Design, development and description of the EDIFY EDU MOOC platform and course

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The DAISSy Research Group of Hellenic Open University (HOU), the EDIFY-EDU Greek academic partner, has designed and developed the online educational platform that offers the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC).

The EDIFY EDU MOOC platform is built on Moodle, an open-source learning management system (LMS) that offers educators, administrators, and learners a powerful and adaptable environment for creating, managing, and delivering online courses. Key characteristics of Moodle include its highly customizable nature, allowing us to tailor the platform to their specific needs through various plugins, themes, and configurations. It supports a range of interactive activities, including quizzes, forums, assignments, and multimedia content, fostering active learning and engagement. 

The platform is a user-friendly platform with a responsive interface, accessible on multiple devices, and it emphasizes collaboration through features like general Announcements, Forum per each Section, Calendar, access to EDIFY EDU project’s social media and multimedia learning material as well as evaluation forms like pre-course and final evaluation questionnaires. Additionally, the platform offers detailed analytics and reporting tools, enabling partners and tutors to track learners’ progress and engagement.  

The EDIFY EDU MOOC platform enables the issuance of open badges and certificates. Open badges are digital credentials earned by completing specific tasks or reaching milestones within a course. These badges can be showcased on the learner’s profile or shared externally on social media and professional platforms, serving as verifiable evidence of skills and achievements. The platform also supports automated certificate generation, triggered when learners meet specific requirements, such as passing a course or reaching a target score. Both badges and certificates are customizable to align with the course or institution’s branding, providing a flexible way to acknowledge learners’ progress and mastery. In the EDIFY course, in order to earn open badges in each section of modules, must access the learning materials and achieve at least 70% on quizzes per module, in each section. A special golden badge will be awarded for successfully passing all six modules’ sections. A certificate of successful completion will be issued for achieving 70% in each module for all course modules, and it will be available online, after submitting the final evaluation questionnaire.

The EDIFY EDU course features a blend of core modules, practical applications, and case studies, designed to provide a comprehensive learning experience. Core modules offer foundational knowledge and essential concepts that establish a strong theoretical base. Practical applications bridge the gap between theory and real-world practice, allowing learners to apply what they’ve learned through hands-on tasks and projects. Case studies further enrich the learning process by presenting real-life scenarios and challenges, encouraging critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. This combination ensures that learners not only understand the subject matter but also know how to implement it effectively in professional settings. The course is still open and accessible to anyone interested following a simple registration procedure, through the registration form!

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