Use Of MOOCs Research Articles

Analysis and discovery of procrastination patterns in a language learning MOOC

Online learning has been gaining a broad notoriety in society in the last years. The ease with which users from all over the world can learn is one of its main attractions. MOOCs are one of these technologies, which have enabled users to learn almost any subject of their interest. The use of MOOCs generates a massive amount of data that has been used by researchers with different goals: to predict dropout, predict grades and determine learning styles. Users of MOOCs face several challenges, some of which have been extensively studied. However, there are some of them, such as procrastination, whose study as a determining factor in the failure of such courses has not been addressed in sufficient depth. Through this paper, the influence of procrastination on the failure rates of users in a MOOC has been uncovered. Furthermore, by using process mining, this research has revealed the existence of a pattern of procrastination and the type of material used during study sessions by the users who fail the course. Speclifically, diverse forms of procrastination have been identified, resulting in differing effects on the educational outcomes attained by the user. These findings possess considerable implications, as they underscore the potential worth of detecting specific procrastination patterns to ascertain users who necessitate supplementary support during their educational pursuits within MOOCs.

The Involvement of Academic and Emotional Support for Sustainable Use of MOOCs.

MOOCs, the Massive Open Online Courses, are online educational courses that offer open access to a large number of participants globally. However, online engagement during MOOC learning remains a problem, as reflected in relatively high dropout rates. This paper involves academic and emotional support, aiming to explore whether they contribute to users' sustainable use of the MOOC platform. A total of 410 college students learning English as a foreign language (EFL) and with MOOC learning experience participated in this study. Employing the structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques, we examined the relationships among five factors in the EFL MOOC learning context: academic support (AS), emotional support (ES), perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEoU), and platform reputation (PR). The results indicate that academic support influences learners' perceptions of the usefulness and ease of use of the MOOC platform, as well as enhancing learners' feelings of being emotionally supported. Simultaneously, platform reputation plays a crucial role in influencing learners' perceptions of MOOC platforms. However, results suggest that emotional support does not have a statistically significant impact on the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of the platform in EFL MOOC learning contexts.

Module Development on Human Breathing System Materials Based on Moocs for Class VIII Students

Technology has been used to innovate learning in the contemporary educational system. With the use of technology, teachers hope to create a more engaging learning environment and give pupils stimulus so they can comprehend what they are studying. One form of using technology in learning is the use of MOOCs as a learning medium. Therefore, this research aims to develop a MOOCs-based digital module on respiratory system material for grade VIII junior high school students. This research is a Research and Development (RnD) study with the 4D model which is limited to the third D stage which includes the Define, Design, Development stages. The data collection techniques used were observation, interview, and questionnaire. The instruments used in this study were observation sheets, teacher interview guide sheets, expert validation sheets, and student response test sheets. Data analysis techniques were carried out qualitatively and quantitatively. The results showed that the MOOCs-based digital module was very feasible and could be used based on the results of expert validation. The results of the learner response test to the digital module developed showed a very good category. The conclusion from the results of this study shows that the digital module developed was declared feasible by a team of experts and received a positive response from students to be continued in a wide-scale trial to see the effectiveness of the product.

Are MOOCs a new way of learning in engineering education in light of the literature? A systematic review and bibliometric analysis

AbstractBackgroundMassive open online courses (MOOCs) have gained popularity as a form of distance education, highlighting the need for additional research. Various studies have systematically examined scholarly research on MOOCs. However, the reviewed academic publications on the use of MOOCs in engineering education are limited.Purpose/Hypothesis(es)This study aims to examine the implementation of MOOCs in engineering education using systematic review and bibliometric analysis methods.Design/MethodThis study examines 68 studies from the Web of Science database that fall within the scope of the systematic review and 257 studies for bibliometric analysis.ResultsSince 2018, there has been a growing number of studies exploring the uses of MOOCs in engineering education. The quantitative research method is the most preferred, while the mixed method is the least preferred. The study found that using MOOCs in engineering education resulted in positive student perceptions and satisfaction. However, the lack of interactivity between learners and instructors or among learners was the most frequently reported problem. Moreover, the bibliometric analysis indicates that reviewed studies extensively explore learners' engagement, interactions, and feedback processes. Recently, academic research focused on sentiment analysis, deep learning, educational technology, machine learning, and text mining.ConclusionsThere is a need for further investigation into utilizing MOOCs in engineering education. This study's evaluation of MOOCs' pros and cons yields essential insights for optimizing their use in engineering education. By leveraging the positive aspects outlined in the study, educators can enhance engineering students' satisfaction and participation in MOOCs. These findings offer a valuable resource for researchers exploring MOOC‐related topics in engineering education.

