Exploring the Relationship Between Culture and Participation In An Introduction To Art MOOC
Open Access
Author:
Stager, Sarah J
Graduate Program:
Learning, Design, and Technology
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:
Dissertation
Date of Defense:
October 23, 2015
Committee Members:
Kyle Leonard Peck, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor David Lynn Passmore, Committee Member Roy Clariana, Committee Member Craig D Weidemann, Committee Member
Keywords:
Probability Hofstede National Culture
Abstract:
Massive online open courses (MOOCs) are high enrollment college-level courses that serve learners from around the world and provide a mechanism for studying large, diverse populations of learners. Understanding the motivations and activities of participants within these courses has only begun to be explored. This study used an Introduction to Art MOOC to explore participation in the context of culture using Hofstede’s national cultural dimensions (NCD). Despite the explanatory value of the NCD in numerous studies in education and other fields, an extensive review of the MOOC literature indicates that the NCD has yet to be applied to gain insight into the differences in activity exhibited by the multinational populations that MOOC attract. This study uses the Hofstede criteria in combination with MOOC participation data to describe previously unreported differences in participation that may enable the designers of MOOCs to adapt their offerings in ways sensitive to cultural differences so that learning can be enhanced.
