Analyzing the final and intermediate results of the iversity MOOC Fellowship online voting

As writen before Steffen and I participated in the online voting for the MOOC fellowship. Today the competition finished and I would like to say thank you to everyone who so far participated in the voting in particular to the 435 people supporting our course. I did never image to get that many people to be interested in our course!
The voting period went from May first till today. During this period the user interface of the iversity website changed several times providing different kind of information about the voting to us users. Since I have observed a drastic change in rankings on May 9th and since the process and scores have not been very transparent I have decided on that very day to collect some data about the rankings. I already did some quick analysis on the data and found some interesting facts but I am running out of time right now to conduct an extensive data analysis. So I will share the data set with the public domain:
http://rene-pickhardt.de/mooc.tar.bz2 (33MB)
If you download the zip file and extract it you’ll find folders for every hour after May 9th. In every folder you will find 26 html-files representing the current ranking of the courses at that time and a transaction log of the http-requests which were done to download the 26 html files. There are 26 html files since 10 courses were displayed per page and we had 255 courses participating.
During the time of data collection I had 2 or 3 short down times of my web server so it could be possible that some data points are missing.
I already wrote a “dirty hack” and pushed it on github which also extracts the interesting information out of the downloaded html files.

  1. There is a file rank.tsv (334 kb) that displays for every course on an hourly basis the rankings
  2. There is a file vote.tsv (113 kb) that contains for every course on an hourly basis (between may 20th and today) the number of votes the course did acquire. The period of time for vote.tsv is so short since the votes have only been available in the html files during this time. 

Skimming the data with my eyes there are already some facts that make me very curious for a deeper data analysis:

  1. Some courses gained several hundred votes within a short period of time (usually only 2 or 3 hours) whereas most courses (especially those gaining such a large amount of votes) often stayed far under 1000 votes at all. 
  2. Also it is interesting to see how much variation has been going on in the last couple of days. 
  3. Also I haven’t crawled the views of the Youtube videos of the courses and even now after observing the following I did not take a snapshot of them it is interesting that there is such a large difference in conversion rate. Especially the top courses seem to have much more votes than they have views of the application video. Where some really high class and outstanding applications like the ones from Chrstian Spannagel (Math) or  Oliver Vornberger (Algorithms and data structures) have two or three times as many views on Youtube as votes. Especially they have about the same amount of views on Youtube as the top voted courses.

I am pretty sure there are some more interesting facts and maybe someone else has collected a better data set over the complete periode of time and including Youtube snapshots as well as Facebook and Twitter mentions.
Since I have been asked several times already: here are the final rankings to download and also as a table in the blog post:

