Effectiveness Of Massive Open Online Courses Research Articles

The effectiveness of MOOCs in ESP for technical students: A Kazakhstan case study

This study looks at the critical problem of how to use Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) at the Republic of Kazakhstan’s technical universities. Its objective is to study how professional-oriented foreign languages can be taught as MOOCs. As a methodological basis, it uses system-activity and competence approaches. The theoretical side includes the analysis and generalization of foreign and local scientific works to determine the advantages and disadvantages of MOOCs in the development of professional foreign language skills for students with technical specialties. Data on the use of MOOCs was analyzed and summarized at Karaganda Technical University. The quantitative results of the experiment were obtained using mathematical statistics. The authors ran a comparative analysis of the results between groups with traditional and mixed teaching methods in the English for Special Purposes course. A mixed method with MOOC technology integrated delivers better results than traditional education. Empirical results demonstrate that this method improves communication skills in the main areas of speech activity, professional vocabulary expansion, and theoretical knowledge enrichment of students within their specialty. The results indicate that using MOOCs as part of the ESP course leads to better educational results in comparison to traditional education. The use of system-activity and communicative approaches unlocked new opportunities for students, like increasing English proficiency levels, developing critical thinking and time-management skills, solving problems, and advancing their knowledge of their discipline. The authors studied MOOCs in a small data environment using an alternative qualitative research analysis method and came to the conclusion that MOOCs are effective in ESP courses for engineering students.

A perspective of massive open online courses (MOOCs) and public health.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have emerged as an innovative educational technology relevant to and affecting higher education, professional development, and lifelong learning. This paper introduces the principles of MOOCs and reviews the development of these platforms over time. We reflect upon the considerable investment by institutions to develop, deliver and promote such courses, particularly in public health. While open to interpretation, the inherent power, influence, and effectiveness of MOOCs is unquestionable. The potential contribution of MOOCs to public health education is immense, with almost universal reach and access. However, apart from research into participant engagement and knowledge, MOOC-related research and evaluation continue to lag with the rapid proliferation of these courses in response to emerging challenges, as seen with the Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic. This makes analyzing the contribution of MOOCs to public health education, health promotion and community programs challenging. This perspective article provides a robust rationale for the necessity of MOOCs and their utility in upskilling health professionals and the general public. It builds on current knowledge to comprehensively explore the factors influencing the development, and application of MOOCs.

Exploring the structural relationships between course design factors, learner commitment, self-directed learning, and intentions for further learning in a self-paced MOOC

The open and massive characteristics of Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) lead to a lack of instructor presence, which potentially hinders learners' commitment and learning processes. As a result, the effectiveness of MOOCs is contingent upon the extent to which learners direct their own learning. However, learners' self-directed learning and commitment are largely influenced by course design factors due to lack of direct learner-instructor interactions. In order to address the current gap in the literature with regard to how course design factors influence learning processes and outcomes, this study investigated the relationships between MOOC design factors, learner commitment, self-directed learning, and intentions for future learning, using survey responses collected from 664 learners who took a large-scale MOOC. We found that the transactional distance between learners and content was associated with students' self-directed learning. Course structure and organization predicted both students' self-directed learning and commitment to the MOOC. Importantly, self-directed learning mediated relationships between the course design factors and learners’ intentions for further learning. Based on our findings, we provide design strategies for effective learner-content interaction in large-scale self-paced MOOCs.

AN EVALUATION OF CLASSROOM TEACHERS’ OPINIONS ON ONLINE MATERIAL PREPARATION TRAINING THROUGH MOOC AND BLENDED EDUCATION MODEL

The aim of this study is to increase the awareness of primary, secondary and high school teachers regarding Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) as well as to help them to benefit from these media and to determine their opinions about these courses. As a result of the study, the results of the MOOC media through which the experimental group was trained and the blended learning training model of the control group were compared. Therefore, the aim is to provide guidance for the continual discussions about the effectiveness of MOOC. In the study, blended training was given to 33 teachers, whereas a complete online course on a formed platform was given to 34 teachers; consequently, the opinions and the success levels of the teachers were compared. The resulting data of the study was obtained from an opinion scale given to the teachers as well as a media evaluation form. The obtained qualitative and quantitative data were analysed and have been presented in the findings section.

Employee Perspectives on MOOCs for Workplace Learning

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) can be considered a rather novel method in digital workplace learning, and there is as yet little empirical evidence on the acceptance and effectiveness of MOOCs in professional learning. In addition to existing findings on employers’ attitudes, this study seeks to investigate the employee perspective towards MOOCs in professional contexts and to further explore the acceptance of MOOCs for workplace learning. In a survey study, N = 119 employees from a wide range of enterprises were questioned with regard to motivation, credentials, and incentives related to participation in MOOCs. Findings indicate a high importance of on-the-job and career development learning purposes as well as a general interest in MOOC topics. Credentials are deemed necessary, yet their acceptance among the relevant stakeholders is considered rather low. Implications for design and implementation of MOOCs in digital workplace learning and for further research are discussed.

Understanding the MOOCs continuance: The role of openness and reputation

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are classes delivered in an online environment with several features that are different from previous approaches to online education. The effectiveness of MOOCs is an open question as completion rates are substantially less than traditional online education courses. The objective of this study is to identify factors that enhance an individual' intention to continue using MOOCs, which a limited amount of research has previously explored. A research model based on the information systems continuance expectation-confirmation model is proposed and tested with data collected in a large-scale study. The research model explained a substantial percentage of the variance for the intention to continue using MOOCs, which is significantly influenced by perceived reputation, perceived openness, perceived usefulness, perceived, and user satisfaction. Perceived reputation and perceived openness were the strongest predictors and have not previously been examined in the context of MOOCs.

THE TARGETED OPEN ONLINE COURSE (TOOC) MODEL

In an era of increasingly hyped Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) that seem to evoke feelings of both promise and peril for higher education, many institutions are struggling to find their niche among top-tier Ivy League schools offering courses to thousands of participants for free. While the effectiveness of MOOCs in terms of learning outcomes and student persistence is still unclear (see Daniel, 2012; Kirschner, 2012; and Jordan, 2013), one benefit of the trend are the innovative adaptations that smaller-sized, regional institutions have begun testing as alternative in-roads into the MOOC era. The Targeted Open Online Course (TOOC) model allowed one midsized regional institution to leverage existing area partnerships/relationships with stakeholders to offer an online course for professional development and even actual graduate course credit. The following paper presents a comprehensive description of the TOOC model, including the administrative, enrollment, marketing, student support, development, and pedagogical considerations of planning and implementation. Additional data regarding persistence rates, affective gains, and recruitment outcomes will be shared. Keywords: higher education, MOOCs, connectivism, large-enrollment online courses, enrollment marketing/ recruiting