Massive Open Online Courses Research Articles

Towards an Adaptive Learning Model using Optimal Learning Paths to Prevent MOOC Dropout

Currently, massive open online courses (MOOCs) are experiencing major developments and arebecoming increasingly popular in distance learning programs. The goal is to break down inequalitiesand disseminate knowledge to everyone by creating a space for exchange and interaction.Despite the improvements to this educational model, MOOCs still have low retention rates, whichcan be attributed to a variety of factors, including learners’ heterogeneity. The paper aims toaddress the issue of low retention rates in MOOCs by introducing an innovative prediction modelthat provides the best (optimal) learning path for at-risk learners. For this purpose, learners at riskof dropping out are identified, and their courses are adapted to meet their needs and skills. A casestudy is presented to validate the effectiveness of our approach using classification algorithms forprediction and the ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm to optimize learners’ paths.

The Application Research of Distributed Interface Coordination Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning in English MOOC Platform

Developing information technology and other business management firms is not the same as technological advancement. The only way we can declare that complete technical progress is in place and operating well in the nation is if the education system has been built. The educational system is set up to instruct pupils via wireless technologies and online classes. Advancement in online classes has resulted in the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) Platform. The advantage of the MOOC platform is that it is a platform that provides free online courses for anyone to register and continue the course at their own pace. On this MOOC platform, implementing Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) aids in choosing the course and learning through an intelligent mechanism. The transmission between students and teachers will significantly rise because of this teaching strategy through the Distributed Interface Coordination (DIC) mechanism where the resources are distributed in the wireless networking environment. Additionally, the registered students should possess privileges to access the resources. This combination of DIC with DRL can be termed as DIC-DRL model for the proposed system. The data was collected using a low packet rate and outdated wireless connection technologies. The suggested model has a 97.67 percent accuracy rate in comparison with the existing model's support vector machine (SVM) mechanism.

Quantification and prediction of engagement: Applied to personalized course recommendation to reduce dropout in MOOCs

MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) offer tens of thousands of courses and attract hundreds of millions of online learners. After years of development, these platforms have accumulated a large number of learning action data. These data imply learners’ engagement with the enrolled courses, reflecting whether learners are willing to spend time on the courses. Meanwhile, the MOOC dropout rate remains chronically high. This paper experimentally finds that using the relationship between engagement and dropout rate can help MOOC platforms develop effective methods to reduce the dropout rate. Firstly, this paper proposes a new Quantified Engagement method named QE by using learning action data and learning duration to quantify learners’ engagement in enrolled courses. Next, an Engagement Neural Network prediction model named ENN is proposed to predict learners’ engagement in unenrolled courses. Then, applying QE, the predicted engagement by ENN, and the aforementioned relationship to personalized course recommendations to learners, ensuring that the recommended courses are likely to be completed by learners as much as possible, thus effectively reducing the dropout rate. Finally, the proposed method is evaluated on two large real-world datasets in XuetangX and KDDCUP. The RMSE and MAE of ENN are 0.1066 and 0.0727 on XuetangX and 0.062411 and 0.039621 on KDDCUP, respectively. Dropout rates were reduced by 46.99% and 10.34%, respectively, when 5% of the courses were recommended. These results demonstrate that the quantification method of engagement is valid, applying predicted engagement to personalized course recommendations and reducing dropout rates is available.

Experience of MOOC designing and implementation in teaching philology students

The paper is devoted to one of the most important problems for the modern education, connected with educational process modernization, based on progressive information technologies. The authors focus their attention on theoretical and practical aspects of Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) designing and implementation as an educational resource and independent educational system element. Its tasks are to build an individual educational route and students supplementary professional training, to form students skills for self-organization and self-education. The paper summarizes the experience of MOOC designing and implementation in Orenburg State University philology-students educational process, which demanded pointing out the MOOC peculiar characteristics, designing algorithm for its construction and approval, evaluation of received results and defining perspectives for improving. The system analysis of MOOC peculiar characteristics and potential for educational process at university held with the use of theoretical and practical researching methods let clarify its advantages and disadvantages. Interactivity, quick evaluation of tasks, unlimited time, logical and well-structured material and the ability to perform self-control of learning results are considered to be the advantages. The dependence on the technical abilities, absence of total control of tasks accomplishment and actual teacher-student visual contact, self-sufficient learning decrease MOOCs effectivity. Stage-by-stage algorithm of MOOC design and implementation in educational process of higher education and approved in the designer MOOC Methods of teaching English for philology-students at Orenburg State University is presented. The algorithm consists of 5 consequential stages (preparative, stages of design and production, approbation, improvement and copying). Each stage has its aim and goals, content and ways for realization. Effectivity of algorithm has been proved by the 2 year experimental work. It was proved that the use of designer MOOC resources helped arrange educational process and manage educational time more sufficiently.

