Learning Technologies stable for online platforms, FutureLearn included

This is a draft story after Learning Technologies. Basis remains the same as one on LinkedIn already. Coursera looks very solid. FutureLearn could be similar but could benefit from more obvious UK support.

I visited ExCEL with Jon Mahy and Chris Norton from Phonic FM. We visited Coursera first and found impressive connections. USA universities offer courses and also content from IBM and Google. The Learning Technologies show is mostly for vocational training but there was also information on degrees. We could not get any detailed information on finances or the proportions of flows of income. But it seemed to fit with reports on Class Central that Coursera is now viable and moving more into degrees and also shorter courses with credentials.

The Futurelearn stand was set back on the far wall. We got no more information about the state of finances but through previous email i was sent a comment by Niamh O'Grady, FutureLearn Head of Communications 

We would have turned a profit this year but in order to grow and expand, we’re now working towards a longer timeframe to break even. Reaching profitability would allow us to grow incrementally, but we see so many opportunities for FutureLearn to support the transformation of access to education through our university partnerships, that we want to grow faster than that! Additional investment, and the right partner would help us to move faster, to access market opportunities, and increase our impact.

This is consistent with Class Central reports about other platforms. However since Peter Horrocks resigned as Vice Chancellor of the Open University it has not been clear in public what the strategy of the OU might be for longterm support for FutureLearn. I base this view on Twitter and reading the print Guardian. On Twitter there was much critique of management speak from Peter Horrocks but no much since. The Guardian with Peter Wilby reported the resistance to digital plans, but nothing since. My guess is that in the USA there is more support for online investment. It is possible that other platforms will be able to scale, maybe soon.

At Learning Technologies the LinkedIn Learning stand was busy. The content previously known as Lynda is now well integrated. They show courses for business, tech and creative though creative seems to be mostly tech - 3D, CAD, video. Seems a similar situation to STEM at BETT, the Arts aspect is not upfront. O'Reilly also concentrating on tech. they started as book publishing, then a subscription with video. Now there is some social media around this.

It seems from Class Central reports that business and tech are the areas where online platforms are most viable at this time. So MOOCs are not a challenge to the campus for humanities and social science. But perhaps this is what could have been expected even if some disruption is continuing.
Audrey Watters has written bout the "myth" of disruptive education and claimed that predictions for the MOOC were wrong, for example Clayton Christensen and Michael Horn in their 2008 book Disrupting Class.

Things are changing more slowly than some early imaginings, but consider what Christensen says about disruption. Writing with Michelle R. Weise in Boston Globe May 2014 Christensen noted that journalists declared the death of MOOCs in 2013.

Academics have historically separated teaching and scholarship as a distinct enterprise from vocational training. Utility was what graduate and professional schools were for, whereas college was the space and time for students to pursue their passions and gain a global perspective.
This approach, however, unwittingly ignores a very vital niche of students — non-consumers of traditional education. Or, in this case, the nearly 80 percent of college-goers in the United States who don’t have the residential-college experience we tend to glorify. Most commute, work part-time, have family commitments, or don’t have the luxury to major in a field with no direct relevance to their future career goals. The amenities, socialization, and services bundled together by most brick-and-mortar institutions have little relevance to these students.
Education technology companies and alternative learning providers — not just MOOCs — are finding disruptive footholds by targeting these non-consumers. They note that graduates from even well regarded colleges are struggling to launch their careers, make it into the workforce, or transition between jobs. Innovators are, therefore, beginning to address this widening gap by identifying what employers need and building those skill sets into their curricula.

This is consistent with the model of disruption described in Harvard Business Review, Dec 2015

Entrants that prove disruptive begin by successfully targeting those overlooked segments, gaining a foothold by delivering more-suitable functionality—frequently at a lower price. Incumbents, chasing higher profitability in more-demanding segments, tend not to respond vigorously. Entrants then move upmarket, delivering the performance that incumbents’ mainstream customers require, while preserving the advantages that drove their early success. When mainstream customers start adopting the entrants’ offerings in volume, disruption has occurred.

It is hard to put a time scale on this based on a trde show but Learning Technologies shows there is a viable scene in development. London is part of a circuit of conferences and events but it is uncertain how much the UK will be part of this. The Audrey Watters article linked above is also part of a course from the OU thorough Futurelearn about "The Online Educator". How much balance is required? It still seems unclear how much support there is for an online direction.

Coming soon another course on the Unbundled University. This could get more into structure, forms of disruption.

