Perceived attitudinal learning in a self-paced versus fixed-schedule MOOC

This study (N = 427) examined perceived attitudinal learning gains (i.e., cognitive, affective, and behavioral learning) related to the course topic by comparing a self-paced version of a Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) with a fixed-scheduled version. Independent samples t-tests revealed that those in a self-paced classroom were more likely to perceive higher levels of attitudinal learning gains and satisfaction than those in a fixed-scheduled MOOC. Those enrolling in the self-paced course also identified significantly more diverse reasons for enrolling. Learners in both courses identified course videos as the most impactful instructional component. Implications for the design of self-paced MOOCs are discussed.     

MOOC对我国大学课程教学改革的启示

MOOC是全球开放教育资源运动的热点。通过分析主流MOOC平台之一的Coursera上的课程资源建设特点,介绍了两种主要的MOOC模式,对比了MOOC与麻省理工学院的开放课件（OCW）、中国国家精品课程的典型课程内容,得出了以学习者为中心设计精品课程、促进传统课堂与网络学堂相融合两个方面的六点启示,供大学课程教学改革参考。     

MOOC视频如何影响学生学习参与度——增强MOOC视频吸引力研究

研究和实践表明,在MOOC学习中,影响学生学习参与度和学习效果的因素除学习者自身的学习动机之外,还有MOOC教学视频的吸引力。该文以一级维度文理科和二级维度课程主题作为分层抽样依据,从Coursera、Udacity、edX、爱课程、学堂在线、UOOC联盟等平台中选取了508门课程作为MOOC视频分类研究的样本,依据MOOC视频中的媒介表现差异,将目前的在线开放课程教学视频呈现形式概括为八类,即叠加式、全屏式、可汗式、动画式、实景式、访谈式、情境式及虚拟仿真式,并分别阐述各种呈现形式的特点,在此基础上提出增强MOOC视频吸引力的设计原则与建议,为MOOC视频开发者和MOOC教师提供可行的参考依据。     

Peer assessment in a project-based engineering course: comparing between on-campus and online learning environments

As the number of participants in online distance learning courses increases, peer assessment is becoming a popular strategy for evaluating open assignments and for breaking the social isolation surrounding distance education. Yet, the quality and characteristics of peer assessment in massive online courses has received little attention. Hence, this study was set to examine peer feedback quality and grading accuracy in a project-based course. The study applied a sequential exploratory mixed methods design. It included 339 participants who studied the same engineering course, but in three different modes: on-campus (n = 77), small private online course (n = 110), and massive open online course (MOOC) (n = 152). Content analysis of feedback comments identified four categories: reinforcement, statement, verification and elaboration, arranged in an ascending scale of cognitive ability. The findings indicated that the MOOC participants provided more feedback comments and volunteered to assess more projects than their counterparts did. However, the on-campus students provided higher quality feedback and their peer grading was better correlated with the grades assigned by the teaching assistants.     

Speaking Personally—With Paul Avon

This article reports the results of a pilot project conducted at the University of California–Irvine (UCI) involving the simultaneous online delivery of a course to both University of California undergraduates and enrollees on the Coursera Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform. Survey results from a robust sampling of UCI undergraduates offer strong disruptive-technology evidence that a new generation of students weaned on the Internet and social media may find well-delivered online courses to be an acceptable substitute for—or even preferable to—large lecture hall courses. The results also indicate a very strong student response to a peer-to-peer approach in which course content is delivered in a video lecture format by a fellow undergraduate (under instructor supervision). A strong positive response to the MOOC platforms offers the promise of economies of course delivery for colleges and universities seeking to implement cybereducation cost-effectively.     

国内知名 MOOC 平台资源现状研究

MOOC 如火如荼地在全国开展,各种 MOOC 平台也扮演着举足轻重的角色。为了解国内 MOOC 平台资源建设状况并进行完善,对学堂在线、好大学在线、中国大学 MOOC 平台的资源来源、类别、比例等数据进行比较分析。学堂在线平台资源来源渠道多样;中国大学 MOOC 平台课程总量占绝对优势,且划分细致入微;工 学、理学、经济管理是各 MOOC 平台上资源较丰富的学科。针对其中存在的问题,各大 MOOC 平台应积极采取改进措施,扩充资源来源渠道,不局限于各大高校;做好引进工作,提高国外高水平课程利用率,使学习者获取最新科研成果,改善和提高各大 MOOC 平台资源建设。     

Learner engagement,retention and success: why size matters in massive open online courses (MOOCs)

ABSTRACT

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are usually six to ten weeks long. Participation tends to decrease as the courses progress, leading to low completion rates. This led to the question: Could shorter MOOCs contribute to learners’ engagement, retention and success? This paper compares two versions of Study Skills MOOC, which shared the same content but were delivered in different length formats. One was deployed as a single six-week course and the other as two three-week blocks. In total, 617 people registered for the two versions. Data sources included learning analytics, surveys and the Spanish version of the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Both versions of the Study Skills MOOC resulted in increased participants’ self-efficacy. However, learners enrolled in the version composed of two three-week blocks were also more engaged with course content, other students and the facilitators. Their retention and completion rates were higher than those in the longer version of the course. Reasons linked to goal proximity, motivation, interactions and social modelling are discussed     

MOOC instructor designs and challenges: what can be learned from existing MOOCs in Indonesia and Malaysia?

