MOOCs, SPOCs and next generation Open Access Learning

I was one of the 36% of students who completed the Equine Nutrition course. I can tell you why I was able to... It was because there was excellent support from the lecturers, easy to access video lectures, no hard deadlines until the end of the course, meaning there was much more flexibility for people, like me, who work full time and can't always complete quizzes by 6pm each Monday for example. I could do it in my own time, as long as I stayed within the course duration and I found that some weeks I had much more time and could complete 2 weeks worth of readings & quizzes. 

In contrast, I just attempted to complete an Animal Behaviour course, but unfortunately due to hard deadlines each Monday, I was unable to complete quizzes on time and therefore could not achieve the marks necessary to pass, so I gave up halfway through. I have still completed readings and watched lectures, but with no result as the quizzes did not count after the weekly hard deadlines. Obviously many people had the same issue as me, because out of 24950, only

1428 people completed the course.

I believe course designers need to revisit their courses and ensure they are flexible enough for full time workers to do in their own time. 

Me ! 

An integral part of any online learning environment is the social synergy created via communication and discussion.  This is where deep reflection and learning take place.  Are students not feeling connected.  Are they collaborating and creating something new with the knowledge they have gained and sharing it with others?  Learning must me meaningful and applicable.