Improving effectiveness of MOOCs

Abstract

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are trending education technology, delivering learning experience to worldwide students. Although some state that it has sound pedagogy, others are skeptical of its effectiveness and whether it assists to provide 21st century skills. Drop outs of the MOOCs keep remaining at higher percentages while the problems of isolated learning, less interactivity and less collaborative MOOC models are lasting.

Using survey methods, this doctoral research preliminarily explored whether MOOCs provide 21st century skills, and also identified what factors affects the effectiveness of MOOCs. Then we built an effectiveness framework for MOOCs where we can identify design interventions and evaluate improvements. MOOCs form a new phenomenon which needs more experiments and understanding to provide best learning models for the lifelong learning community. Therefore, as next steps, we further sought exploring learning interventions to improve the effectiveness of MOOCs using the dimensions we found in the framework.

In the preliminary stage we used Grounded Theory (GT) methodology in discovering the factors affecting the effectiveness of MOOCs. In next steps, this research needs practical understanding, design and application of learning theories in a new learning environment. We intend to incorporate Design Based Research (DBR) methodology and Human Computer Interaction (HCI) methodologies.

Our intention is to discover a novel pedagogical design which will enhance the learning experience in MOOCs, thus implement and evaluate a prototype of a learning intervention where MOOC platforms can be utilized to increase the effectiveness.