Abstract
This study of demographics is aimed to help LMOOC designers develop courses that are more appealing to prospective learners, and thus fight low completion rate which remains one of the main drawbacks of MOOCs. In addition, as the world battles against the COVID-19 pandemic looking for alternative learning approaches is unavoidable. The data presented in this paper were collected between 2016 and 2020 by means of a questionnaire that over 29,000 participants completed upon registration. The questionnaire, which included three multiple-choice questions aimed at obtaining responses regarding age, level of education and gender, revealed that most learners were middle-aged adults who held a university degree. In addition, our findings seemed to indicate that female learners are more likely to take the courses than their male counterparts. The aforementioned findings, which provide an insight into the demographics of EFL MOOCs in Spanish-speaking contexts, is a good starting point for further research which could ultimately help educational authorities know the impact of EFL MOOCs and enable the latter to reach a wider audience.
Highlights
This study seeks to provide an insight into the profile of learners enrolled in Language Massive Open Online Courses (LMOOCs) through the analysis of learner demographics, namely age, level of education and gender
We still believe that this research can be a point of reference for researchers interested in the demographics of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) MOOCs in Spain as most registered users were based in the country
We shall indicate whether or not the findings of this paper are specific to EFL MOOCs, discuss the link between course proficiency level and demographics, and discuss the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on LMOOC learner demographics
Summary
This study seeks to provide an insight into the profile of learners enrolled in Language Massive Open Online Courses (LMOOCs) through the analysis of learner demographics, namely age, level of education and gender. It comes in a context where traditional education has been hit hard by the global Covid-19 pandemic making educational authorities push for a transition towards distance learning. Our research was motivated by the belief that the analysis of learner demographics in both MOOCs could provide valuable information which could eventually help educational authorities develop MOOCs that are appealing to a wider audience.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
