Video and course content discussion on Massive Open Online Courses: An exploratory research

Factors Associated with Student Enrollment, Completion, and Dropout of Massive Open Online Courses in the Sultanate of Oman

International Journal of Learning Teaching and Educational Research ◽

10.26803/ijlter.20.11.9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (11) ◽

pp. 154-169

Author(s):

Vinu Sherimon ◽

P. C Sherimon ◽

Leena Francis ◽

Disha Devassy ◽

Teresa K George

Keyword(s):

Professional Growth ◽

Online Survey ◽

Online Courses ◽

Course Delivery ◽

Massive Open Online Courses ◽

Student Enrollment ◽

Success Rates ◽

Massive Open Online ◽

Vast Number ◽

Course Content

This research aims to investigate the elements that influence learners' enrollment in, completion of and dropout from Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). MOOCs attract a vast number of participants, with enrollments growing at an unprecedented rate; however, only a small number of students who enroll, complete their study. In this research, data were collected from 79 participants using an online survey. Professional growth, flexible time, free of charge, and the opportunity to obtain certification were recognized as the four main factors that directly influenced student enrollment in MOOCs. The motivational variables revealed in this study that led to the effective completion of MOOCs included good-quality course videos, straightforward and clear tutor instructions, good course delivery, and useful instructor feedback, among others. The most prevalent reasons for dropout included failure to fulfil the deadline, the instructor's vocabulary, challenging assignments, and difficulty in grasping the course content. The findings of this study can provide educators and decision-makers with the information they need to better understand the factors that influence MOOC student enrollment, completion, and dropout rates, as well as relevant actions to improve the success rates of MOOC.

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Adaptive Learning Technologies

AI Magazine ◽

10.1609/aimag.v41i2.5317 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (2) ◽

pp. 96-98

Author(s):

Nicola Capuano ◽

Santi Caballé

Keyword(s):

Artificial Intelligence ◽

Adaptive Learning ◽

Online Courses ◽

Learning Technologies ◽

Massive Open Online Courses ◽

Research Projects ◽

Massive Open Online ◽

Course Content ◽

Close Relationship ◽

Adaptive Learning Systems

Adaptive learning refers to technologies that dynamically adjust to the level or type of course content based on an individual’s abilities or skill attainment, in ways that accelerate a learner’s performance with both automated and instructor interventions. This column explores adaptive learning, its close relationship to artificial intelligence, and points to several results from artificial intelligence that have been used to build effective adaptive learning systems. The pairing of massive open online courses and adaptive learning has revealed new technical and pedagogical challenges that are currently being explored in various research projects.

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Frugal MOOCs

The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning ◽

10.19173/irrodl.v20i4.3350 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 20 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Mariam Aman Shah ◽

David Santandreu Calonge

Keyword(s):

Online Courses ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Massive Open Online Courses ◽

Exploratory Research ◽

Access To Education ◽

Massive Open Online ◽

Expert Opinions ◽

Growing Body ◽

Supporting Structures ◽

Developing And Developed Countries

There is a growing body of literature that recognizes the role Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) can play in improving access to education globally, and particularly to thousands of people in developing and developed countries. There is increasing concern, however, that the millions of displaced refugee learners throughout Europe, the Middle East, and other regions are still disadvantaged when it comes to engaging in learning through MOOCs. The reasons for this disadvantage range from a lack of appropriate infrastructure or other supporting structures, to a lack of contextualized content. So far, little attention has been paid to contextualized MOOC models, which may both impact policies and be adapted to the specific needs of these learners who often do not have the means to access many education opportunities. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to propose a frugally-engineered MOOC model that addresses the barriers of access and participation for refugees. This paper engages in an exploratory research methodology, using findings from the literature and expert opinions gathered through interviews. These findings lead to the development of what the authors call a Frugal MOOC Model which can be contextualized to meet the needs of refugee learners. The paper goes on to highlight the development of the Frugal MOOC Model as the first phase of an ongoing study. It concludes with recommendations for the next phase of the study: how to implement the newly developed model.

