TOOLS & PLATFORMS → TOOLS → FRAMEWORK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MOOCs → KEY CONSIDERATIONS 

Key points to consider when developing a MOOC rapidly

• Senior level by-in can be critical to the development of any course. It raises the profile of the course and opens doors which can fast tracked the process.

• A small focused core team consisting of individuals with relevant expertise – on the course topic, on pedagogy, and on the use of your chosen platform - supports rapid development of the course aims, intended learning outcomes and structure.

• There is a need to plan for shifting demands throughout the course development (e.g. student enrolments may exceed expectations, content contributors involved in managing the outbreak may suddenly become unavailable). Having course coordinator(s) who has a handle on all components of the course is essential to manage the challenges and opportunities that may arise.

• Establishing clear communication channels, between the coordinator(s) and the team is critical to the success of the project. This can take the form of regular structured meetings and/or use of shared communication tools (e.g. shared docs, shared email accounts).

• Providing course contributors with specific instructions tailored for their individual contribution (including templates and/or examples for the contribution required) helps reduce the time the contributor needs to spend when developing content.

• When facilitating a large cohort of learners, a systematic approach is needed.

• If planning to run the course more than once, the use of FAQ documents in subsequent courses (based on questions asked on the first course) can be very helpful and timesaving for both the students and the course facilitators.

• During the course, fostering a sense of community and cooperation amongst the course facilitation team needs to be prioritised. Otherwise you may miss key learning opportunities. Regular calls/meeting with the course facilitation team - where team members are encouraged to present challenges and potential solutions, and/or using a shared platform for the team to share ideas and concerns – are potential ways to achieve this.