Unbundled University course from Futurelean , links back to Networked Learning

Ahead of Learning Technologies show this week I have checked out Futurelearn website and joined two courses. The "Unbundled University, The Market and Digital Technology" starts 11 March , only two weeks, based on recent research. Today I started another one on the "Online Educator" . I got back in to this through tracking Class Central. They report on the move from MOOC platforms to offer online degrees, sometimes in modules. Speculation is that Coursera may be viable, certainly seen as a "unicorn" in some articles. Futurelearn may have a similar path, but more of a mystery.

So far the Online Educator intro has doubted the early MOOC claims about disruption. No signs yet of older campus collapse. But I doubt such claims were ever credible. More often some form of blending was suggested. Class Central now report often on "micro credentials" , short courses for skills. Coursera offer several. Learning Technologies chance to talk to Coursera and also Futurelearn.

I guess the Unbundled course will include critique of the Market aspects. ( Both Futurelearn courses are free by the way, but you can pay extra for a certificate and continued access) . Class Central has noted the trend of platforms to look for ways of generating cash. There has always been some sort of mix of activities. Interesting to see what sort of balance is worked out.

The Online Educator course has started already but the Unbundled one can be joined till 11 March. I may do some chat video around it, in Exeter and maybe Lancaster. Depends on better weather. Low budget video requires sunshine. More later on an outline script. There was a Networked Learning conference in Lancaster 2016. Laura Czerniewicz spoke then about the MOOC and she is part of the Unbundled course. There was also a keynote about the campus from Sian Bayne. The campus remains a location, a backdrop to link bits of video. If the weather still cold and wet, probably later.

Online Educator week 1 first comment

This week I will visit Learning Technologies including stands for Coursera and Futurelearn to talk about MOOC and platform viability. So this txt is for the related blog and also FL course on "The Online Educator". I may have to catch up on the MOOC towards the end of the week. Early participation stats do not indicate the full effect.

Based on quick read, I do not think the case for the MOOC was ever a prediction of sudden transformation. Some unis are medieval. It has always been about some form of blending. Students exist offline, sometimes in groups or around activity. Bits of various courses can be combined.

In UK more urgent question has been how MOOC platforms can find some way to survive as a business model. USA seems more into venture capital approach but same issues arise. No mention yet on the course of Class Central, where recent info is available. There is discussion of "micro-credentials" , short courses for specific skills required by companies that suggest content. This might be a challenge to existing campus but might also fit in for detail.

Longterm I think there will be more online and less space required. The Carole Cadwalladr article referenced includes info on charges for USA courses. Still quite shocking. My bias is caused by the explosion of student accommodation in Exeter. Seems just out of proportion. Can this trend continue? off topic already?

Anyway, I skipped ahead to the week 4 section on Twitter. This "can be used in teaching" for

students developing identities,
means of student support,
conducting online debates
connecting with experts.

Similar for most social media so we will also check LinkedIn Learning stand and probably Facebook online as contact with Phonic FM studio.

O'Reilley book publishing also there. Subscription with video, some comments possible. What is this?

Questions around Futurelearn for Learning Technologies

Intended visit to Learning Technologies on Thursday with phonein to Wild Show, also radio show in Exeter on Wed - @wenotno on @PhonicFM 10 12 morning.

see draft story on LinkedIn

Main questions to clarify info on Class Central. The MOOC Report for 2018 says that there was revenue of £8.2m in year to July. Future income intended for degrees rather than "programs" - may be similar word to "microcredentials" , another thing to clear up. Class Central observes that Futurelearn degrees not much cheaper than campus ones. is this so? Could be viable quite soon? Will there be more courses from the OU?

From Twitter I gather some OU staff are unhappy that courses come from other universities. Is this still so? Could be a question for OU, FL might not comment. Will contact OU also.

Class Central reports that the OU has asked IBIS Capital to look into raising £40m to expand degree courses. The OU would contribute another £10m. eLearning Inside estimates that by 2025 FL could have a million paying learners, revenue of £100m. This is all speculation but it would be good to have a guess when the project would be likley to cover costs.

Coursera may be closer to this stage. Will ask on their stand first.

How can social media support courses? FL emphasises this. We will also visit LinkedIn Learning and discuss on other social media.

Slightly off main topic for Learning Technologies

Next week concentrate on FutureLearn and MOOC, but other topics come up.

Jon Honeyball in PC Pro ( print only ) reports from Consumer Electronic Show that Alexa and voice very strong this year. However not much at BETT about this, no news from Learning Technology so far. As a radio show, voice is interesting. Learning theory seems not connected yet. Something to look out for.

Not much at Learning Technologies about cameras, but lots about video edits. Still based on Powerpoint presentation as a model. Adobe F45  Techsmith N40 . Meanwhile phone video is getting better. It can be part of a learning mix. At BETT, Adobe spoke about Spark and Rush. How to edit this in with more formal presentations?

Below, quick edit on iPad from Apple at BETT.