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

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.

Adaptive Learning Technologies

AI Magazine ◽  
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.

scholarly journals Higher Education Lecturers’ Lived Experience of Going Public in MOOCs

Open Praxis ◽  
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.

Massive Open Online Courses and Integrating Open Source Technology and Open Access Literature Into Technology-Based Degrees

2018 ◽  
pp. 7898-7911
Author(s):  
Maurice Dawson ◽  
Sharon L. Burton ◽  
Dustin Bessette ◽  
Jorja Wright
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Open Access ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Course Delivery ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Stem Programs ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Faculty And Administrators

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a new phenomenon of course delivery for students, faculty, and administrators to use. As this technology continues to grow in the short term it is essential to develop a method in which Open Source Software (OSS), open source technologies, and open access literature can be incorporated to strengthen the MOOC environment. Strengthening the MOOC environment can be used as a method to increase retention as well as increase enrollment in higher education. As Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs are going online it is imperative that the tools meet the demands of today's marketplace. This chapter provides insights on these open technology solutions so that current and future MOOCs can be enhanced with little to no cost added.

scholarly journals Health effects of climate change: An online survey study of participants of three massive open online courses (MOOCs) (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Barteit ◽  
Anneliese Depoux ◽  
Ali Sié ◽  
Maurice Yé ◽  
Valérie R. Louis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Learner Interaction ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Climate Change And Health

BACKGROUND The impact of climate change on health, adaptation measures and health co-benefits of mitigation have not been taught as topics in conventional face-to-face courses, such as in stand-alone, accredited short courses or as modules in Masters or PhD-level courses. Educational technologies such as massive open online courses (MOOCs) have high potential to substantially accelerate the dissemination of knowledge on the nexus of climate change and health. We developed three MOOCs teaching on the link between climate change and health. OBJECTIVE We conducted an online survey study to evaluate instructor-to-learner interaction (ITI), instructor support (IS), instructor feedback (IF), learner-to-learner interaction (LLI), course content (CC), course structure (CS), information delivery technology (IDT), perceived effectiveness (PE), learner retention (LR), as well as self-reported learner retention (SRLR). What did participants learn? Who and how many registered from the global North and South? What was the completion rate and how does it compare to average completion rates of MOOCs? What is the impact of knowledge acquired? METHODS Participants of all three MOOCs were invited to a post online survey study or the three climate change and health MOOCs. The survey consisted mainly out of no/yes/other and free text questions, as well as five five-point Likert items. We collected demographic information about education, age, gender, country of origin and current place of living. RESULTS In total, the MOOCs had a reach of almost 7000 students worldwide. 188 students took part in the online survey, with the highest percentage of MOOC-survey participants from low-income countries. The MOOCs were seen as useful, especially with regards to their professional impact, their coverage of content and their up-to-dateness in the topic area of climate change and health. The francophone MOOC was found to have an extraordinarily high number of participants from lower-income- and low-and-middle-income countries. The primary motivation to join the MOOC was to gain knowledge and skills on the topic of climate change and health. CONCLUSIONS Health is a top priority for citizens worldwide, and our results show that (i) globally there is great interest in the topic of climate change and health and (ii) that the three MOOCs were adequate to teach a global and diverse audience in this topic, reaching even participants from resource-low countries. Therefore, MOOCs should be included in the discussion on how to disseminate knowledge and methodological expertise globally, as they are an effective mean to explain and teach about the complex links and dynamics between climate change and health.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs): a tool for intercontinental collaboration in archives and records management education in Eswatini

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Collence Takaingenhamo Chisita ◽  
Vusi Wonderboy Tsabedze
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Course Delivery ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Records Management ◽  
Interpretive Research ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative Research Methodology