  Kursname Anzahl an votes
1 sectio chirurgica anatomie interaktiv 8013
2 internationales agrarmanagement 2 7557
3 ingenieurmathematik fur jedermann 2669
4 harry potter and issues in international politics 2510
5 online surgery 2365
6 l3t s mooc der offene online kurs uber das lernen und lehren mit technologien 2270
7 design 101 or design basics 2 2216
8 einfuhrung in das sozial und gesundheitswesen sozialraume entdecken und entwickeln 2124
9 changeprojekte planen nachhaltige entwicklung durch social entrepreneurship 2083
10 social work open online course swooc14 2059
11 understanding sustainability environmental problems collective action and institutions 1912
12 the dance of functional programming languaging with haskell and python 1730
13 zyklenbasierte grundung systematische entwicklung von geschaftskonzepten 1698
14 a virtual living lab course for sustainable housing and lifestyle 1682
15 family politics domestic life revolution and dictatorships between 1900 1950 1476
16 h2o extrem 1307
17 dark matter in galaxies the last mystery 1261
18 algorithmen und datenstrukturen 1207
19 psychology of judgment and decision making 1168
20 the future of storytelling 1164
21 web engineering 1152
22 die autoritat der wissenschaften eine einfuhrung in das wissenschaftstheoretische denken 2 1143
23 magic and logic of music a comprehensive course on the foundations of music and its place in life 1138
24 nmooc nachhaltigkeit fur alle 1130
25 sovereign bond pricing 1115
26 soziale arbeit eine einfuhrung 1034
27 mathematische denk und arbeitsweisen in geometrie und arithmetik 1016
28 social entrepreneurship wir machen gesellschaftlichen wandel moglich 1010
29 molecular gastronomy an experimental lecture about food food processing and a bit of physiology 984
30 fundamentals of remote sensing for earth observation 920
31 kompetenzkurs ernahrungswissenschaft 891
32 erfolgreich studieren 879
33 deciphering ancient texts in the digital age 868
34 qualitative methods 861
35 karl der grosse pater europae 855
36 who am i mind consciousness and body between science and philosophy 837
37 programmieren mit java 835
38 systemisches projektmanagement 811
39 lernen ist sexy 764
40 modelling and simulation using matlab one mooc more brains an interdisciplinary course not just for experts 760
41 suchmaschinen verstehen 712
42 hands on course on embedded computing systems with raspberry pi 679
43 introduction to mixed methods and doing research online 676
44 game ai 649
45 game theory and experimental economic research 633
46 cooperative innovation 613
47 blue engineering ingenieurinnen und ingenieure mit sozialer und okologischer verantwortung 612
48 my car the unkown technical being 612
49 gesundheit ein besonderes gut eine multidisziplinare erkundung des deutschen gesundheitssystems 608
50 teaching english as a foreign language tefl part i pronunciation 597
51 wie kann lesen gelernt gelehrt und gefordert werden lesesozialisation lesedidaktik und leseforderung vom grundschulunterricht bis zur erwachsenenbildung 593
52 the european dream 576
53 education of the present what is the future of education 570
54 faszination kristalle und symmetrie 561
55 italy today a girlfriend in a coma a walk through today s italy 557
56 dna from structure to therapy 556
57 grundlagen der mensch computer interaktion 549
58 malnutrition in developing countries 548
59 marketing als strategischer erfolgsfaktor von der produktinnovation bis zur kundenbindung 540
60 environmental ethics for scientists 540
61 stem cells in biology and medicine 528
62 praxiswissen fur den kunstlerischen alltagsdschungel 509
63 physikvision 506
64 high five evidence based practice 505
65 future climate water 484
66 diversity and communication challenges for integration and mobility 477
67 social entrepreneurship 469
68 die kunst des argumentierens 466
69 der hont feat mit dem farat wek wie kinder schreiben und lesen lernen 455
70 antikrastination moocen gegen chronisches aufschieben 454
71 exercise for a healthier life 454
72 the startup source code 438
73 web science 435
74 medizinische immunologie 433
75 governance in and through human rights 431
76 europe in the world law and policy aspects of the eu in global governance 419
77 komplexe welt strukturen selbstorganisation und chaos 419
