Towards a New Measurement of Massive Open Online Courses
Open Access
- Author:
- Trexler, Ruixin Wang
- Graduate Program:
- Learning, Design, and Technology
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- August 25, 2020
- Committee Members:
- Kyle Leonard Peck, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Kyle Leonard Peck, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
David Lynn Passmore, Committee Member
Roy Clariana, Committee Member
Kevin Kinser, Outside Member
Susan Mary Land, Program Head/Chair - Keywords:
- MOOCs
Measurement
Returning Learners
Hofstede Dimensions
Online Learning - Abstract:
- The concept of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) has drawn a lot of attention since 2008. Some people asserted that it would become the salvation of people currently unable to access education from all over the world, while others believed that MOOCs are all hype. One problem MOOCs face is related to numerous researchers adopting completion rate as a standard measurement to gauge learner and course performance. In a traditional setting, a completion rate is used as an indicator of higher institution success. However, MOOCs are different from traditional higher institutions thus may merit a different metric. This study intends to explore MOOCs with a different “returning learners” approach, by drawing insights from the research on repeat customers in the marketing field. Specifically speaking, this research intends to look at learners’ interactions with MOOCs through the lens of returning learners, and to explore the attitudes of the returning learners and how culture has impacted returning learners. The primary objective of this research is to investigate how often learners come back to a MOOC, and attitudes (motives of taking the course and intention of completion the course) they form toward the MOOC, through a survey. The second objective is to explore potential differences in how and why learners return to the MOOC based on diverse cultural attributes. The study adopts a quantitative method to analyze survey and clickstream data to develop a deeper understanding of learners’ attitudes and behaviors. Results suggest that completion rate should not be the only measurement for assessing MOOCs, and quantifying the activities of returning learners can be a novel way to gain insights about MOOC learners.