Marketing micro-credentials: understanding learners' engagement and willingness to pay more

PurposeDigitalisation is reshaping the learning process, shifting it towards personalisation and online learning, and fuelling the growth of massive open online courses (MOOCs) and micro-credentials. Despite being a popular global trend, limited studies have looked at micro-credentials and their impact on learners' behavioural outcomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of programme design factors on learning experience, as well as the inter-relationships between programme design, learning experience and behavioural responses (e.g. engagement and willingness to pay more (WTPM)) towards micro-credentials. In addition, the study aims to investigate learning enjoyment as a moderator.Design/methodology/approachA survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 354 respondents who are working adults living in the major economic states in Malaysia. Data analysis was performed using the analysis of a moment structures (AMOS) statistical software and SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) PROCESS macro.FindingsThe results show the significance of programme design factors (i.e., flexibility, system quality and content quality) in determining the learning experience. The learning experience is found as a mediator in the relationship between programme design factors and learner engagement and WTPM. In addition, the moderation assessment confirms that enjoyment during learning strengthens the relationship between experience and behavioural responses.Originality/valueThis study is amongst a few selected studies that focus on engagement in and WTPM for micro-credentials. In addition, it emphasises the mediating role of the learning experience and the moderating role of enjoyment in understanding the impact of programme design on learners' experiences and behavioural responses.

The effectiveness of LMOOCs on participants’ attitudinal learning

This study investigated participants’ perceived attitudinal learning in language massive open online courses (LMOOCs). A mixed-method design was used to evaluate the attitudinal learning outcomes of 151 participants who completed the attitudinal learning questionnaire at the middle and end of the course, as well as 10 participants who participated in interviews. The questionnaire was used to measure four areas of attitudinal learning: cognitive, affective, behavioural and social. Results showed that participants perceived positive learning outcomes in cognitive learning, behavioural learning and social learning, providing insights into evidence that an LMOOC can be a useful tool to support positive attitudinal learning toward learning Chinese language and culture. Special attention should be paid to designing and facilitating LMOOCs in various contexts to further understand language learners and their attitudes.

Strengthening Primary Health Care Through MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses): A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: After the increased number of COVID-19-positive patients, a plateau phase and a decrease in the numbers were expected, followed by a second phase which could lead to an increased health system workload. The importance of training well-educated and qualified healthcare professionals (HPs) has been reconsidered. The rapid spread of the epidemic revealed the limitations of traditional method education. Massive online courses (MOOCs) were offered as a solution to keep the information up-to-date and accessible. The aim of our study was to evaluate the perceptions and experiences of healthcare professionals on strengthening the health system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional multi-centered study, an online survey was applied to HPs between February-May 2021. There were 28 participating countries. Due to international participation, the survey was conducted in English. 
 Results: There were 88 female and 87 male participants. Most of the participants were from Europe and Euroasia. Most of them reported their income as $501-$1500 US Dollars). The duration of job experience was between 5-15 years. 111 of them have completed a postdoctoral degree. 
 Conclusion: According to the survey, all the groups reported as the effect of strengthening primary care by MOOC was positive.

A systematic review of digital innovations in technology-enhanced learning designs in higher education

In the years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was considerable innovation in designing and implementing teaching and learning with technology in fully online, face-to-face and blended modes. To provide an overview of technology-enhanced learning in higher education, we conducted a systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines of digital innovations in learning designs between 2014 and 2019, prior to emergency remote teaching responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. From 130 publications, we identified eight overlapping categories of digital technologies being deployed across higher education fields: simulation and augmented or virtual reality; Web 2.0; learning management systems; mobile learning; gamification and serious games; various technologies in classrooms; massive open online courses; and other software, websites, applications and cloud computing. We use these publications, supplemented with findings from selected meta-analyses and systematic reviews of specific technologies, as examples to guide educators designing technology-enhanced learning activities in changing circumstances that may require blended or fully online delivery. As the 130 publications had mixed perceived quality, levels of evidence and details of learning designs and evaluation presented, we suggest educators share their innovations following reporting guidelines relevant to their research methodologies, enabling others to consider transferability to other contexts and to build on their work. Implications for practice or policy: Leaders and administrators should support staff development of technological pedagogical content knowledge and teaching as design for student learning. Educators and instructional designers, in designing learning experiences, should consider adult learning theories, inclusive practices and digital equity and leverage multiple technologies to facilitate students learning their curricula. In educational research or scholarship of teaching and learning, researchers should provide sufficient detail to enable readers to assess transferability to their own contexts.

