Paper presented at eMOOCs 2016: Stakeholders Summit, Graz, Austria, 24th February, 2016.

1. Classifying the Irish 101 LMOOC
Mairéad NIC GIOLLA MHICHÍL,
Mark BROWN, Eamon COSTELLO, Enda DONLON, Collette
KIRWAN, Clare GORMLEY, Colm Ó CIARDÚBHÁIN.
Graz, Austria
24th Feburary, 2016

2. National Institute for Digital Learning

5. Outline…
1. Background to LMOOCs
2. Unique Context of Irish 101
3. Categorisation of Irish 101

6. 1. Background to LMOOCs

7. 1. Background to LMOOCs
• CALL has a long history
• CALL remains on the periphery of
traditional practice
• Not surprising slower to engage in
MOOCs as a disciplinary area

8. 1. Background to LMOOCs
LMOOC is neonatal…
(Sokolik, 2014)

9. 1. Background to LMOOCs
LMOOC space…
2014 = 26 - Bárcena and Martín-Monje (2014)
2015 = 46 - Research Team

10. 1. Background to LMOOCs
• Dominated…
– Small but increasing number of LMOOCs
– Global languages: ENGLISH, SPANISH, with more
Chinese MOOCs coming on stream
– Mainly Ab initio courses
– Example ENGLISH MOOCS can be divided into…
• Majority Ab Initio
• Small minority targeting Intermediate learners
• Tiny fraction aimed at English in specific purposes i.e.
business domains, etc

11. 1. Background to LMOOCs
https://about.futurelearn.com/press-releases/futurelearn-delivers-the-largest-mooc-ever-as-nearly-400000-learners-convene-for-english-language-learning/

12. 1. Background to LMOOCs
• Descriptions of LMOOCs imply…
– Transmission or xMOOC approach
– Some assert facilitation of collaborative learning
• Language learning viewed as active needing the
development of both:
– Knowledge
– Skills
• Traditional practice suggests language classrooms
should not scale!
– Massive in MOOC is an issue

13. 1. Background to LMOOCs
• Not just about xMOOC or cMOOC
• LMOOC should engage an action-
oriented approach to language learning
Challenge for LMOOCs…

14. 2. Unique Context of Irish 101

15. 2. Unique Context of Irish 101
Part of Irish State’s National
Commemorative Programme 2016

16. 2. Unique Context of Irish 101

17. 2. Unique Context of Irish 101
• Part-Funded ‘Department of Arts, Heritage
and the Gaeltacht’
• Fiontar – multi-disciplinary Irish Medium
Academic School
• National Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL)

18. Aimed at Global Irish Diaspora
2. Unique Context of Irish 101
Tweets in Irish - #Gaeilge

19. 2. Unique Context of Irish 101
• Irish language
– ab initio or beginner language learners
– Focus on oral language slkills
– 1 ECTS (25 hours)
– Launch in Autumn 2016
Irish 101 MOOC…

20. 2. Unique Context of Irish 101

21. 2. Unique Context of Irish 101

22. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101

23. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
Classification…
(Conole, 2014)

24. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
• Broad ranging focusing on 12 distinct
areas
• Useful to explore and evaluate the
technical, pedagogical and
institutional aspects
• Also helps to outline limitations
Classification…

25. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
Open…
• Selection of an institutional MOOC
platform concurrent process
• Use of a lo-fidelity design model for
the MOOC as the platform is being
developed
• Opportunity to feed into selection
process

26. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
Massive…
• Number of participants based on perspective
demand but limited to available resources
• Agreeing participant numbers an important
step (i.e. initial registrations vs. active
participants)
• Massive not restricted to traditional language
class sizes in forums etc.

27. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
Diverse…
• Homogenous population with specific
interest in Irish language and culture
• Diversity goes beyond geographical
location
• Diversity in learning approaches
– Participant-Content Interactions
– Participant-Participant Interactions
– Participant-Facilitator Interactions

28. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
Multimedia…
• Bespoke learning objects – difficulties with
specific software and platform:
– Requiring significant work arounds
– Effecting interactivity due computing demands and
potential of cohort of learners stressing the platform
– Issue of maintaining learners within the platform and
not breaking out to other social media tools or
platforms
– Open source tools being used to support
synchronous and asynchronous communication

29. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
Communication…
• Facilitated using social media and platform specific
tools
• Discussion forum non-thematically threaded for
navigational and engagement
• Feedforward strategies in learning objects
• Responses to limited number of learner comments
• Audio and video upload restrictions under
consideration

30. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
Collaboration…
• Tasks designed to support and promote
peer-collaboration
• Tasks are designed to build on
engagement and encourage collaboration
• Limited language ability emphasis on
social interaction

31. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
Reflection…
• Included to a limited degree
• Comments on an open blog within the
LMOOC
• Reflections will be linked to learning objects
and interactions with peers

32. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
Learning Pathways…
• Limited language proficiency influence the
number and breadth of pathways (i.e.
certain amount of language needed to
progress)
• Clear signposts within LMOOC to
encourage participants to engage in
meaningful and simple interactions with
each other

33. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
Quality Assurance…
• Design of learning objects subject to formal
and technical review process
• Learning objects benchmarked to CEFR
• LMOOC undergoing rigorous usability testing
– Iterative design of LMOOC, learning
objects and LMOOC structure

34. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
Certification…
• No formal certification at present but this
feature to be added
• Researching the use of badges as a
means of persuasion to encourage
engagement and participation
• Notion of self-badging also being explored

35. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
Formal Learning…
• No formal links between Irish 101 and
associated formal programme
• Structure of LMOOC facilitates this based
on ECTS and CEFR

36. 3. Categorisation of Irish 101
Autonomy…
• Participants will be guided due to limited
proficiency
• Discussion forums designed to promote light
touch moderation and feedback
• Participants supported to engage with social
media associated with course with minimal
facilitation by facilitators

37. Conclusion…

38. • A unique but challenging initiative
• Classification useful as it focuses on a
range of areas
• Useful to break down further – prompts
iterative reflection on the various
elements
Conclusion…

39. Irish 101 opens after formal launch in Autumn
2016…

40. Key References…
• Bárcena, E. and E. Martín-Monje (2014). Language MOOCs: an
Emerging Field. Language MOOCs: Providing Learning,
Transcending Boundaries. E. Bárcena and E. Martín-Monje, DE
GRUYTER OPEN.
• Conole, G. (2014). "A new classification schema for MOOCs."
INNOQUAL-International Journal for Innovation and Quality in
Learning, 2(5)
• Sokolik, M. (2014). What Constitutes an Effective Language
MOOC? Language MOOCs: Providing Learning Transcending
Boundaries. E. Martín-Monje and E. Bárcena, DeGruyter Open: 16-
32.

41. “A prudent question is one-half of wisdom”
Francis Bacon
http://www.slideshare.net/mbrownz
mairead.nicgiollamhichil@dcu.ie

42. Go raibh
maith
agaibh!