Role of course relevance and course content quality in MOOCs acceptance and use

Despite several benefits attributed to the use of MOOCs for learning, acceptance levels remain low and studies investigating adoption and use of the technology are limited. This study draws from the literature on specific factors that influence online learning environments and extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) to understand if those factors can be used to explain and facilitate MOOCs acceptance and use behaviors among learners. The factors investigated include, course content quality, course relevance, course instructor quality, course design quality, learner-instructor interaction, and learner-interaction. There were 138 participants in the study. Partial Least Squares SEM (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the relationships proposed for the study. The results suggest that the extended TAM offered a good explanation of MOOC acceptance and use, with course relevance and course content quality as external variables affecting MOOCs acceptance. Findings from this study provides practical implications for MOOCs implementation to increase acceptance and further lays a foundation for future research

Utilization of Universities’ Massive Online Open Courses in Learning Management System: Research Trends and Bibliometric Analysis

Objective: This study aims to explore research trends related to the use of Massive Open Online Courses in Learning Management Systems (MOOCs in LMS) in university environments and to conduct bibliometric analysis to understand research developments related to this topic. Online learning is increasingly popular with the MOOCs in LMS, which allows students to learn flexibly and independently through digital platforms. Method: The data is retrieved from the Google Scholar database, using keywords related to MOOCs in LMS and universities. This study uses a bibliometric analysis method using the Google Scholar and VOSviewer databases, which obtained 1,710 articles. Results: The results show that the use of MOOCs in LMS in the context of university learning has become an increasingly popular research topic in recent years, where the publication rate has increased significantly. This has the potential to be further investigated in the future. Further research related to MOOCs in LMS can be integrated with blended learning models. This is because the Blended learning model using MOOCs can improve critical thinking skills and problem-solving. This research has limitations, namely using only one database, Google Scholar, to obtain research data. Novelty: Therefore, it is recommended that MOOCs in LMS research at universities be carried out using other databases besides Google Scholar to obtain broader data.

An Empirical Investigation into Students’ Actual Use of MOOCs in Saudi Arabia Higher Education

Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, are a type of educational innovation where enrollment in the courses given is free and available online. The MOOCs course selection is extensive and may accommodate hundreds or thousands of students at once. The current study, however, aims to look into how the academic self-efficacy of real MOOC users affects learning engagement and perseverance in higher education in Saudi Arabia. This study added the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to social cognitive theory. Therefore, the primary goal is to create a new model by examining the variables that affect the perceived utility and perceived service quality, as well as the students’ general perceptions of MOOCs that are really used. Therefore, this research used a quantitative approach and distributed the questionnaire online through a Google Form. It collected data from 276 King Saud University students and used it to test the hypothesized correlations using structural equation modeling (SEM-PLS). The study’s findings showed that perceptions of perceived benefits and service quality consistently had a significant influence on social interaction, influence, networks of support, and social identity. A further finding was that reported utility and perceived service quality have always been significantly influenced by academic self-efficacy in actual MOOC use. Because of this, learning engagement and perseverance in Saudi Arabian higher education are significantly impacted by the academic self-efficacy of real MOOC users. According to the findings, MOOC programs generally have a positive influence on the kingdom’s higher education system. As a result, it is almost certain that this research model will assist university decision-makers in determining whether or not MOOC usage is prevalent at Saudi educational institutions.

