own.

On-Location:

  • A great way to take viewers to places that they might otherwise not be able to go or see things from a new perspective.
  • An uncontrolled environment makes this format more risky to film

Green Screen:

  • A green screen can be used to substitute different
  • Requires proper equipment, lighting and post production.

Two video production styles that are featured prominently in many MOOCs: the talking head style, where the instructor is recorded lecturing into the camera, and the tablet capture with voice-over style.

It is, of course, possible to combine two or more of them in one video, thereby achieving different results than could be produced with any of these formats on its own.
One common combination is often referred to as a ‘bookend’ approach, which usually features the talking head style at the beginning and the end of the video, with a tablet capture or screen cast used in between.

So, have you thought about what video production style to choose for your next MOOC?

Following the idea of being ‘Massive’, why not share it on your Social Media sites, with your friends, and see if they might like to join them on this course.

For an introvideo to the course, please watch the below:

We look forward to seeing you there! – Team UoMan.

Note: Article idea and some texts are taken from: Hansch, A., McConachie, K., Hillers, L. and Prof. Dr. Schildhauer,T. (2015). TopMOOC Research Project. ‘The Role of Video in Online Learning: Findings From the Field and Critical Reflections‘.

windows-movie-maker-screen

A video is worth a thousand pictures. Videos for teaching, learning and communication

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Video is an essential component of most Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and other forms of on-line learning.

We successfully launched our 3rd edition of our MOOC: Videos for teaching, learning and communication by The University of ManchesterThe course started on the 3rd of October and will end the 4th of December. You can still enrol!

Video content plays a central role in most MOOCs and other forms of on line learning. It is typically the main form of content delivery as well as the greatest cost driver of MOOC production.

MOOC videos tend to be structured as short pieces of content, often separated by assessment questions. Splitting videos into 2-3 minute segments or 6-minute chunks maximizes viewer engagement.

windows-movie-maker-screen
Two video production styles that are featured prominently in many MOOCs: the talking head style, where the instructor is recorded lecturing into the camera, and the tablet capture with voice-over style. Do-it-yourself (DIY) is another popular one.  When choosing a production style, it is important to keep in mind the video’s goals and desired results.

Windows Movie Maker screen.

Video production, in nearly all cases, is the most expensive component of creating a MOOC, but it does not have to be. In many cases, opting for a lightweight production process is a great way to achieve educational objectives, while at the same time reducing cost.

Many smart phones and web cams are able to record in high definition, and many free on line resources exist that make the filming and editing processes accessible to non-professionals. In this course, we will share with you copyright-free resources you can use and teach you how to use them.

The relevance of quality for on-line learning videos are hard to make given the many variables and diverse populations involved.

High-quality video content might, therefore, be especially important to keep MOOC students interested in the course. The importance of a video’s production value depends on its context and audience.

This MOOC is available to individuals from all around the world, who want to teach. It is for any learner who wants to: teach or communicate via the medium of video.

Delivering content clearly on video requires a different set of skills than those required for classroom teaching. This course is also catered to those just interested in gaining Social Media Marketing Skills. You will be able to utilize the knowledge you have gained from completing the course and apply these Web 2.0 skills to create videos for teaching and communication.

A test shoot can be a valuable source of feedback for both the instructor and the production team.

Following the idea of being ‘Massive’ and starting applying your Web 2.0 skill, why not share it on your Social Media sites, with your friends, and see if they might like to join them on this course too?

We look forward to seeing you there! – Team UoMan.

Note: Article idea and some texts are taken from: Hansch, A., McConachie, K., Hillers, L. and Prof. Dr. Schildhauer,T. (2015). TopMOOC Research Project .
The Role of Video in Online Learning: Findings From the Field and Critical Reflections‘.

ECO MOOC Course Videos

How to create videos for teaching – free course online

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Enrol to the third free edition ´Videos for teaching, learning and communication´ and get for free an Office 365 license.

We are delighted to announce that we successfully launched our 3 rd edition of our MOOC: Videos for teaching, learning and communication by the University of Manchester. Course headed by Mr Umar Chaudhry. You can enrol here.

This is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), available to individuals from all around the world, who want to teach. It is for any learner who wants to: teach or communicate via the medium of video. The online course is being made available by ECO, which is a European project based on Open Educational Resources (OER), that gives free access to a list of MOOCs in 6 languages.

This MOOC is available in most languages via Closed Captions (via YouTube subtitles). Accessibility for learners with special needs will be encouraged and given information to enhance their participation.

With this course, you can get a certificate and take up additional skills, in order to have more opportunities. Also, you will have the opportunity to create your own MOOC.

Following the idea of being Massive, why not share it on your Social Media sites, with your friends, and see ifthey might like to join them on this course.  The course has started at the beginning of October, but you can catch up and finish whenever it will be more suitable for you. The course closes on the 4 th of December.

And on a special note: if you enrol your are entitled to a free Office 365 license. Just visit our website and click on the banner at the top of the page. Once you activated your account for free (activation link will be sent to your email), you will be able to log in and choose from our MOOC catalogue.