78 mooc basics of surgery want to become a real surgeon 416
79 statistical data analysis for the humanities 414
80 business math r edux 406
81 analyzing behavioral dynamics non linear approaches to social and cognitive sciences 402
82 space technology 397
83 der erzahler materialitat und virtualitat vom mittelalter bis zur gegenwart 396
84 kriminologie 395
85 von e mail skype und xing kommunikation fuhrung und berufliche zusammenarbeit im netz 394
86 wissenschaft erzahlen das phanomen der grenze 392
87 nachhaltige entwicklung 389
88 die nachste gesellschaft gesellschaft unter bedingungen der elektrizitat des computers und des internets 388
89 die grundrechte 376
90 medienbildung und mediendidaktik grundbegriffe und praxis 368
91 bubbles everywhere speculative bubbles in financial markets and in everyday life 364
92 the heart of creativity 363
93 physik und weltraum 358
94 sim suchmaschinenimplementierung als mooc 354
95 order of magnitude physics from atomic nuclei to the universe 350
96 entwurfsmethodik eingebetteter systeme 343
97 monte carlo methods in finance 335
98 texte professionell mit latex erstellen 331
99 wissenschaftlich arbeiten wissenschaftlich schreiben 330
100 e x cite join the game of social research 330
101 forschungsmethoden 323
102 complex problem solving 321
103 programmieren lernen mit effekt 317
104 molecular devices and machines 317
105 wie man erfolgreich ein startup aufbaut 315
106 grundlagen der prozeduralen und objektorientierten programmierung 314
107 introduction to disability studies 314
108 eu2c the european union explained by two partners cologne and cife 313
109 the english language a linguistic introduction 2 311
110 allgemeine betriebswirtschaftslehre 293
111 interaction design open design 293
112 how we learn nowadays possibilities and difficulties 288
113 foundations of educational technology 288
114 projektmanagement und designbasiertes lernen 281
115 human rights 278
116 kompetenz des horens technische gehorbildung 278
117 it infrastructure management 276
118 a media history in 10 artefacts 274
119 introduction to the practice of statistics and regression 271
120 what is a good society introduction to social philosophy 268
121 modellierungsmethoden in der wirtschaftsinformatik 265
122 objektorientierte programmierung von web anwendungen von anfang an 262
123 intercultural diversity networking vielfalt interkulturell vernetzen 260
124 foundations of entrepreneurship 259
125 business communication for impact and results 257
126 gamification 257
127 creativity and design in innovation management 256
128 mechanik i 252
129 global virtual project management 252
130 digital signal processing for everyone 249
131 kompetenzen fur klimaschutz anpassung 248
132 digital economy and social innovation 246
133 synthetic biology 245
134 english phonetics and phonology 245
135 leibspeisen nahrung im wandel der zeiten molekule brot kase fleisch schokolade und andere lebensmittel 243
136 critical decision making in the contemporary globalized world 238
137 einfuhrung in die allgemeine betriebswirtschaftslehre schwerpunkt organisation personalmanagement und unternehmensfuhrung 236
138 didaktisches design 235
139 an invitation to complex analysis 235
140 grundlagen der programmierung teil 1 234
141 allgemein und viszeralchirurgie 233
142 mathematik 1 fur ingenieure 231
143 consumption and identity you are what you buy 231
144 vampire fictions 230
145 grundlagen der anasthesiologie 228
146 marketing strategy and brand management 227
147 political economy an introduction 225
148 gesundheit 221
149 object oriented databases 219
150 lebenswelten perspektiven fur menschen mit demenz 217
151 applications of graphs to real life problems 210
152 introduction to epidemiology epimooc 207
153 network security 207
154 global civics 207
155 wissenschaftliches arbeiten 204
156 annaherungen an zukunfte wie lassen sich mogliche wahrscheinliche und wunschbare zukunfte bestimmen 202
157 einstieg wissenschaft 200
158 engineering english 199
159 das erklaren erklaren wie infografik klart erklart und wissen vermittelt 198
160 betriebswirtschaftliche und rechtliche grundlagen fur das nonprofit management 192
161 art and mathematics 191
162 vom phanomen zum modell mathematische modellierung von natur und alltag an ausgewahlten beispielen 190