Technology Adoption of Online Learning Platform at Higher Learning Institution

In today's global world, online learning has become one of the main channels of teaching and learning methods at the institution. One of the most popular online learning medium today is MOOCs or Massive Open Online Courses. MOOCs offer a medium in the field of e-Learning, and this trend will continue to grow rapidly especially in distance education. This platform provides open educational resources to people all over the world. MOOCs in Malaysia are practiced through blended learning by most institutions of higher learning. Nevertheless, there is no such model developed to know the extent to which this technology can be accepted and practiced. Therefore, this study aims to examine the adoption of MOOCs technology among students in public universities, especially in UKM. Factors influencing the use of MOOCs are also examined. The methodology used in this study is quantitative approach where 400 respondents were involved to respond to a survey questionnaire. The results of the model found that the factors of effort expectations, facilitating condition, social influence, and course design significantly influenced the use of MOOCs in UKM. Meanwhile, the factors of performance expectations is not significant to influence the use of MOOCs among students in UKM. The results of the model are also very useful to understand the adoption and use of MOOCs in teaching and learning as well as give a practical impact to the parties involved such as lecturers, students and course designers. The contribution of this study also looks at the importance of the use of technology in e-Learning especially MOOCs in the era of industrial revolution 4.0.

MOOCs in Omani Higher Education Institutions: Use and Popularity

Due to the rapid influence of technology on the teaching-learning process, both instructors and students alike are expected to keep abreast of the perpetual developments in the field of education. The introduction of Massive Open Online Courses (Henceforth MOOCs), as one form of e-learning, has made skyrocketing changes in the manner and availability of education provided to mass numbers of learners all the world, including Arab countries. The use of MOOCs in Oman is relatively new, and thus it appears to be unbeknown to a large segment of undergraduate students. The study beforehand, therefore, is meant to explore Omani undergraduate students’ awareness of MOOCs both locally and globally via the use a self-administered questionnaire targeting three main academic institutions in Oman with a total number of 306 participants. In-depth scrutiny of the obtained data evidently shows that unfamiliarity of MOOCs among Omani undergraduate students is significantly high, a fact reflected in the high percentage of those oblivious of its existence (88.89%) as opposed to those (11.11 %) who are familiar with MOOCs. Lack of publicity of these platforms in the Omani academic institutions and the academic community in general, among several other reasons, stand behind such unawareness of these platforms.

Engineering Education and Learning outside the Classroom through MOOCs: Student Assessment

The development of engineering students is more often associated with classroom learning, but there is an increasing need for online learning. This study tests students' impressions of a specialized massive open online course. Engineering students from the Russian Federation and Ukraine (n = 295) were involved to the empirical part. According to the results, 84% of the participants had difficulty in using the knowledge gained during the course. In this paper, the authors suggest ways of improving online courses for students so that what they learn can be put into practice. On average, it will take universities 4.5 - 8 years to completely switch from face-to-face classes to the use of MOOCs.

Impact of MOOC on increasing student interest in the learning process in the context of blended learning

The present study aims to substantiate the necessity of using MOOCs in the learning process in higher education institutions, as well as to develop and describe the particular components of a method for using MOOCs in organizing blended learning. The article substantiates the relevance of using MOOCs in the conditions of blended learning and presents various approaches to the definition of MOOC and blended learning. The results of comparative analysis of world MOOC platforms, a model for the integration of a MOOC into the structure of an academic discipline, and the results of an empirical study of engaging students in the use of MOOCs in the conditions of blended learning are presented. MOOCs can be used at different stages of studying academic disciplines in higher education institutions: in laboratory classes or individual assignments, in the process of students’ independent work, their preparation for mid-term and final tests. The study concludes that MOOCs are advisable for use in the educational process and it is important to engage students to take them.

Pre-Service EFL Teachers’ Perceptions of Online Instructional Tools

This study carried out with the participation of 68 pre-service EFL teachers (PET) attending Turkish universities aims to investigate PETs’ perceptions as to the use of online instructional tools (OIT). This is a mixed-methods study; both quantitative and qualitative data have been collected. Data was gathered in the academic year of 2018-2019 through an online questionnaire developed by the researchers. The survey was comprised of three sections; (1) demographics, (2) the frequency of teacher educators’(TE) and PETs use of OITs in an English language teacher education program, (3) PETs’ intention of using OITs upon graduation. Two open-ended questions were also asked to find out what might motivate or discourage PETs from using OITs when they become teachers. Results indicate that TEs always use and PETs mostly plan to use videos and presentation tools when they start serving as teachers. However, TEs do not make use of MOOCs, online ELT courses, and blogs as much as expected. Similarly, PETs do not plan to integrate them into their teaching. The reasons underlying their choices are presented in the study.

