UBC launches new “LOOC,” the local MOOC

The University of British Columbia has launched a local open, online course (LOOC) to help students, staff and faculty improve their digital literacy skills. The “local” version of a MOOC, introduced by the Faculty of Education and the UBC Library and part of the Master of Educational Technology (MET) program, is open to all members of the UBC community through the university’s intranet, the Campus Wide Login (CWL). Like many MOOCs, the course is entirely online and self-paced, and users can build their skills in any area, and in any order, they wish. Instructors can also integrate the course into their curriculum to boost research competencies for any given subject. David Vogt, Graduate Advisor for the MET program, says the LOOC effort fits well with UBC’s Flexible Learning Initiative introduced earlier in the fall, which focuses on technology-enabled learning. UBC News Release