Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to survey the factors which facilitate effective teaching through massive open online courses (MOOCs). Design/methodology/approach A descriptive meta-analysis was conducted to first examine the literature covering the characteristics of teaching in MOOCs, the profile of participants, the instructional design of course materials and/or the course assessment methods – and then to summarise the factors which are conducive to the teaching effectiveness of MOOCs. A random sample of MOOCs was then reviewed to sort out the extent to which the factors can be identified in these courses. Findings The factors leading to effective teaching of MOOCs revolve around six areas according to the stages of course delivery, namely, preparation, attraction, participation, interaction, consolidation and post-course support. They address the application of technology to achieve educational purposes, while coping with the potentials and constraints of the MOOC environment. In practice, however, existing MOOCs show varying degrees of the implementation of the factors. Research limitations/implications As this is an exploratory study summarising and categorising the factors, further work should be done, in particular on the proper adoption of these factors in teaching, their effectiveness and ways of assessing such effectiveness. Originality/value The factors identified will help institutions and academics who plan to offer MOOCs to be aware of how teaching can be best delivered to promote effective student learning.
Highlights
In just a few years since their emergence, massive open online courses (MOOCs) have attracted a large number of institutions to offer courses free of charge
As reported in Knox (2014), too many simultaneous discussions and interactions in a MOOC paralyse the participants who attempt to catch up with the key postings and follow the course schedule. It is important for institutions and academics who intend to offer MOOCs to be aware of how teaching can be best delivered in this new learning environment for effective student learning. This paper addresses this issue by investigating the factors conducive to the effective teaching of MOOCs; and an empirical evaluation is conducted to find out to what extent these factors can be identified in existing MOOCs
This paper has presented the factors from the relevant literature leading to effective teaching of MOOCs, and their presence in MOOCs in practice
Summary
In just a few years since their emergence, massive open online courses (MOOCs) have attracted a large number of institutions to offer courses free of charge. The provision of MOOCs allows an institution to reach a much wider range of students from different backgrounds rather than using a traditional mode of teaching. Despite the benefits that providing MOOCs may offer, some studies have shown that certain aspects of the MOOC environment may be detrimental to effective teaching and learning. The massive scale of MOOCs implies a low instructor-tolearner ratio. As MOOC instructors have to take care of a very large number of students, they can provide little individual attention to each student which may have an adverse effect on their learning outcomes (Hew and Cheung, 2014). The massive information available in the discussion forums for MOOCs may be a hurdle for student
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