Massive Open Online Courses as Strategies to Address Violence through the Training of Health and the Intersectoral Professionals in Brazil

ABSTRACT MOOCs can also be useful tools when facing emergencies and addressing sensitive topics and vulnerable populations, particularly in low-income countries. This points to the relevance of implementing MOOCs for addressing violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article shows the process of designing, developing, and assessing a distance learning MOOC for addressing violence during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. The MOOC about Violence and Violence Reporting in the Brazilian National Health System launched in May 2020 and, by July 2020, had 3,673 active students with a completion rate of approximately 32%. This MOOC was a powerful instrument to address violence in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite their preliminary nature, the results are encouraging in what concerns the use of MOOCs as a strategy to address the infodemic, to promote professional training and to support other e-health and telemedicine techniques.

Use of MOOCs in Health Care Training: A Descriptive-Exploratory Case Study in the Setting of the COVID-19 Pandemic

This exploratory study is part of the training and innovation project (GID2016-16) of the National University of Distance Education (UNED) in Spain. The current socioeconomic and educational contexts derived from COVID-19 has led university institutions to develop methodological innovations in the teaching-learning process. Among these strengthening measures are the MOOCs, the most appropriate strategy to bring students closer to new digital platforms that favor the acquisition of knowledge. A methodological pluralism, combining quantitative and qualitative perspectives, has been used. The main results of the descriptive analysis compare the data of students enrolled in the MOOC, “Social and Health Care and Social Services in Social Work”, and other related bachelor’s and master’s degree courses during the four years analyzed. One of the conclusions is the emerging possibility of offering university studies that are more in line with the current teleworking market. The development of online methodologies favors the democratization of education, reaching the student body as a whole and universalizing content and learning. Among the main conclusions, it is worth highlighting the degree of satisfaction shown by the students who took advantage of the MOOC, and the training opportunities afforded by MOOC courses, during the time of COVID-19.

The Use of MOOCS in Online Engineering Education

The study demonstrates the possibilities of using massive open online courses in engineering education. In order to study the impact of digital learning formats on the acquisition of key engineering competencies by students, an educational experiment was carried out; it was performed as part of the study of the Fire Safety discipline on the basis of the online educational platform Khan Academy. Conceptually, the educational process was aimed at studying the capabilities of software in the field of fire safety, namely: PyroSim, Pathfinder, FireRisk, FIM, FireCategories, PromRisk, FireDistance, as well as gaining professional competencies in the process of performing practical tasks. The educational experiment involved third-year intramural and extramural students of the Faculty of Engineering (The Saint-Petersburg University of the State Fire Service of the EMERCOM of Russia) and Moscow City Pedagogical University. The online educational course was conducted with an emphasis on consolidation and acquisition of professional engineering knowledge and skills in the development of fire safety projects under simulated risk conditions using modern software and an innovative educational platform. The participants demonstrated a high level of involvement, initiative and professional aspirations in the learning process. In the context of the educational experiment, the key competencies required for 21st century engineers have been identified. The students confirmed the positive impact of digital pedagogical tools on the acquisition and development of key competencies necessary for further professional activity. Having completed an online course on the Khan Academy platform focused on the applied interaction with advanced software in the field of fire safety, students identified skills that should be developed and consolidated, namely: teamwork skills and the ability to work in multidisciplinary teams, the ability to manage projects (management, planning, scheduling, budgeting, etc.); the ability to define, formulate and solve engineering problems; the ability to effectively prioritize; striving for lifelong learning; willingness to take a calculated risk; ability to make professional decisions; self-regulation and self-motivation. However, the development of important engineering competencies such as high ethical standards, honesty and global social, intellectual and technological responsibility; good communication skills, high emotional intelligence and cognitive flexibility; entrepreneurial spirit and customer focus requires educators to search for different pedagogical methods and practices. The assessment of the impact of digital learning formats on the acquisition of key engineering competencies was subjective, but revealed pedagogical approaches to the qualitative development of engineering personnel. An effective combination of traditional classroom and virtual interactions can create a complex paradigm of high-quality engineering and technical education that is competitive in the market environment.