163 design interaktiver medien technische grundlagen 189
164 business englisch 187
165 erziehung sehen analysieren gestalten 184
166 basic clinical research methods 184
167 ordinary differential equations and laplace transforms 180
168 mathematische logik 179
169 die geburt der materie in der evolution des universums 179
170 innovationsmanagement von kleinen und mittelstandischen unternehmen kmu 176
171 introduction to qualitative methods in the social sciences 175
172 advert retard wirkung industrieller interessen auf rationale arzneimitteltherapie 175
173 animation beyond the bouncing ball 174
174 entropie einfuhrung in die physikalische chemie 172
175 edufutur education for a sustainable future 165
176 social network effects on everyday life 164
177 pharmaskills for africa 163
178 nachhaltige energiewirtschaft 162
179 qualitat in der fruhpadagogik auf den anfang kommt es an 158
180 dementias 157
181 beyond armed confrontation multidisciplinary approaches and challenges from colombia s conflict 154
182 investition und finanzierung 150
183 praxis des wissensmanagements 149
184 gutenberg to google the social construction of the communciations revolution 145
185 value innovation and blue oceans 145
186 kontrapunkt 144
187 shakespeare s politics 142
188 jetzt erst recht wissen schaffen uber recht 141
189 rechtliche probleme von sozialen netzwerken 138
190 augmented tuesday suppers 137
191 positive padagogik 137
192 digital storytelling mit bewegenden bildern erzahlen 136
193 wirtschaftsethik 134
194 energieeffizientes bauen 134
195 advising startups 133
196 urban design and communication 133
197 bildungsreform 2 0 132
198 mooc management basics 130
199 healthy teeth a life long course of preventive dentistry 129
200 digitales tourismus marketing 127
201 the arctic game the struggle for control over the melting ice 127
202 disease mechanisms 127
203 special operations from raids to drones 125
204 introduction to geospatial technology 120
205 social media marketing strategy smms 119
206 korpusbasierte analyse sprechsprachlichen problemlosungsverhaltens 116
207 introduction to marketing 115
208 creative coding 114
209 mooc meets 3d 110
210 unternehmenswert die einzig sinnvolle spitzenkennzahl fur unternehmen 110
211 forming behaviour gestaltung und konzeption von web applications 109
212 technology demonstration 108
213 lebensmittelmikrobiologie und hygiene 105
214 estudi erfolgreich studieren mit dem internet 105
215 moderne geldtheorie eine paische perspektive 103
216 kollektive intelligenz 103
217 geschichte der optischen medien 100
218 alter und soziale arbeit 99
219 semantik eine theorie visueller kommunikation 97
220 erziehung und beratung in familie und schule 96
221 foreign language learning in indian context 95
222 bildgebende verfahren 92
223 applied biology 92
224 bildung in der wissensgesellschaft gerechtigkeit 92
225 standortmanagement 92
226 europe a solution from history 90
227 methodology of research in international law 90
228 when african americans came to paris 90
229 contemporary architecture 89
230 past recent encounters turkey and germany 88
231 wars to end all wars 83
232 online learning management systems 82
233 software applications 81
234 business in germany 78
235 requirements engineering 77
236 anything relationship management xrm 77
237 global standards and local practices 76
238 prodima professionalisation of disaster medicine and management 75
239 cytology with a virtual correlative light and electron microscope 75
240 the organisation of innovation 75
241 sensors for all 75
242 diagnostik in der beruflichen bildung 73
243 scientific working 71
244 escience saxony lectures 71
245 internet marketing strategy how to gain influence and spread your message online 69
246 grundlagen des e business 69
247 principles of public health 64
248 methods for shear wave velocity measurements in urban areas 64
249 democracy in america 64
250 building typology studies gebaudelehre 63
251 multi media based learning environments at the interface of science and practice hamburg university of applied sciences prof dr andrea berger klein 61
252 math mooc challenge 60
253 the value of the social 58
254 dienstleistungsmanagement und informationssysteme 57
255 ict integration in education systems e readiness e integration e transformation 56

