AWO – A MOOC for Students in
Central Eastern Europe
Petra Hauptfeld
University of Applied Sciences Burgenland
Austria
I. AWO – Academic Writing Online
 presentation of the course: text, videos, activities
 use within a blendend learning system
 feedbacks on the blended learning approch
II. Project Management and Implementation
 project team and leads
 application procedure
 project management: phases, meetings and budget
 challenges and recommendations
Outline
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AWO
Academic Writing Online
 Scientific Work - Introduction
 Scientific Work – Advanced
 ICT-based Literature and Text Management
 Empirical Research (in Business Administration)
 Science Marketing (in Business Administration)
 Self-coaching for Students
 Successful Supervision of Students
Seven modules
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Seven languages
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 15 lectures + 1 bibliography unit
 central text part of each lecture
 8 instructional videos (supporting material)
 self-check activities (self study)
 graphs and charts
 5 humorous illustrations
Distance Learning or Blended Learning use
Composition of a module
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 precise selection of the lecture topics
 dense but clear language style
 no long extensions (no complex syntax)
 more active than passive voice
 no accumulation of nouns
 no complicated compounds
 consistent use of technical terms
 careful use of phrases or metaphors
Text parts
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 8 videos per module
 supporting or
extending the lectures
 studio recording
 visualizing methods
 slow mode of speaking
 easy explanations
Videos
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 short but concise activities
 not too general, not too detailed
 self-check via text or videos
 combination with exercises in class
Example: Visit the Manchester Phrasebank:
http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/
Look at each section on the left side (in total 11) of the page and
choose five phrases from each section to be used in your next paper!
Self-check activities
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 switching between whole module or lectures
 check-in on the spot where module was left
 possibility for public or private feedback (to study
degree office) after each lecture
 print-out version (PDF)
http://awo.academy
Easy navigation on platform
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 „after this I‘ll re-think
my research question“
 „loved the videos!“
 „helpful and easy-tounderstand
facts!“
 „good mixture of text
and videos“
Students’ feedback
Self-study phase transfer of knowledge via the course AWO plus
working on some tasks / watching the videos
 ONLINE COURSE
Online phase upload of tasks on interactive learning platform,
feedback via online classes, skype or mail
 ONLINE TOOL
Contact phase peers and teacher in the role of a coach give
feedback on the texts of students
 WRITING LAB
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Self-study phase: AWO module 1 lecture 11: argumentation
Online phase: first feedback from coach (Skype/WebEx/factline)
Self-study phase: revision of argumentation and second upload
Contact phase: presentation in class and feedback from peers
Self-study phase: final revision of argumentation
AWO & blended learning phases
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Teachers’ voices on AWO
I am in the role of a coach – I have to like that!
I have to guide students to give peer-feedback
feedback in class takes a lot of time but students
advance more
Some students are not used to it – I have to introduce
the method step by step
It is highly individualized learning AND
it is time-consuming in preparation
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 feedback in class is very important: we profit
from other texts: presentations are very helpful
 videos are very supporting; they are easy to
understand
 no matter if we listen to the teacher in class or
in the internet
 the course saves time
 repetition of lectures as often as necessary
Students’ voices on AWO
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The rise and fall of MOOCS is depending on
well developed materials and tools
MOOCs are a profit for students but time
consuming for teachers when starting
MOOCs are rewarding once the design is done
Lessons learned
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AWO
Project Management and
Implementation
Project team & leads
ASAS Aus- und Weiterbildung AG (2 modules)
Eszterházy Károly egyetem Eger (quality management)
Fachhochschule Burgenland (project management)
Univerza v Mariboru (dissemination)
Univerzita Mateja Bela (content management homepage)
ÚJOP Univerzita Karlova v Praze (illustrations)
Veleučilište Baltazar Zaprešić (--)
e-matrix Innovations (--)
Application points
relevance of the project 26 30
project implementation 17 20
project team 17 20
impact and dissemination 28 30
_________________________________
total 88 100
16 applicants – Strategic partnerships KA 2
4 approved projects – AWO was first-ranked 
Feedback from the experts
 high relevance of the topic
 diligent demand analysis
 clear working program and objectives
 high quality project team
 clear coordination and communication
 dissemination is described in detail
 unbalanced distribution of tasks (HP)
 features of countries less considered
4 project phases (overlapping)
phase 1 (M 1+2): 14-10-01 to 15-05-31
phase 2 (M 3+4): 15-03-01 to 15-11-30
phase 3 (M 5+6): 15-08-01 to 16-04-30
phase 4 (M 7): 16-01-01 to 16-04-30
feedbacks, changes: 16-06-01 to 16-08-30
lifetime of the project: 14-09-01 to 16-08-31
Each phase had 5 steps
translation of 2 modules including pp slides
studio recording in Wels
postproduction and check
feedback at universities
implementation of changes
contact with the production manager very essential!
Transnational project meetings
 Kick-off meeting in September 2014: Eisenstadt
 1st studio recording in March 2015: Wels
 Interim meeting in June 2015: Maribor
 2nd studio recording in September 2015: Wels
 3rd studio recording in March 2016: Wels
 Final meeting in June 2016: Eger
In Wels 2 modules were recorded.
Project calculation
project management: 250/month x 24 = 6.000
project meetings: 575/person x 7 = 4.025
Intellectual outputs: categories depending
on the country:
- category Researcher/Teacher/Trainer:
49 days translation, 3 recording, 6 check, 12 feedback
- category technician: 48 days (1/2 day/week)
Budget
Uni management meetings outputs in totel
FHB 12.000 1.150 33.220 46.370
UJOP 6.000 2.875 16.404 25.279
UMB 6.000 4.025 7.820 17.845
EKTF 6.000 4.025 7.820 17.845
UNIMB 6.000 4.025 14.486 24.511
VSPU 6.000 4.025 7.820 17.845
e-matrix 6.000 1.725 39.308 47.033
48.000 21.850 126.878 196.728
exceptional costs 4.400
budget 201.128
Payment
Money transfer to partners according to the
payment of the funding from the National Agency
to the FH Burgenland; 3 payments:
• 60% after successful application
• 20% after the interim report
• 20% after final report
Money transfer to partners proportionate to the
percentage
3 persons lost their job (or got job reduced)
1 person started far too late with work
1 person needed extremely pressure to deliver
different legal procedures in project countries
bureaucracy (Slovenia, Hungary)
(final) quality management
Expect the unexpected!
Challenges
Tips & recommendations
 motivated project team/personal relations
 good relationship with National Agency
 clear structure of the project
 permanent monitoring of time and phases
 calculation of time frames!
 patience for legal procedures
 creative problem solving
 creative handling of budget