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Higher Education Lecturers’ Lived Experience of Going Public in MOOCs

Open Praxis ◽

10.5944/openpraxis.9.3.589 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 287

Author(s):

Ulf Olsson

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Lived Experience ◽

Online Courses ◽

Massive Open Online Courses ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Massive Open Online ◽

Going Public ◽

Good Opportunity ◽

Course Content ◽

Teaching In Higher Education

Academics in higher education are used to having their research publications reviewed and openly scrutinized. Teaching in higher education has traditionally been an individual academic’s activity that has taken place in a closed classroom. However, the introduction of open education, particularly massive open online courses (MOOCs) has challenged this. In MOOCs, lectures are recorded and made public for thousands of course participants to view. This study investigates, via semi-structured interviews, how 20 lecturers of 10 MOOCs at six Swedish Universities have experienced this. All have joined the projects voluntarily, but a few have done so with some ambivalence. For them, standing in front of the camera, publishing material and, to some extent, losing control of the course content was scary at the beginning of the projects. Overall, the lecturers overcame this and thought that it was a good opportunity to reach many students, as well as a way to keep up with the changing requirements for teaching in higher education.

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Transforming Workplace Learning: A Qualitative Inquiry into Adopting Massive Open Online Courses into Corporate Learning and Development

Education Sciences ◽

10.3390/educsci11060295 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 295

Author(s):

Agnieszka Żur ◽

Christian Friedl

Keyword(s):

Workplace Learning ◽

Online Courses ◽

Early Stage ◽

Qualitative Inquiry ◽

Massive Open Online Courses ◽

Exploratory Research ◽

Development Programs ◽

Learning And Development ◽

Massive Open Online ◽

Corporate Learning

Despite the wide acknowledgement of the knowledge-based economy, the need for life-long learning and quickly growing open online resources, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are not common means of corporate learning and development programs. The aim of this study is to identify key factors determining the adoption of MOOCs in corporate workplace learning programs. In this exploratory research, the authors employ empirical data from 36 in-depth interviews with corporate managers directly responsible for learning and development practices. Findings provide potential explanations for the mismatch between a generally positive attitude towards MOOCs and their still low adoption rate by identifying expectations towards MOOCs, as well as major reservations. We find that while corporations recognize the opportunities MOOCs can introduce into workplace learning, elevated expectations, negative first-time experiences and objective barriers inhibit MOOC adoption in corporate learning and development programs. It is among the first to expose the perspective of organizations at an early stage of adopting MOOCs. The findings provide a novel contribution to both workplace learning scholarship as well as practical recommendations which can inform HR managers’ decisions in regard to adopting digital means in workplace learning.

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A Digital Repository of Filmic Content as a Teaching Resource

Comunicar ◽

10.3916/c44-2015-07 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 22 (44) ◽

pp. 63-71

Author(s):

Miguel Ángel Tobías-Martínez ◽

María do Carmo Duarte-Freitas ◽

Avanilde Kemczinski

Keyword(s):