The purpose of this study was to explore Indonesian and Malaysian instructors’ perceptions of massive open online course (MOOC) design and how they deal with the design challenges. Surveys, email interviews, and course reviews are the main data-collection methods employed in this sequential mixed methods study. Forty-six instructors participated in the survey, and nine of them voluntarily participated in an email interview. The findings revealed that half of the courses were delivered using a hybrid/blended type of MOOC. Personal motives, institutional encouragement, and altruism were among the main reasons for instructors to offer MOOCs. Preparation, attraction, participation, and assessment were the categories used to explain the design strategies used by these instructors in designing their courses. The survey also revealed that collaboration encouragement, participant engagement, video development, and time constraints were the primary design challenges that the instructors experienced during the design process. Furthermore, most instructors sought advice from other MOOC instructors, MOOC providers, their institutions, video tutorials, and open educational resources (OERs) to surmount their design challenges.

     

通识选修课《神奇的材料世界》在MOOC平台的应用研究探讨

实施大规模开放式课程(MOOC)已成为世界范围内高等教育教学的一种全新方式。面对MOOC教育背景,贵州理工学院的通识选修课《神奇的材料世界》开始MOOC课程实施,作为面向多专业的选修课。MOOC课程实施以来,其教学结果表明学习者学习体验较好,学习效率有所提高。本文将介绍《神奇的材料世界》在MOOC教学实践中的经验、课程建设的关键点、教学理念变化及教学模式等体会,旨在为通识选修课在MOOC课程实施中提供参考。     

MOOC平台的多元化创新发展及其影响

网络教学平台是在线学习的技术基础,对MOOCs（大规模开放在线课程）也不例外,平台的发展从一个侧面反映MOOCs发展的动态和趋势。首先从三个方面综述了MOOC平台的发展态势,从三大典型MOOC平台认识到自身不足而加速研发,各个国家积极推进自身MOOC平台的建设,以及网络教学平台的主流研发机构为顺应MOOC潮流而推出新平台：进而从技术创新、市场竞争、平台运营权和本土化教育教学需要四个方面探讨了MOOC平台多元化和本土化创新发展的内在动力;最后分析了MOOC平台多元化和本土化创新发展将给高等教育和远程教育带来的影响,体现在支持高校混合教学改革、学习分析技术的应用促进数字化学习的研究与实践、促进开放与远程教育的进一步发展。     

Understanding the focal points and sentiment of learners in MOOC reviews: A machine learning and SC-LIWC-based approach

Despite the popularity of massive open online courses (MOOCs), only a small portion of the course participants successfully complete the course. The low completion rate can be partially attributed to the mismatch between the participants' expectations and value delivered by the courses. Therefore, this study leverages MOOC reviews to investigate the focal point and sentiment of the learners by combining machine learning techniques and statistical analysis. Several text mining methods (ie, simplified Chinese-linguistic inquiry and word count dictionary, word embeddings, and bidirectional long short-term memory model) are combined to automatically extract the emotional and cognitive aspects, review focal point, and sentiment from the learner discourse. Multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis is performed to examine the relationships between the learner sentiment and the extracted content features. Using a set of real data from NetEase online open courses, our results reveal that the MOOC reviews mostly pertain to teaching and platform rather than the course content. Furthermore, the social process and personal concerns appear more frequently in the learner discourse. Overall, the learners exhibit positive attitudes towards teaching and platform and negative attitudes towards issues related to the course content. This study contributes to the literature regarding the MOOC research methodologies and provides a deeper understanding of the learner discourse behaviour in MOOCs.     

基于学习者视角的国外MOOC平台比较研究及启示

大规模开放在线课程（MOOC）对在线教育产生了极大地影响,平台是MOOC实践的核心要素,是课程提供者和学习者之间的中转站,关系到MOOC精神能否有效体现。2013年是MOOC爆发之年,世界各国和地区纷纷创建自己的MOOC平台。Coursera、edX、Udacity、Futureleam和iversity平台是五个较有影响力的平台,该文对这五个平台进行了分析,从学习者视角,对平台主页、课程首页、视频和论坛四方面的呈现结构及功能等进行了对比分析,以期为MOOC平台的实践提供参考与建议。     

超越与局限：MOOC 与网络视频公开课的比较研究

作为在线开放教育领域的最新成果,MOOC近年来受到国内外各界的普遍关注,并被称为是能够颠覆传统教育的革命性力量。在将其与之前同样风靡的网络视频公开课作对比后发现,MOOC相对于前者在完善课程体系、提升交互性等方面有很大的进步,然而导致视频公开课发展陷入困境的其他一些问题,MOOC却不能完全解决。而且由于在线教育普遍存在人文主义缺失的问题,决定了MOOC自身的发展受到限制,但作为教育领域的有益尝试,MOOC也给如今的高等教育带来了变革的契机。     

Learning management system and course influences on student actions and learning experiences

Educational technology research and development - From massive open online courses (MOOC) to the smaller scale use of learning management systems, many students interact with online platforms that...     

