About the Experience: In my penultimate master's program quarter, I enrolled in EDU 6332: Open Learning. As large part of my final grade, I was required to create my own Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC for short. I decided to create a two-module MOOC entitled "Dorm Room Nutrition and Cooking" that targets college students who seek to eat and cook healthfully while in college, but is relevant for anyone who would like to get creative in the kitchen. My project incorporates only open source software, images, and learning materials and, not forgetting that this is an educational venture, features assignments and projects that incorporate critical and creative thinking, peer review, and reflection by students.
​
​
As a part of this project, the MOOC is truly open and live and can be accessed by anyone who wishes to take it. It can be found at Dorm Room Nutrition and Cooking.
​
What I Learned: In order to create an effective MOOC, I studied the history of open learning and took a thorough stock of existing open educational resources and open software. In doing so I developed a deeper understanding of where open learning fits into the spectrum of tertiary education and also formed context as to what makes a good, useful MOOC. In learning about MOOC predecessors, I was mindful to keep connectivism and connected learning at the forefront of my own creation to avoid crafting a course that was devoid of interaction and peer development. I also was receptive to feedback from my own peers who took the course and found ways to incorporate a variety of perspectives to make a final product that appeals to everyone.
​
Skills: Working in an entirely digital forum, creating my MOOC taught me how to be a skilled communicator, especially since I was in the role of the instructor. I learned to be mindful and clear in my communication with students and really put myself into the position of the learner when creating assignments, rubrics, and learning resources. I also became more tech-savvy in applying software and technology to create an engaging learning tool that can be utilized by anyone.
​
