Just as SPOCs will have varying levels of community, they will also have varying levels of engagement opportunities for learners. Some will have a lot, some a little, and some will fall in the middle with engagement.
First off, let's do a quick review on what I mean by engagement. It's a word we use a lot in education world. My definition of engagement probably differs from yours. That's okay! Take what you need and leave the rest.
I define engagement as a sense of "Wow, this is cool. I am learning and want to learn more. I feel connected to this learning experience. I'm using some of my energy and attention on this learning experience. Cool. Very cool."
Can you be engaged with a topic that bores you? For me, the answer is no. That's something else. That's compliance or drudgery or forced solutions. For me, true engagement is the good stuff of learning. The cool stuff. The energetic stuff.
Does that land?
Now, again, in a SPOC, you will likely feel varying degrees of engagement depending on the topic, your level of commitment to the course, and the design/teaching choices that the creator has made. A lot of that is outside of your control, but not all of it. Here are some ideas to boost your engagement with a SPOC:
Take notes. Write down what you love, what you don't like, and what you want to learn more about.
Follow the rabbit hole. If something intrigues you in a SPOC, google it and see where it takes you.
Geek out. I like to set myself up at my dining room table with my iPad, Trapper Keeper, and some highlighters when I'm taking a SPOC. Throw in a decaf and I'm ready to pretend I'm a student again.
Talk about it. Find some place where you can talk to other humans about what you're learning, whether it's in your SPOC, on social media, or in "real life."
Take your engagement into your own hands and up the cool factor in your SPOC.
✏️ Reflection Questions:
What does engagement in learning mean to you?
Comment to share.