What's in It for Me? Incentives,Learning, and Completion in Massive Open Online Courses

This study investigated the distribution of incentives (e.g., certificates, badges) for massive open online course (MOOC) completion, and relationships between incentives and MOOC outcomes. Participants were 779 MOOC students internationally who participated in at least 303 different MOOCs offered by at least 12 providers. MOOC participants most commonly intended to receive, and in actuality received, free and paid course certificates of completion; other incentives (e.g., digital badges, postsecondary credits) were far less common. In addition, MOOC participants' intentions to receive both free and paid certificates were consistently and positively related to perceived learning and course completion, net other factors. (Keywords: massive open online courses, MOOCs, motivation, incentives, microcredentials, certificates of completion)     

我国远程教育高校开展MOOC的SWOT分析

MOOC(大众化开放在线课程)近几年自北美高等教育界兴起,相继形成了当前最受欢迎的三大MOOC平台:Cousera,Udacity和Edx,并且与一流高校建立伙伴关系,包括麻省理工、斯坦福、密歇根等高校。与此同时,MOOC在全球迅速发展,已经成为一项世界性教育革新运动。我国一些传统高校已经加入MOOC运动,与国外MOOC平台和国内网络运营商开展合作,为合作平台提供MOOC,并且将国外MOOC翻译成中文,满足国内需求。我国的远程教育高校——开放大学面对MOOC运动的来袭,需要根据实际情况选择相应的对策,本文将采用SWOT分析方法,分析我国远程教育高校在开展MOOC方面的条件。     

Possibilities for MOOCs in Corporate Training and Development

The term MOOC, an acronym for massive open online course, has been nearly ubiquitous in recent discussions about online education and distance learning. Some articles have questioned the MOOC's tentative role as “the future of education,” while others have framed it as a disrupter of traditional higher education. Research in earlier years trended toward the ways in which MOOCs may be changing the landscape of higher education. However, in the past two years, greater consideration has been focused on how MOOCs may play a role in the corporate world. The year 2012 may have been deemed “The Year of the MOOC,” but many saw 2014 as “The Year of the Corporate MOOC.” Despite MOOCs reaching their prominence as disrupters of traditional higher education, MOOC providers are now aggressively pursuing opportunities in the corporate sector. This presents a great opportunity for corporations to drive this relatively new learning platform and to tailor it to meet their organizational needs. The potential uses for MOOCs in the corporate world are vast. MOOCs can expand corporate training options, offer new recruiting techniques, and provide innovative marketing and branding channels. This article identifies the features of MOOCs, briefly reviews the history of the MOOC movement from academic MOOCs to corporate MOOCs, and discusses the possibilities for extending the MOOC format to a corporate training and employee development environment.     

Digital neocolonialism and massive open online courses (MOOCs): colonial pasts and neoliberal futures

ABSTRACT

Through evaluating dominant MOOC platforms created by Western universities, I argue that MOOCs on such platforms tend to embed Western-centric epistemologies and propagate this without questioning their global relevance. Consequently, such MOOCs can be detrimental when educating diverse and complex participants as they erode local and indigenous knowledge systems. Arguing that the digital divide is an exacerbation of historical inequalities, I draw parallels between colonial education, specifically across Sub-Saharan Africa, and ‘digital neocolonialism’ through Western MOOC platforms. I analyse similarities in ideology, assumptions, and methods of control. Highlighting evolving forms of coloniality, I include contemporary problems created by neoliberal techno-capitalist agendas, such as the commodification of education. Balance is needed between the opportunities offered through MOOCs and the harms they cause through overshadowing marginalised knowledges and framing disruptive technologies as the saviour. While recommending solutions for inclusion of marginalised voices, further problems such as adverse incorporation are raised.     

Understanding the dynamics of MOOC discussion forums with simulation investigation for empirical network analysis (SIENA)

This study attempts to make inferences about the mechanisms that drive network change over time. It adopts simulation investigation for empirical network analysis to examine the patterns and evolution of relationships formed in the context of a massive open online course (MOOC) discussion forum. Four network effects—homophily, reciprocity, transitivity, and preferential attachment—were tested to explain the dynamic mechanisms of interaction in the MOOC forum. Understanding the network dynamics of relationships will allow us to explore how to develop a robust peer-supported learning environment and in turn improve the online learning experience in MOOCs.