Designing a MOOC for Citizen Planner Training

Abstract

Many major cities are now offering Citizen Planner certification programs to fulfill the need to educate residents and stakeholders on issues related to community development and urban planning. Unfortunately many of the programs currently available have fees for registration, are located on-site, and are only available for a limited time. Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) present a unique opportunity to provide Citizen Planner training for low to moderate income people and in a way that is both more affordable and accessible. Furthermore, this project involves the creation of a MOOC for Citizen Planner training and examines the value of using the value of using MOOCs for planning education. Findings support that the use of Keller’s ARCS Motivation Theory in combination with a thoughtful layout will engage and motivate MOOC participants both during and after completion of certification.