Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, once said, ”The world needs more innovative revolutions.” ”As long as using technology wisely, we can bring dramatic changes to education.” The rise of the new learning model “MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses)”represents the latest internet-based learning model.
Learners, social network, and massive learning are the core of this learning model which causes the unprecedented education revolution.
In 2011, Stanford University Professor Andrew Ng, the co-founder of Coursera, taught Machine Learning course on the platform which was offered to more than 100,000 students. If the number of people taking the real course is 400 a year, it takes about 240 years to teach the same amount. The astounding fact relied solely by the new model created with the help of the Internet.
Education is no longer the model with one teacher versus one class. The trend of cross cultural and cross border model is surging. Only if you want, you can get resources for free. This is a platform for those who have the willingness to learn to get the resources they want and, through peer effect, to also find talented students as learning partners for improvement. Even a 17 year old teenager from Mongolia can be accepted by MIT with excellent scores from MOOCs. MOOCs make education available for everyone and level up the quality. The trend of the model is so hot that it even attracts some venture capital to follow. A new industry is gradually emerging.
The MOOCs for Chinese People Provide Learning Service for the Next Generation Can we copy successful MOOC cases such as Coursera, Udemy, Udacity, and EDX to the areas of Chinese People? Can we create the specifically designed version for them while position the learners correctly? Since 2013, III has started promoting MOOCs as the learning service for the next generation. The team on this task not only made in-depth research of MOOCs websites at home and abroad, but also became a real heavy user to further develop service models and facilitate technological innovation. It was beneficial that developers could view both from a provider’s viewpoint and a user’s perspective so that they improved the system they create by the experience gathered from real practice.
III launched the platform Proera as the outpost for promoting MOOCs which are considered to be the learning service of the next generation. Flip Education, Open Course Ware (OCW), pre-job training, and job matching for talents consist the core framework of the platform where the professionals from both the related industries and academic circles collaborate with each other to develop the program. The platform gained support from NTU Professor Ping-Cheng Yeh to collectively promote the new platform as the learning service platform for the next generation, who was also the first Taiwan teacher to offer classes on Coursera. The platform created immense responses and attracted teachers from various famous universities such as NTU, NCKU, and THU applying for using the system.
Among the core spirits, Flip Education completely subverts the traditional education models. The new model not only encourages students to preview the context and finish reading the class materials, but also expects them to participate in group discussion and learn actively. Previously, capable students could perceive class content within a 50 minute class but ordinary students might find it difficult for them to catch up with their classmates. The system based on the idea of Flip Education assist them solve the questions in mind during the class. Because of MOOCs and the help of technology, the education ideal of teaching which was carried through for thousands of year, such as conveying the truth, passing on the knowledge, and clarifying the doubts could therefore be consolidated.
III is now facing the challenge how to promote MOOCs as the learning service for the next generation. By promotion tours at school, new courses offered as MOOCs, and providing teachers with recording equipment and tips for making teaching videos, III works diligently to gain recognition from teachers to make MOOCs as the learning service for the next generation and increase teaching quality collaboratively.
“4+X”Closes the Gap between University Talents and Industry Professionals
Facing the issue related to the gap between schooling and employment, III effectively narrows the gap by “4+X”service model through MOOCs, the learning service for the next generation.
“4”means that III collaborates with teachers in school to develop courses online. Through learning services available on the cloud platform, students could study 4 year college courses effectively and cultivate basic professional knowledge. “X” implies that III cooperates with industry professionals to create practical courses for students to sharpen their professional skills. These courses are also essential for industry development. By this way, talents cultivated by school can immediately fit the need of the industries. The concept of “Lifelong Learning” could therefore take shape.
The data accumulated by MOOCs, the learning service for the next generation, can become the foundation for analyzing individual learning behavior. All learning processes, such as when to study, what have been read, the steps to solve questions, learning model analysis, and online discussion, are tracked by the system to improve teaching quality. With the help of the learning map service, students can strengthen their weakness. Further, the system can also provide “Learning Certification” according to the learning map and employment map of each student. Learning Certification can be the reference for employers while they seek the suitable talents.
MOOCs is the future trend of learning service for the next generation. III gathers the energy of Taiwan e-learning and prepare to enter the market of Mainland China. Looking into the future, III expects to be the pioneer of cloud learning service.
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New ｜The innovation of technology, business model, and teaching model
Impact ｜Lead the transformation of teaching model, attract huge information and communication firms, establish strategic partnership with firms in this field to collaboratively provide services in the education service market
Key ｜From the demand of market users, III dedicatedly develops teaching service models and innovates technologies.
Evidence ｜Form strategic alliances with related firms, attract more than 5 universities applying for the platform service, assist NTU collaborate with Coursera to jointly provide Game-Based Learning Service.