Ghosts in the MOOC? - The implied student as an analytic thinking tool in educational design

The session explores the potentiality and strength of the concept of implied students seen as a design thinking tool in relation to educational design research and more specifically in relation to a new educational format, the massive, open, online course or MOOC. We intend to point out that the concept of the implied student can function as a means to understand decision-making in educational design processes and thus be an essential part in the considerations put forward by educational design researchers in their work as designers of educational formats (such as MOOCs). Furthermore we bring forward a case of a blended educational design - a so-called SPOC (Small, Private, Online Course) which we use the concept of implied students as an analytic thinking tool to bring new knowledge and come closer to what educational designers perceive is good teaching and learning that lies hidden within an educational design.