Preparing future STEM faculty through flexible teaching professional development.

We have prepared thousands of future STEM faculty around the world to adopt evidence-based instructional practices through their participation in two massive open online courses (MOOCs) and facilitated in-person learning communities. Our novel combination of asynchronous online and coordinated, structured face-to-face learning community experiences provides flexible options for STEM graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to pursue teaching professional development. A total of 14,977 participants enrolled in seven offerings of the introductory course held 2014-2018, with 1,725 participants (11.5% of enrolled) completing the course. Our results of high levels of engagement and learning suggest that leveraging the affordances of educational technologies and the geographically clustered nature of this learner demographic in combination with online flexible learning could be a sustainable model for large scale professional development in higher education. The preparation of future STEM faculty makes an important difference in establishing high-quality instruction that meets the diverse needs of all undergraduate students, and the initiative described here can serve as a model for increasing access to such preparation.

Development of complex pedagogical competencies and reflexivity in clinical teachers via distance learning: a mixed methods study

ABSTRACT Clinical reasoning is the cornerstone to healthcare practice and teaching it appropriately is of utmost importance. Yet there is little formal training for clinical supervisors in supervising this reasoning process. Distance education provides interesting opportunities for continuous professional development of healthcare professionals. This mixed methods study aimed at gaining in-depth understanding about whether and how clinical teachers can develop complex pedagogical competencies through participation in a Massive Open Online Course on the supervision of clinical reasoning (MOOC SCR). Participants self-assed their clinical supervision skills before and after partaking in the MOOC SCR through the Maastricht Clinical Teachers Questionnaire. Item scores and the distribution of response proportions before and after participation were compared using paired t-tests and McNemar’s tests respectively. In parallel, the evolution of a subset of MOOC participants’ pedagogical practice and posture was explored via semi-structured interviews throughout and beyond their MOOC participation using simulated and personal situational recalls. The verbatim were analysed with standard thematic analysis. Quantitative and qualitative findings converged and their integration demonstrated that partaking in the MOOC SCR promoted the development of complex pedagogical competencies and reflexivity with the participants. This was quantitatively evidenced by significantly higher self-assessed supervision skills and corresponding attitudes after completing the MOOC. The qualitative data provided rich descriptions of how this progression in pedagogical practice and posture occurred in the field and how it was shaped by participants’ interaction with the MOOC’s content and their motivations to progress. Our findings provide evidence for the development of pedagogical skills and corresponding attitudes for the supervision of clinical reasoning through participation in the MOOC SCR and contribute to the literature body on the opportunities that distance learning provides for the development of pedagogical competencies. The extent to which the pedagogical underpinnings of the MOOC contributed to these developments remains to be determined.

Are MOOC learning designs culturally inclusive (enough)?

AbstractBackgroundExtensive research on massive open online courses (MOOCs) has focused on analysing learners' behavioural trace data to understand navigation and activity patterns, which are known to vary systematically across geo‐cultural contexts. However, the perception of learners regarding the role of different learning design elements in sustaining their engagement in the course is still unclear.ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine learners' perception of learning design elements in MOOCs and explore the ways in which these perceptions differ between geo‐cultural contexts.MethodsWe conducted interviews with 22 learners from seven geo‐cultural regions to gather insights into their learning design preferences.ResultsOur findings indicate that learners from regions such as South Asia exhibit a strong inclination towards video‐based content and a lesser preference for reading textual resources. In contrast, learners from regions such as Anglo‐Saxon demonstrate a high preference for reading texts such as articles and video transcripts.ConclusionThe observed variations in self‐reported interests in various learning design elements raise intriguing questions about the nature and extent of participation of various geo‐cultural groups. This study underscores the need to develop inclusive MOOC designs and implement learning analytics approaches that adapt to the cultural preferences of learners.