Purpose The study aims to assess the views of archives and records management (ARM) professionals in Eswatini about massive open online courses (MOOCs). The purpose of this study is to explore the potential of MOOCs as open gateways for ongoing learning opportunities to scholars, institutions and academics across the globe. It explores the challenges of providing MOOCs in a developing country such as Eswatini. Design/methodology/approach The study was anchored on the interpretive research paradigm and adopted a qualitative research methodology. The study used maximum variation sampling to identify individuals that would constitute the research sample. The rationale behind this sampling is to obtain participants with a shared experience within a phenomenon but who have some demographic variance. Findings The findings revealed that there was lack of awareness of the potential of MOOCs in revolutionizing the delivery of ARM courses in Eswatini. The findings support the need for higher education institutions in Eswatini to adopt MOOCs to deliver ARM courses. The study revealed that access to internet connectivity was among the key inhibitors undermining the adaptation of MOOCs for the delivery of ARM courses in Eswatini. Originality/value The novelty of the study is that it brings into the limelight the factors that impede the adaptation of MOOCs for the delivery of ARM courses in Eswatini. It brings into focus the challenges encountered by ARM institutions in Eswatini in moving towards a MOOC-centric mode of course delivery.

Massive Open Online Courses : Hype and Hope

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumeer Gul ◽  
Iram Mahajan ◽  
Huma Shafiq ◽  
Muzamil Shafi ◽  
Tariq Ahmad Shah
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Online Learning Environment ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Universal Education ◽  
Vast Number ◽  
Mass Level

<p>The study identifies various issues and challenges faced by massive open online courses (MOOCs) while offering open online courses to vast number of learners. An exhaustive review of literature was taken up to carry out the study. The article reviewed the, issues and challenges faced by MOOCs. MOOC also provides an opportunity to groom the intellectual capacities of people at mass level. The initiative has removed all the barriers of time and space which is much evident in traditional educational system by offering courses at the doorstep of learners. To make universal education dream come true, there is a need to look at apprehensions which researchers have identified in the existing online learning environment. </p>

scholarly journals OpenVM MOOCs: a design for self-regulated learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 31-49
Author(s):  
Antonella Poce ◽  
Francesca Amenduni
Keyword(s):  
Educational Research ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Quantitative Approach ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Self Regulated Learning ◽  
Regulated Learning ◽  
Virtual Mobility

This paper presents the design of two miniMOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) Autonomy-driven learning and Self-Regulated Learning (SRL), developed in the Open Virtual Mobility MOOC. The design is based on two concepts: microlearning and SRL. All the MOOC elements were designed to support SRL. From a descriptive and quantitative approach, the research aims to explore participants' satisfaction and their perception on the supporting roles of the miniMOOC for SRL. Data was collected through an online survey through which 375 answers were collected. Results show the general satisfaction of learners with the MOOC design. As for the SRL design gamification and visualization of pathways were more relevant for certain SRL phases such as monitoring learning. OER and related quizzes were useful for all SRL phases. Quizzes especially supported self-reflection. Open Badges supported the forethought phase of SRL. Social elements such as forums and eportfolios obtained the lowest rates in relation to support of SRL. The paper concludes with recommendations for educational research and MOOCs design.

scholarly journals Using Phenomenological Methodology with Thematic Analysis to Examine and Reflect on Commonalities of Instructors’ Experiences in MOOCs

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 203
Author(s):  
Chi-Cheng Chang ◽  
Yao-Hua Wang
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning By Doing ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Teaching Skills ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Innovative Teaching ◽  
Knowing How ◽  
Phenomenological Methodology

Instructors’ experiences in MOOCs assist their curriculum development and teaching skills as well as professional growth, which is seldom explored. The study examined and reflected on the commonalities of instructors’ experiences in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) based on phenomenological methodology with thematic analysis. By summarizing the commonalities in phenomenology from the implicit experiences of the instructors who were interviewed, commonalities of MOOC instructors’ experiences were found to be the following: (1) affinity—knowing how to provide MOOC material that is approachable; (2) ability to tell a story—knowing how to write and direct a video that contains a story or scenarios for classes as innovative teaching; (3) macro attitude—broadening a learner’s horizon is more important than lecturing on knowledge; (4) altruism—concerning the welfare of students rather than personal fame and fortune; and (5) learning by doing—having a passion for innovative teaching and bravely implementing it. Finally, several suggestions and inspirations were given based upon the reflections on the commonalities of MOOC instructors’ experiences.

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

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 273-300 ◽  
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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