I’d expect that many of the members on this forum are already familiar with the MOOC concept…(?)
[quote=“MOOC Wiki Definition”]A massive open online course (MOOC; /muːk/) is an online course aimed at unlimited participation and open access via the web. In addition to traditional course materials such as videos, readings, and problem sets, MOOCs provide interactive user forums that help build a community for students, professors, and teaching assistants (TAs). MOOCs are a recent development in distance education which began to emerge in 2012.
Early MOOCs often emphasized open access features, such as connectivism and open licensing of content, structure and learning goals, to promote the reuse and remixing of resources. Some later MOOCs use closed licenses for their course materials while maintaining free access for students[/quote]
I’ve been aware of general idea since it started, and I’ve been keeping an occasional eye on what’s on offer via MIT’s excellent range of EdX courses (see https://www.edx.org) and also the home-grown OU-mediated https://www.futurelearn.com. In particular, I’ve been looking-out for aviation, technology and science courses that could help me to relax when offline from work, whilst also being of relevance within Air Cadets.
So my first personal sortie into the world of MOOCs is as follows:
Technical University of Delft, Netherlands / MIT AE.1110x Introduction to Aeronautical Engineering (which has already started, via EdX) and also…
University of Birmingham / OU [url]https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/ww1-aviation[/url] starting 20 Oct 2014
[quote=“World War 1: Aviation Comes of Age”]
This course investigates how the white heat of innovation in World War One shaped the history of human flight.
This course will investigate how the early days of aviation gripped the imagination of the general public, galvanised industry and excited far-sighted members of the military.
Aviation evolved rapidly during World War 1 with modern and more effective aircraft soon replacing the very basic machines that took to the skies in 1914.
By the end of war, air power wasn’t just being used for reconnaissance but in ways that are still recognisable today. When the war was over aviation had truly come of age with the opening of mail routes, exploration and record setting exploits.
Produced in collaboration with the BBC and filmed at the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon this course draws on first –hand interviews from the BBC archive and archival material from the RAF Museum and will look at how this came about and explore the many myths that have arisen.
This course will also give you the opportunity to purchase a Statement of Participation.[/quote]
Has anyone any comments about this? It seems like an idea worth trying (DJRice, might this give a few ideas for the Air Cadet Central training bookshelf, perhaps?). And maybe you just found a way of doing some ACO-relevant CPD, if you’re Staff, or an older Cadet…
wilf_san