Learning Environment Selection

Python Micro Course screenThe primary learning environment for my “Choose Your Own Adventure – Python” micro-course is Open edX . This Open edX LMS platform is the open source version of the popular edX platform that has been successful in delivering MOOCs (massive open online courses) for many universities around the world. I have always wanted to try to set up an instance of the software locally but found that the setup was going to be too involved considering some of my personal time limitations this semester. Fortunately, I was still able to utilize the Open edX platform via a service from eduNext.  There are some limitations but it has been working well to house the assignments and give the course shape. It will neatly hold the video content and will allow me to ask a series of questions throughout each unit to help provide formative assessment.

Trinket.ioIn addition to the Open edX platform the course will be using a site called Trinket.io which allows Python code to be written and run in the browser. In this case most of the lessons will have some sample code embedded in the primary learning environment. Unfortunately students will need to create an account with Trinket.io to “hand in” their own assignments and to share their work with their peers in the discussion boards in Open edX. Trinket.io

 

Side note: There was a strong consideration to use GitHub, one of the most popular social code repositories online, to house the course and the code for this project but in the end the tools for delivering instruction were still lacking even though they have offered “classroom” repositories to schools.

The location of the course will be hosted here: https://urbanatwork.edunext.io/courses/course-v1:urbanatwork+CS_Python101+2018-FALL/about