Designing instructional support in online learning environments: insights from research on supporting self-regulated learning in MOOCs

Abstract

Digital technology has a profound impact on higher education. An example of this impact is the upscaling of education in the form of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Learning in MOOCs requires a high degree of self-regulated learning (SRL) where learners monitor, control, and steer their learning towards goal attainment. Yet, research indicates that self-regulated learning does not occur spontaneously most of the time and many students struggle with self-regulated learning. Therefore, researchers have argued that it is important to implement SRL support in MOOCs to enhance student success. In this chapter, we use the insights gained from studies examining self-regulated learning support in MOOCs to discuss the implications for designing instructional support, the issues and challenges of research in such online learning environments, and the potential of learning analytics. At the end of this chapter, we provide suggestions for future directions to advance research in MOOCs and online learning environments in higher education.