Delivering immersive learning experience for massive open online courses (MOOCs)

Abstract

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), a unique form of online education enabled by web-based learning technologies, allow learners from anywhere in the world with any level of educational background to enjoy online education experience provided by many top universities all around the world. However, the forms of learning activities in MOOC settings are usually limited to watching lecture or tutorial videos, joining formative or summative assessments, discussing with peer students, etc. These modes of learning could greatly limit the learning experience of the learners particularly in appreciating and acquiring certain tacit knowledge that the course content aim to deliver, for example in courses that deal with the vast expanse of the environment or the spiritual aspect of a culture, etc. In this paper, we present the design, production and delivery techniques for smart phone enabled Virtual Reality (VR) educational content that can provide impactful immersive learning experience to MOOC learners. Specifically, we have applied the techniques in the production of a MOOC entitled “Virtual Hong Kong: New World, Old Traditions”, led by AIMtech Centre, which, to our knowledge, is the first MOOC that delivers immersive learning content for distant learners to appreciate and experience how the traditional culture and folklores of Hong Kong impact upon the lives of its inhabitants in the 21st Century.