Online Courses ◽

Virtual Space ◽

Massive Open Online Courses ◽

Exploratory Research ◽

Massive Open Online ◽

Digital Repository ◽

Face To Face ◽

Teaching Resource ◽

Online Spaces ◽

Teaching Learning

The use of video as a teaching resource stimulates the construction of new knowledge. Although this resource exists in several genres and media, the experience of professionals that use this resource in class is not appreciated. Furthermore, online spaces guiding and supporting the appropriate use of this practice are unavailable. In the online learning field, a proposal has emerged for a repository of short videos aimed at instructing how to use them as a teaching resource in order to stimulate the exchange of ideas and experience (fostering and creating knowledge) in the teaching-learning process, which serves as a resource for professionals in the construction of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). A three-stage architecture is methodologically proposed: identification/recognition, dissemination and collaboration in the use of videos as a teaching resource supported by an extensive exploratory research, based on existing educational technologies and technological trends for higher education. And this leads to the creation of a repository of Informational Content Recovery in Videos (RECIF), a virtual space for the exchange of experience through videos. We conclude that through methodologies that facilitate the development of innovative processes and products, it is possible to create spaces for virtual or face-to-face motivational classes (MOOCs) thereby completing an interactive and collaborative learning toward stimulation of creativity and dynamism. El uso de vídeos como recurso didáctico estimula la construcción de nuevo conocimiento. A pesar de la existencia de este recurso en diversos géneros y medios, no se valora la experiencia de los profesionales que lo aprovechan en clase y además no se cuenta con espacios online que orienten y apoyen el uso apropiado de esta práctica. En el ámbito del aprendizaje online, surge la propuesta de un repositorio de vídeos de corta duración, con el objetivo de orientar acerca de su uso como recurso didáctico, a fin de incentivar un intercambio de ideas y experiencias (fomentar y crear conocimiento), en el proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje, sirviendo esto como recurso para profesionales en la construcción de los MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses). Metodológicamente se propone una arquitectura en tres etapas: identificación/reconocimiento, diseminación y colaboración, para el uso de vídeos como recurso didáctico, sustentándose en una extensa investigación exploratoria, basándose en las tecnologías educativas existentes y tendencias tecnológicas para la educación superior. El resultado es la creación de un repositorio de Recuperación de Contenido de Información en Vídeos (RECIF), un espacio virtual de intercambio de experiencias por medio de vídeos. Se concluye que por medio de metodologías que faciliten el desarrollo de procesos y productos innovadores, se pueden crear espacios de clases motivadoras, virtuales o presenciales, que completen un aprendizaje interactivo y colaborativo, estimulando la creatividad y el dinamismo.

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Education and the Relation to the Outside: A Little Real Reality

Deleuze Studies ◽

10.3366/dls.2015.0188 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 273-300 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

David Savat ◽

Greg Thompson

Keyword(s):

Performance Metrics ◽

Online Courses ◽

Massive Open Online Courses ◽

Educational Institutions ◽

Special Issue ◽

Massive Open Online ◽

Transformative Teaching ◽

Control Society ◽

Brave New World ◽

Radical Transformation

One of the more dominant themes around the use of Deleuze and Guattari's work, including in this special issue, is a focus on the radical transformation that educational institutions are undergoing, and which applies to administrator, student and educator alike. This is a transformation that finds its expression through teaching analytics, transformative teaching, massive open online courses (MOOCs) and updateable performance metrics alike. These techniques and practices, as an expression of control society, constitute the new sorts of machines that frame and inhabit our educational institutions. As Deleuze and Guattari's work posits, on some level these are precisely the machines that many people in their day-to-day work as educators, students and administrators assemble and maintain, that is, desire. The meta-model of schizoanalysis is ideally placed to analyse this profound shift that is occurring in society, felt closely in the so-called knowledge sector where a brave new world of continuous education and motivation is instituting itself.

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cMOOCs and Global Learning: An Authentic Alternative

Online Learning ◽

10.24059/olj.v17i2.347 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Carol Yeager ◽

Betty Hurley-Dasgupta ◽

Catherine A. Bliss

Keyword(s):

Online Courses ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Massive Open Online Courses ◽

Research Review ◽

Press Coverage ◽

Open Educational Resource ◽

Educational Resource ◽

Global Learning ◽

Massive Open Online ◽

Definition Of

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) continue to attract press coverage as they change almost daily in their format, number of registrations and potential for credentialing. An enticing aspect of the MOOC is its global reach. In this paper, we will focus on a type of MOOC called a cMOOC, because it is based on the theory of connectivism and fits the definition of an Open Educational Resource (OER) identified for this special edition of JALN. We begin with a definition of the cMOOC and a discussion of the connectivism on which it is based. Definitions and a research review are followed with a description of two MOOCs offered by two of the authors. Research on one of these MOOCs completed by a third author is presented as well. Student comments that demonstrate the intercultural connections are shared. We end with reflections, lessons learned and recommendations.

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