Multi-scale reinforced profile for personalized recommendation with deep neural networks in MOOCs

Course recommendation technology plays a key role in online learning services. However, there are still two key issues that remain unresolved in practice. First, it is difficult to characterize learners’ multiple preferences in various courses, while existing course recommendation methods are incompetent to address it. Second, there is a critical challenge to learn effective recommendation strategies due to the few labeled data, since online course resources usually include insufficient information about learners’ behaviors (e.g., lack of ratings and comments). To deal with these issues, we propose a joint learning framework, namely multi-scale Reinforced Profile for Personalized Recommendation (RPPR). Specifically, we design a multi-scale deep reinforcement learning method to construct learners’ multiple profiles according to coarse-grained and fine-grained semantics. Moreover, to adaptively adjust the recommendation strategies from limited interactive information, we develop an attention-based recommendation model with multivariable perceptron, which leverages related parameters of both neural networks and data structure to control the direction of loss optimization. Empirical results demonstrate that our RPPR significantly outperforms some competitive baselines on two real-world MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) datasets.

Development of Professional Foreign Language Competence of Economics Students with MOOCs during the Pandemic

Delving into the realm of massive open online courses (MOOCs), this investigation scrutinizes their role in enriching the professional language proficiency of economics undergraduates amidst a global coronavirus crisis. The research pivots on assessing the efficacy of MOOCs within higher learning curriculums while shedding light on the benefits and drawbacks of such an approach. The methodologies employed encompassed the analysis and interpretation of data derived from student polls and statistical analysis of yielded outcomes. The findings shed light on MOOCs as a potent instrument for honing language prowess and enriching the professional linguistic expertise of budding economists. The language experiment was participated in by a group of 34 students and their responses have been collated and interpreted as proposed guidelines for future reference. The participants notably appreciated the video-lecture format and exposure to native speakers’ elocution. However, the study did not shy away from spotlighting certain limitations such as complexities in platform navigation and the difficulties of watching videos without subtitles. To optimize MOOC utilization, a series of recommendations were drawn up. These included offering choices to students, simplifying platform navigation, extending support during challenges, and bolstering speaking abilities. This exploration holds valuable insights not just for educators and students but also for academic institutions at large, offering hands-on data regarding the perks and pitfalls of employing MOOCs to cultivate professional foreign language competence within the field of economic education.

Problematizing feedback loops: ‘on’, ‘with’, and ‘beyond’ analytics dashboards in MOOCs

ABSTRACT This paper examines the enactment of feedback in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), focusing on analytics dashboards. Building on scholarship that recognizes data practices as entangled and ‘messy’, the paper problematizes the model of the feedback loop that assumes that analytics dashboards ‘feed back’ data to instructors and/or learners through a singular flow of data processing. By setting out an empirical study that focuses on four MOOCs, in two universities and on two platforms, the paper maps where, when, and how design teams, instructors, and learners are involved in the enactment of feedback through and beyond analytics dashboards. The findings draw on visualizations that highlight complex relations among people and technologies, which include multiple ‘loops’. The paper concludes with questioning the need to capture feedback in a singular loop and suggests prioritizing continued attention to the roles and responsibilities of people – educational designers, instructors, and learners – in MOOCs.

Hello China and MOOCs: Shaping a New Paradigm in Education

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have undergone significant evolution over the years, transforming the education landscape and opening up new avenues for learning. One pioneering organisation that played a crucial role in this evolution was Hello China. Hello China introduced a ground-breaking approach to education, setting itself apart from traditional university teaching methods.
 This paper explores the evolution of MOOCs and examines how Hello China contributed to this process. Through its programmes - Hello English, tailor-made for Chinese youth and university graduates - the company aimed to enhance English language proficiency in China, thereby expanding access to business and employment opportunities. The innovative initiatives by Hello China and the Hello English project paved the way for the evolution of MOOCs. They showcased the potential of technology in education, demonstrating how mobile learning could enhance access to educational resources and bridge language barriers. Hello China's approach not only enabled learners to improve their English language skills but also connected them with employment opportunities, underscoring the practical applications of MOOCs.
 As the educational landscape continues to evolve, it is crucial to continue exploring innovative approaches and strategies to maximise the potential of MOOCs and provide accessible, high-quality education to learners worldwide. By implementing effective strategies encompassing clear learning objectives, engaging content, social learning opportunities, personalised support, flexible scheduling, and accessible platforms, we can enhance the appeal of MOOCs, empowering learners with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in the rapidly evolving educational landscape. Through an in-depth analysis of Hello China's impact and success in integrating mobile learning into MOOCs, this paper aims to provide valuable insights into the ongoing advancement of global online education.