We look forward to seeing you there! – Team UoMan

Webinar: “Sustainable Business models for MOOCs: the need for cross-institutional cooperation”

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September 28th, ECO Project experts shared points of view about realistic and sustainable Business models for MOOCs on a webinar hosted by ECO partner EADTU. Host Darco Jansen, Angela Benavides from UNED, Kjeld Loozen from Reimer IT Solutions B.V) and Vicente Montiel from Tabarca Consulting presented a wide range of aspects related to MOOC’s business sustainability .
 seminar-28s-capture
Lecturers’ presentations can be checked here.

Contents were given as shown below:

How to make / keep MOOC provision sustainable?

– overview possible business models from different stakeholders perspectives
– what services should / must be provided at a decentralised level and what at a centralised level, by Darco Jansen (EADTU)

Promotion of social inclusion and intercultural values through ECO decentralized models, by Angela Benavides Barahona (UNED)

ECO MOOC offering at decentralised MOOC level: services on pedagogical approach and quality assurance, by Darco Jansen on behalf of U. Paris 3-Sorbonne.

An overview of the ECO architecture:
– how did we manage to integrate 6 different MOOC platforms?
– how can you plug your own MOOC platform into this architecture? By Kjeld Loozen (Reimer IT Solutions B.V.)

11:45-12:00:   How to become a business partner of ECO, by Vicente Montiel Molina (Tabarca Consulting)

ECO Project Webinar on “Sustainable Business models for MOOCs: the need for cross-institutional cooperation” on Sep 28

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Business models for MOOCs – realistic and sustainable. Is that possible? We think so, and we’d like to share our points of view. If you want to increase your expertise in the matter,  do not miss the next ECO Project webinar  on 28 September 2016, 10:30-12:00 CEST.  Hosted by EADTU, a series of ECO Project experts will lecture on the wide range of opportunities provided by MOOCs as a globally integrated tool for education-focused business.

webinar-sep-01

Simply provide your name and email here to join the webinar. When using Clickmeeting app for smartphones or tablets you need to provide the following Room-ID 389-241-428 (and for some apps also Participant PIN 967889#). Note that the webinar will be recorded.

Agenda of the webinar
10:30-10:45:   Introduction on MOOCs, their European dimension and ECO project
by Darco Jansen (EADTU)

10:45-11:00:    How to make / keep MOOC provision sustainable?
– overview possible business models from different stakeholders perspectives
– what services should / must be provided at a decentralised level and what at a
centralised level
by Darco Jansen (EADTU)

11:00-11:15:    Promotion of social inclusion and intercultural values through ECO decentralized models
by Angela Benavides Barahona (UNED)

11:15-11:30:    ECO MOOC offering at decentralised MOOC level: services on pedagogical approach
and quality assurance
by Divina Meigs (U Paris 3-Sorbonne)

11:30-11:45:    An overview of the ECO architecture
– how did we manage to integrate 6 different MOOC platforms?
– how can you plug your own MOOC platform into this architecture?
by Kjeld Loozen (Reimer IT Solutions B.V.)

11:45-12:00:   How to become a business partner of ECO
by Vicente Montiel Molina (Tabarca Consulting)

ECO partners discuss Project final stages in Milan

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ECO Consortium held their sixth biannual meeting in Milan (Politecnico di Milano) on July 13-14, 2016. With the project running at full throttle on its third, final year, some critical issues were discussed, such as further improvements on quality research, new MOOCs from e-teachers, dissemination campaigns on Social Media, Associate Partners joining the project, and some interesting options to ensure continuation and development after ECO’s project life in January 31th, 2017.

Currently on its 30th month, ECO project is fully developed and growing fast. Participation figures have been achieved and efforts are currently focused on the increasing number of new MOOCs designed and developed by e-teachers, which enrich ECO catalogue . Also, ECO is raising interest among educational institutions and companies worldwide, and a number of agreements are being signed. The new members usually join the project as Associate partners and contribute with their own MOOCs, specifically designed to meet ECO’s quality standards and pedagogical approach.

Partners will hold a final meeting in January, 2017, right before ECO ends its project life. By then, the future features of ECO will have been planned and discussed in detail.

Milan meeting

Author: Ángela Benavides (UNED)

Webinar: “Socially inclusive pedagogical models for MOOCs”

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Last Wednesday, 27th of July, at 10:30 (CEST) our partner EADTU (European Association of Distance Teaching Universities), coordinated the second ECO webinar in our series: “Socially inclusive pedagogical models for MOOCs“. During this 90-minute webinar, teachers from different university partners of ECO Consortium elaborated on the need of an adjusted pedagogical model for MOOCs such as to achieve the aim to use MOOC to provide quality education to all.

Screen shot of webinar WP4 presentation

Below you can find the slides used by the speakers in order of presentation:

For those of you who could not attend now you can watch the whole session recording on our YouTube Channel: