The first open online course offered at Syracuse University has concluded with positive outcomes for its host, the School of Information Studies (iSchool), and for its hundreds of student participants. In addition, the excitement generated by the February trial is spinning off plans for additional iSchool open online offerings and informing faculty teaching models.
The iSchool’s first free course, “A Brief Introduction to Data Science with R,” drew interest levels more than three times the number of slots initially reserved for student enrollment. While 500 slots were planned, 1,731 requests to participate were received. Because of its inaugural nature, the iSchool opened the course to everyone who expressed interest.
The opportunity provided an introduction to the iSchool and SU for hundreds. Approximately three-quarters of those who inquired about the course were brand new to SU, according to Peggy Brown, iSchool director of instructional design and an adjunct instructor.
Brown provided these enrollment, completion rate and student outcome results:
Of the 839 participating:
“We’re very pleased with this result. This is slightly higher than what some other MOOCs have experienced. But beyond the numbers, the students in the course had some very rich and exciting conversations,” says Professor and Senior Associate Dean Jeffrey Stanton.
The class demographics also showed these characteristics:
The class used the free open-source e-book authored by Stanton (“An Introduction to Data Science”) as a guide, and also examined the R statistical analysis and visualization system. Taught by Stanton in conjunction with iSchool adjunct instructor Gary Krudys,the course also incorporated the iSchool’s distinct perspective toward data science, which provides a full data lifecycle view that goes beyond what most discuss as data analytics, according to program manager Erin Bartolo.
Satisfying for Instructors
Being an instructor for the course was “very satisfying on two levels,” Stanton says. “First, as a professor, it was powerful to connect with such a large group of students and to know that so many were getting benefits from course materials I had worked on. Second, it was refreshing to work as a team with a small group of instructional design specialists—their insights into what works for such a large group of students was very educational for me. Other professors who have taught MOOCs have reported that the experience has helped open their eyes to ways of improving their other courses, and I found this was true for me as well.”
Co-instructor Krudys, who has taught at the iSchool for the past 12 years, describes a similarly enjoyable experience. “In a classroom, you always get a few students who are very proactive in engaging in dialogue, but not a high percentage. In this situation, we had hundreds of students participating in a very rich and robust commentary on the subject matter, not only with the instructor, but amongst participants,” Krudys says. “It was a broad collaborative effort in the exchange of ideas. The discussion boards were just loaded with great information. I was in awe that this effort can bring so many people, from all over the country, together on a particular topic.”
Tuition Awards
In addition to completion certificates, students who successfully finished the course are eligible for a special-offering merit scholarship valued at 20 percent of tuition costs in the iSchool’s Data Science Certificate of Advanced Studies program. The merit award is unique this year to celebrate the iSchool’s 20th anniversary of online education in 2013 and to commemorate the inaugural open online course. It is available to incoming CAS-data science students. To receive consideration, students must apply to and be admitted into the data science CAS program, and matriculated for attendance starting in the summer or fall of 2013. There is a June 1 deadline for application (or until program capacity has been reached). The CAS-DS is a 15-credit graduate program offered full time or part time and is delivered on campus, online or a combined mode.
MOOC Team
Along with Stanton, Krudys, Brown, Bartolo and Susan Corieri, assistant dean for enrollment management and special academic program initiatives, the MOOC development and presentation team consisted of these iSchool professionals: Charlotte Flynn, doctoral student; Sarah Helson, graduate student; Jasy Liew Suet Yan, doctoral student; Roberta Segreti, assistant to the associate deans; and Ankur Verma ’12, IM alumnus.
Maymester Data Course
The iSchool also is offering a special section of its data science course, IST 687, “Applied Data Science,” this Maymester. The one-week, in-person course is being offered May 13-17. The course typically is available only online and just in the spring semester. For more information, contact Bartolo at ebartolo@syr.edu or see summer.syr.edu.
—
Robert Thompson, Trustee Professor and director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture in the Newhouse School, was quoted in the USA Today story “What’s next for Megyn Kelly? Experts say the options are limited.”
Why do those who volunteer in our military forces come home and cite lack of connection to civilian society? In this The Hill opinion piece, Mike Haynie, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation and founding executive director of the Institute…
Mike Haynie, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation and founding executive director of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, was interviewed by several outlets leading up to and on Veterans Day. Those that covered Syracuse include: WAER: SU…
Suzanne Lysak, assistant professor of broadcast journalism, was quoted by Multichannel News and Spectrum News in coverage about the revoking of Jim Acosta’s White House press pass.
Mary Lovely, professor of economics in the Maxwell School, was quoted by Business Insider for the story “The government is raking in billions of dollars from Trump’s tariffs.”
If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.
