Digitally Teaching Digital Skills: Lessons Drawn from a Small Private Online Course (SPOC) on ‘Modelling and Simulation in Archaeology’ at Leiden University

Abstract

With the proliferation of online learning, the future of classroom teaching has been called into question. However, the unfaltering popularity of brick-and-mortar courses indicates that direct access to expert knowledge and face-to-face engagements remain key considerations for students. Here we showcase a combination of these two worlds in a Small Private Online Course (SPOC). Compared to Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), SPOCs are developed for smaller and more dedicated target groups and depend on close engagement between teachers and students. This format enables educational providers to involve internal and external students and teachers alike and to make ample use of online resources. This paper is based upon our experiences of running a SPOC on 'Modelling and Simulation in Archaeology' at Leiden University. We review the process of developing and running the course aimed at teaching archaeology students computer programming skills, while supporting their development as professional archaeologists and responsible academics.

Improve Learning Programming through Small Private Online Course and Virtual IDE

“…SPOC adopts the MOOC platform but is only used for specific groups. SPOC is effectively used for offline and online learning methods (Blended Leaning) (Scherjon et al, 2019). The advantage of the Blended Learning Method is that students can learn according to their learning pace (Lou, 2016) Learning content in online courses is digital and interactive such as videos, articles, animations, applications, e-books and can be the main material to replace physical books (Hatem et al, 2005).…”