[ecrea] PhD candidate: Interactivity and game in the user experienceof a MOOCs platform

*Online* version of this thesis offer:
http://cimeos.u-bourgogne.fr/actualites/135-offre-de-these-cifre-interactivite-et-jeu-dans-l-experience-utilisateur-d-une-plateforme-de-moocs.html


*Abstract*
This thesis offer is a research and technical development project that
associates The MOOC Agency enterprise, that has created an a-learning
plateform based on open-source softwares Moodle and EdX, and CIMEOS
laboratory, that studies the sentient experience of the learner. The phd
student will design, implement and evaluate interactive interfaces, with
social and gaming features in order to improve learning by studying the
experience of users.

*Keywords*
MOOC, user experience, interactivity, serious games, elearning.

*Deadline* for application: *2015-08-23*


    The MOOC Agency-

/The MOOC Agency/, created in 2012 by two graduates of “Grand School”
HEC and Polytechnique, is a startup who offers support for the creation
of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses).
The MOOC Agency has been associated with the government initiative FUN
(France Digital University) in order to develop some features of their
platform. Today, /The MOOC Agency /engages with colleges, government
agencies and large business in training courses remotely innovative
designs such MOOC. Our company is looking for a developer to improve its
educational solutions, especially on open-source platforms like Open-edX
MOOC or Moodle.

*Headquarters*:76 rue du 8 mai 1945 91300 MASSY, FRANCE
*Location*:3 rue Jules César, 75012 PARIS, FRANCE


    The research laboratory CIMEOS

The CIMEOS (EA 4177) is the research laboratory in information and
communication sciences of the University of Burgundy, that studies
mediation of knowledge or analysis of perception according to a
multidisciplinary approach. It currently brings together 88 researchers
and PhD students.
CIMEOS members want to develop their research on digital communication
including e-learning and MOOCs. Furthermore, the University of Burgundy
is already involved on creating MOOCs on wine and digital culture
(European platform EMMA <http://mooc.u-bourgogne.fr/en/>) and is very
involved on new ways of learning.
The CIMEOS pilots and participates in projects with high added value
(Labex Lipstic, GIP Vine and Wine, learning communities, Networks of
innovation Transition, business creation, "heritage and culture" and
"ecological transition" topics with the “Maison des Sciences de
l'Homme”, Food, Discrimination, Cancer, Twitter at the European
elections, International Cities of food and wine…). This work is done
with many national public and private partners (SMEs, Seb-Krups,
Bonduelle, Charal, Cerelab, Schiever, competitiveness cluster Vitagora,
Museums, IGS Group, ITC, NTIC Agency, ADEME, Regional Agency for Health,
EPCC Earth of Louis Pasteur…) and international organizations (Europe,
China and Korea, Americas, North and Central Africa, etc.).
The 3S team, part of the CIMEOS, focuses on the sentient mediation,
sensory and symbolic in communication. They broaches transversely four
sentient topics:

  * sensory innovation and technology transfer;
  * taste and food imaginary;
  * image and identity brands, organizations, territories;
  * digital changes and society: cultures and digital sociality;
    political communication strategy and participation in the digital
    public space.

*Location*:UFR Sciences Humaines et Sociales - Bâtiment Droit Lettres -
Bureau 354 - 4 Boulevard Gabriel - 21000 DIJON - FRANCE


    Missions

In connection with the pedagogical engineers who design training courses
for customers of /The MOOC Agency/, the programmer will carry out
original developments whose aims are to improve the user experience of
learners and make it more effective. Will be discussed including the
possibility of creating more social and collaborative interactivity to
the user via third party services, social or interactive games
(gamification and serious games), etc.
The project is part of a communicative approach, which means that the
candidate will refer to the scientific literature on the analysis of
uses and of human communication. To achieve this, the candidate will
analyze the user experience from the “sentient point of view”, that is
to say she or he will exam its perceptual, ergonomics and cognitive
aspects. The candidate will work on how users develop both their digital
literacy and their transmitted knowledge according to their personal or
professional "objectives". She or he will focus on how users manage
their digital identity in public learning spaces. Finally, the candidate
will analyze how the image of clients of /The MOOC Agency/ operates on
the user experience of made MOOCs. For example, how the brand or
client's values ​​are consistent with the design choices, or how they
can become a motivator. The candidate will work on cognitive aspects,
visual but also tactile (mobile terminals uses) of the interactive
experience. These studies will allow to guide the development and to
evaluate implemented innovations.
After validation, the code will be used in production in the projects of
/The MOOC Agency/. User tests are to be expected, evolution
perspectives, and analysis of digital traces, in order to understand the
limitations of the interactive design.


    Candidate Profile

The candidate is proficiency about web languages like Python / PHP ​​/
HTML / CSS / Javascript (this is a *necessary condition*). She or he is
fluency in English, and can learn French language on the spot if necessary.
The candidate is motivated by both development work on MOOCs and design,
and by scientific research. She or he is open-minded about computer
science, social sciences and humanities, and has the ability to use
tools and ergonomic methods, and is concerned about a web-based design
approach.
Having an experience with a MOOC platform like Open EdX or a LMS like
Moodle will be appreciated. The candidate will achieve a state of the
art on the subject, and will be proactive about the development of
educational features. She or he appreciates the start-up ambiance.

Start date
    as soon as possible.
Salary
    based on a CIFRE contract

<http://www.anrt.asso.fr/fr/pdf/plaquette_cifre_complete_avril2009_GB.pdf>
    (gross salary of 24.000€ / year as a minimum) to negotiate.


    How to apply?

Thank you to quickly contact and send your application in pdf format to:

  * Paul Farnet, president of /The Mooc Agency/
    (paul.farnet /at/ themoocagency.com) <mailto:(paul.farnet /at/ themoocagency.com)>
  * Thibaud Hulin, co-supervisor, assistant professor, CIMEOS-3S

<http://cimeos.u-bourgogne.fr/%3Cspan%20id=>(thibaud.hulin /at/ u-bourgogne.fr)
    <mailto:(thibaud.hulin /at/ u-bourgogne.fr)>
  * Lardellier Pascal, director of the thesis, CIMEOS-3S
    (pascal.lardellier /at/ u-bourgogne.fr)
    <mailto:(pascal.lardellier /at/ u-bourgogne.fr)>

Please attach the following documents: a CV, a cover letter, the
information needed to assess the quality of the Master 1 & 2 (academic
transcript, gradebook, filing, report, memory ...), the results (scores
and rankings), one or more letters of recommendation.


<http://cimeos.u-bourgogne.fr/actualites/135-offre-de-these-cifre-interactivite-et-jeu-dans-l-experience-utilisateur-d-une-plateforme-de-moocs.html>


Best regards,

Thibaud HULIN
Assistant professor
Information and communication sciences
University of Burgundy
CIMEOS Lab.
Ad.: DUT MMI - bureau A22 - BP 17867
    21078 DIJON Cedex
    FRANCE


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