Blending Coursera in CEU Courses: A Study on the Quality and Educational Impact

Enrolling in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has become a global phenomenon, with millions of students from around the world signing up for courses offered by prestigious universities such as Harvard, MIT, and the University of London. Among the many platforms like edX, Udacity, and FutureLearn, Coursera was chosen to provide courses to blend in with Centro Escolar University (CEU) for its trial run. An evaluation was conducted across CEU's three campuses using data from 198 students among the 459 enrollees in courses where Coursera was blended. This inferential study determined the quality and educational impact of blending Coursera into their CEU courses. The findings include the results on the effectiveness of course materials in meeting the learning needs of students, their engagement and involvement, the course structure, and the quality and educational impact on students. The results of this study can help educators better understand how to design effective learning experiences that promote student engagement, improve learning outcomes, and optimize the use of technology and resources in an online and offline setting. Keywords: MOOCs, courses, educational impact, Coursera, course materials

Engaging learners in online learning without external incentives: Evidence from a field experiment

AbstractOnline learning platforms increase opportunities for learners to participate in learning out of interest, without any external incentives such as fulfilling requirements for degree programmes or certificates. However, such forms of online learning often suffer from low sustained learning engagement. Building on theories related to normative influences, this study extends the literature by focusing on the effect of peer information on learning engagement and outcomes in an online learning setting without external incentives. A field experiment was conducted through a leading massive open online course platform in China, and information interventions were manipulated in social media groups associated with the course. Surprisingly, the results revealed that the presence of peers' active learning behaviour information did not always lead to enhanced learning engagement. Specifically, it had a positive influence only when question intervention was applied, that is, when the learners were also presented with questions related to the course content prior to learning. Moreover, question intervention alone was effective in enhancing learning engagement. Our results also showed that the learners with question interventions were more likely to pay attention to their peers' behaviour and align their learning pace with that of their peers. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Teaching for Global Citizenship Education Online: An African Philosophical Approach

Global citizenship education (GCE) has been in vogue for the last decade. The term has been used mostly to espouse and rearticulate some of the democratic, responsible and activist aspirations linked to forms of transformative higher education (HE) in the world today. Southern African HE is no exception, particularly invoking some of the (post)critical and decolonial virtues within matrices of HE for change. In this article, it is described how reflections on a massive open online course brought to the fore several poignant moments in the pursuit of cultivating a (post)critical and decolonial notion of GCE. Such reflections focused on enacting an African philosophy of HE, particularly showing how, first, ukama (iterative action) can be used to engage humans in perspicuous and deliberative ways; second, ubuntu (critical and dissonant action) is drawn upon to show how agreement and dissent about educational and societal matters can be resolved; and third, the notion of umsibenzi (activism) is couched in moderate terms to emphasise the potentiality and impotentiality of action that could subvert societal dystopias on the African continent and elsewhere. In this way, the cultivation of an African philosophy of HE could broaden the notion of a (post)critical and decolonial understanding of GCE.

MOOC-Based Flipped Classroom for On-Campus Teaching in Undergraduate Engineering Courses

<italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Contribution:</i> This work studies how to integrate massive open online courses (MOOCs) into traditional, face-to-face, Undergraduate Engineering Courses. <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Background:</i> MOOCs emerged as an innovative trend in online learning with distinctive and attractive features, such as ease of access and cost effectiveness for large audiences. For this reason, they have attracted a lot of attention for their potential in contributing to global challenges in contemporary Engineering education. However, the integration of MOOCs into traditional, on-campus courses and programs in higher education remains an open problem. <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Research Question:</i> What is the most effective MOOC-blending strategy for traditional, on-campus engineering programs? <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Methodology:</i> To answer this question, first a literature review was conducted on the utilization of MOOCs within face-to-face Undergraduate Education. Based on this literature review, this work advocates for the MOOC-based flipped (MBF) classroom as the strategy with the highest potential for MOOC-based blending. The main pedagogical and design principles of this methodology are described and a case study is presented on a cohort of students (<i>N</i> <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$~=~$</tex-math> </inline-formula>23) enrolled in a Digital Signal Processing course within an Undergraduate Electronics Engineering Program. This is a position paper based on evidence from the literature, but the case study is used to illustrate how the MBF design principles can be implemented in practice. <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Findings:</i> The results suggest that the MBF methodology is a growing trend in Undergraduate Engineering Education with the potential to facilitate student’s active learning in synchronous face-to-face sessions while fostering the adoption and usage of MOOCs.

Building lean improvement skills at scale: an evaluation of a massive open online course in the English NHS

BackgroundInternationally, healthcare systems face challenges from population demographics and rising care costs. Systematic methods of quality improvement (QI) are considered key to delivering needed transformation and change. Large-scale training in...