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8 Comments

  1. concerning youtube views, you should consider that some videos have a “no public” view setting

    1. Yes that is true but the problem is that while crawling the data I decided against crawling Youtube data so taking Youtube into the full analysis will not make sense here.
      Anyway my crawled data set is only a small snapshot of what has really happened. I have send an email to Iversity asking for logfiles which would help a lot but I didn’t get any response yet.

      1. yes, it would be interesting to see all the data.
        Anyway iversity changed the displayed ranking, in many cases (e.g. number 2 or 12 in your ranking list) taking away lots of votes for some reasons and in some instances changing radically their position in the list (e.g. 22 or 23)

      2. Well that is what I am trying to say. There are some processes going on and they are hard to understand if one does not have access to the full log files. The user interface of the website which I crawled changed frequently displaying different data. That is the reason why the number of votes can only be extracted from my crawl for a view dates.

  2. actually they removed votes from basically everybody, compared to your list…

  3. interestingly after I contacted iversity I did not receive any reply. but the two courses ranked first again in the top courses. Especially they now have less votes than they did before (according to my crawled results)
    Also the current result list has a lot of courses with less scores than before.
    Especially after closing the votes there must have been re rankings by iversity! I kept my crawler turned on and on May 25th 4:15 the web science mooc had 436 votes and we where listed on the 8th result page.
    One hour later the web science mooc had 428 votes and was listed on the 7th result page.
    So for some reason we lost 8 votes but gained several rankings (probably because others also lost votes)
    All of this is happening without any transparency and without any information being propagated.

  4. We made similar observations during the MOOC voting period. We are the Linguistic Engineering Team of Marburg University, are currently running an extremely successful MOOC on our platform http://www.linguistics-online.com (420 participants from 58 nations) and are taking part in the MOOC-competition with “Teaching English as a Foreign Language – Part I: Pronunciation”.
    On 17 May , we realized that voting with fake e-mail registrations was possible. We immediately mailed this to iVersity without getting any response. Here is our mail to iVersity:
    “Ich habe meine Zweifel, ob die Abstimmung wirklich „echt“ ist: Man kann schließlich mit „gefakten“ E-Mail-Adressen abstimmen, da offenbar keine Verifizierung durchgeführt wird. Wir haben das einmal versucht (und uns 1 Stimme gegeben). Theoretisch könnte ich so meine Hilfskräfte hinsetzen und sie tagelang mit Fantasie-E-Mail Adressen für uns abstimmen lassen. Damit ist die Abstimmung, so wie sie zur Zeit läuft, nicht gerade sehr aussagekräftig. Die 1 Stimme sollten Sie bei unserem MOOC-Vorschlag übrigens wieder abziehen, die falsche E-Mail-Adresse ist oem@oem.com.”
    And on 24 May (after the voting phase), we mentioned the YouTube/voting discrepancy to iVersity:
    “Viele Projekte haben weit weniger Video-Views bezogen auf das Application Video zu verzeichnen als Votes in der Abstimmung. Was heißt das? Aus meiner Sicht ganz klar: Es wurden massiv “blind votes” vergeben, ohne sich das Projekt überhaupt anzuschauen. Für die zukünftige Nutzung eines MOOC durch iVersity heißt das, dass Sie sich sehr genau anschauen sollten, wie viele Male das Video aufgerufen wurde und darüber hinaus, wie viele LIKES und DISLIKES es dabei gab. Hier ein Beispiel: Das Projekt Internationaler Masterkurs Agrarmanagement hat ca. 7.000 Votes aber nur 1800 YouTube Views, davon ganze 7 LIKES und sogar 2 DISLIKES. Und nebenbei bemerkt – ein Masterkurs entspricht nicht dem Profil eines MOOCs. Dass es allerdings auch Gegenbeispiele gibt, wissen Sie selbst. Tausende von Video Views mit vielen LIKES und keinen DISLIKES, dazu noch mit aufschlussreichen Kommentaren, die zeigen, wo die wahren Interessen liegen.”
    … and of course we did not receive any reply.
    In addition to this, I don’t think that an open vote system is not relevant fat all. It does not show the quality of an application but tells us how many supporters the applicants could activate through their networks. Whether they will eventually take part in the MOOC is a completely different question. And then, some applications had the advantage of being mentioned in the media (spiegel online) whereas others weren’t ~ no equal chances for all.
    By the way, our own proposal got 591 votes but the video was viewed 2.500 times with a record of 65 LIKES no DISLIKE and 22 overwhelmingly positive comments.

  5. Nice post. One hour subsequent the world wide web science mooc had 428 votes and was recorded on the 7th result sheet. There are some methods going on and they are hard to understand if one does not have get get access to to to the full log documents.

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