The use of MOOCs in higher education

The article studies the main theoretical and practical provisions on the structural application of MOOCs in higher education. The main barriers towards the use of MOOCs in Russian universities are considered as well.

Towards Understanding the Students’ Acceptance of MOOCs: A Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT)

Massive Open student’s courses (MOOC) have stimulated the efforts made for improving the learning techniques and enhancing it the spectrum for students learning. Unfortunately, the acceptance of MOOC as a learning instrument re-mained low, which is perceived as an entertainment tool rather than an academic tool, particularly in developing countries. The study evaluated the student’s adap-tation of MOOC as an academic tool. It developed an understanding of the asso-ciated factors which impact the students’ decision towards utilizing MOOC as a learning instrument. It initially investigated the constructs of the native UTAUT, subsequent to which is derived theory from the literature, amplifying the UTAUT theory scope by instigating e-learning factors associated with MOOC, such as at-titude and self-efficacy. Based on the established framework, a survey was con-ducted where 150 MOOCs’ students were recruited. The collected data were sta-tistically analyzed using SPSS. The results showed that acceptance of the MOOCs was substantially affected by its performance expectancy, effort expec-tancy, social influence, self-efficiency, attitude, and facilitating conditions. It also suggested that efforts should be introduced to promote the use of MOOCs among the academic institutes in Saudi Arabia.

The Use of MOOCs in the Brazilian Classroom: Possibilities for Hybrid Education

The Use of MOOCs in the Brazilian Classroom: Possibilities for Hybrid Education

MOOCs: Adoption, Perceived Benefits and Hurdles among the Engineering Faculties of Karnataka

The present study aims to explore the adoption and benefits of MOOCs among the faculties of selected engineering colleges in Karnataka. A descriptive research design was deployed for the study. Two hundred copies of the structured questionnaire were distributed to collect data from the faculties of four reputed engineering colleges affiliated with Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belagavi. It was found that only 67.62% of faculties were aware and hooked on the MOOCs platforms. 38.30% of the faculties made use of MOOCs for gaining knowledge, 25.53% for conducting research and 22.34% to publish contents. The study found the positive impact of MOOCs on the knowledge and carrier prospects of faculties. Lack of time and interest were the major hurdles cited by the participants in adopting MOOCs. The study provides valuable insights into the faculties of Indian higher education institutions to make use of MOOCs technology for a better experience and output for teaching and learning and also to overcome the challenges in adoption.

Teacher professional development in the context of the “Open Discovery of STEM laboratories” project: Is the MOOC methodology suitable for teaching physics?

The “Open Discovery of STEM Laboratories” (ODL) project, funded by the European Erasmus+ KA2 program, was aimed at introducing the use of MOOCs in school curricula. In particular, it fostered teacher collaboration in creating and using micro-MOOCs for the inclusion of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) online remote or virtual laboratories in the everyday teaching practice. The project focused on teachers, educators and curriculum designers with the aim to strengthen their profile by supporting them to deliver high quality teaching practices and to adopt new methods and tools. Thanks to the project, in service and pre-service teachers had the opportunity to extend their knowledge about the inquiry-based science teaching approach, improve both digital skills and pedagogical competences, experience international collaborative work, explore attractive open education resources helpful to design creative lessons on STEM topics. In this contribution, we focus our attention on the results from the ODL teacher training in Italy, showing the valuable feedback collected by teachers on the impact of the ODL pedagogical approach on Physics education at secondary school, highlighting strengths and possible weaknesses of the proposed methodology. The feedback to the ODL experience provided by both teachers and students during the multiplier events, in the summer school and after the first pilot-studies in the classroom, was very positive. Experiencing micro-MOOCs’ approach has been reported by the teachers as a very effective strategy for increasing students’ motivation to learn physics more meaningfully. Thanks to the ODL methodology, student understanding of physics concepts has been achieved within a multidisciplinary learning context which also supports the development of transversal abilities, communication and reasoning skills. The ODL learning activities provided the students with the opportunity to develop a large range of complementary competencies, such as working in groups, interpreting and evaluating experimental data, designing models, facing and solving everyday problems, which are all very relevant in physics education.