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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.

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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 .
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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)