MOOCs for Universities and Learners - An Analysis of Motivating Factors

Hugh Davis, Kate Dickens, Manuel Leon, María del Mar Sánchez-Vera, Su White

2014

Abstract

Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a recent introduction to the palette of educational offerings yet in a short time they have become the subject of massive interest and hype. There are those that predict that these free courses are the first ripple in the coming wave of disruption that the web and on-line education will cause to traditional universities. However University investments in producing MOOCs are increasing exponentially and at the same time learners are enthusiastically registering in their tens of thousands for these courses. This paper describes some research into the motivations for universities to create MOOCs and the motivations of learners in registering and completing them. Our results show a spectrum of motivations for universities, and suggest a need for individual universities to be clear of where they sit in that spectrum. For students we see that motivations can vary significantly across cultures.

References

  1. Barber, M., Donnelly, K., Rizvi, S., and Summers.L., An avalanche is coming: Higher education and the revolution ahead. Institute of Public Policy Research (2013)., http://hdl.voced.edu.au/10707/247391.
  2. Barber, R., & Sharkey, M., 2012. Course correction: using analytics to predict course success. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge (pp. 259-262). ACM.
  3. Barnard-Brak, L., Lan, W., L., & Osland, V., 2010. Profiles in self-regulated learning in the Online Learning Environments. In International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 11 (1).
  4. Bates, A. W., 1995. Technology, e-learning and distance education. Routledge: Oxon.
  5. Belanger, Y., & Thornton, J., 2013. Bioelectricity: a quantative approach. Duke UniversitÉs first MOOC. (pp. 1-21).
  6. http://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/101 61/6216/Duke_Bioelectricity_MOOC_Fall2012.pdf.
  7. Boud, D., 1995 Assessment and learning: contradictory or complementary. In Assessment for learning in higher education. pp 35-48.
  8. Breslow, L. B., Pritchard, D. E., DeBoer, J., Stump, G. S., Ho, A. D., & Seaton, D. T. 2013. Studying learning in the worldwide classroom: Research into edX's first MOOC. In Research & Practice in Assessment, 8, 13- 25.
  9. Brown, S. 2013. MOOCs, OOCs, flips and hybrids: the new world of higher education. In ICICTE 2013. Proceedings (pp. 237-247).
  10. http://apps.webofknowledge.com/full_record.do?product= UA&search_mode=GeneralSearch&qid=1&SID=W1x AnAorTZUmTypaXSZ&page=2&doc=14&cacheurlFr omRightClick=no.
  11. Caladine, R. 2008. Enhancing e-learning with media.rich content and interactions. Hershey-New York: Information Science Publishing.
  12. Castells, M. 1996. The rise of the network society: The information age: Economy, society, and culture (Vol. 1). Oxford: Blackwell.
  13. Catropa, D., 2013. Big (MOOC) Data. Inside Higher Education. http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/ stratedgy/big-mooc-data.
  14. Cookson, P 2013 Are MOOCs the Answer? Preserving Value of Higher Education. The Quick and the Ed. Posted on 23 August 2013. http:// www.quickanded.com/2013/08/are-moocs-the-answerpreserving-the-value-of-higher-education.html.
  15. Daniel, J., 2012. Making sense of MOOCs: Musings in a maze of myth, paradox and possibility. In Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 3. http://jime. open.ac.uk/2012/18.
  16. Davidson, K. 2013. Clearing up some myths about MOOCs. Hastac. http://www.hastac.org/blogs/cathydavidson/2013/06/11/clearing-some-myths-about-moocs
  17. Department for business, Innovation & Skills 2013. The maturing of the MOOC: literature review of massive open online courses and other forms of online distance learning. UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/ uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/240193/ 13-1173-maturing-of-the-mooc.pdf.
  18. De Liddo, A., Shum, S. B., Quinto, I., Bachler, M., & Cannavacciuolo, L. 2011. Discourse-centric learning analytics. In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge (pp. 23-33). ACM.
  19. Dellarocas, C., & Van Alstyne, M. 2013. Money models for MOOCs. Communications of the ACM, 56(8), 25- 28.
  20. Drezner, J. 2013. Twilight of the MOOCs? Foreign Policy. http://drezner.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/ 07/22/twilight_of_the_moocs.
  21. Driscoll, M. 2001. Buildind better e-assessment, in Learning circuits, ASTD. http://www.astd.org/ LC/2001/0601_driscoll.htm.
  22. Economist 2013 .The attack of the MOOCs. The economist Higher Education. http://www.economist. com/news/business/21582001-army-new-online-cour ses-scaring-wits-out-traditional-universities-can-they.
  23. Engler, C. 2013 MOOCs and Megatrends: A Prediction Comes True. Evolllution. http://www.evolllution.com/ distance_online_learning/moocs-megatrends-predictio n-true/
  24. Herring, S. C. 2004. Content analysis for new media: Rethinking the paradigm. In New research for new media: Innovative research methodologies symposium working papers and readings (pp. 47-66). University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
  25. Horn, D. (2013) Failing fast, not spectacularly. Clayton Christiensen Institute for Disruptive Innovations. http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhorn/2013/08/15/ fail-fast-not-spectacularly/
  26. Inside Higher-ED. 2013. Udacity Project on “pause”. http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/07/18/citin g-disappointing-student-outcomes-san-jose-statepauses-work-udacity.
  27. Fozdar, B. I and Kumar, L. S. 2007. Mobile learning and student retention, in International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 8(2).
  28. Group, Mooc. 2013. MOOCs @ Edinburgh 2013: Report #1 Edinburgh: The University of Edinburgh. http://www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/6683.
  29. Kolowich, S. 2013. How edX plans to earn, and share, revenue from its free online courses. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 21. http://chronicle.com/article /How-EdX-Plans-to-Earn-and/137433/
  30. Kollowitch, S. 2013a. The MOOC 'Revolution' May Not Be as Disruptive as Some Had Imagined. The Chronicle of Higher Education. http://chronicle.com /article/MOOCs-May-Not-Be-So-Disruptive/140965/
  31. Krippendorff, K. 1980. Content Analysis: An Introduction to Its Methodology. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
  32. Lawton, R; Katsomitros, L. 2013. MOOCs and disruptive innovation: The challenge to HE business models. The Observatory of Borderless Higher Education. http:// www.obhe.ac.uk/documents/view_details?id=929.
  33. Leckart 2012. The Stanford Education Experiment Could Change Higher Learning Forever. www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/03/ff_aiclass/
  34. León, M. 2013. Reactions on the Emergence of MOOCs in Higher Education. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/ users/home?screen=EPrint::View&eprintid=358803.
  35. Lewin, T. 2012. Instruction for masses knocks down campus walls. New York Times. http://www.ny times.com/2012/03/05/education/moocs-large-coursesopen-to-all-topple-campus-walls.html?pagewanted=all &_r=0
  36. Liyanagunawardena, T. R., Adams, A. A., & Williams, S. A. 2013. MOOCs: A systematic study of the published literature 2008-2012. In The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 14(3), 202- 227.
  37. Luján, S. 2012. Preguntas y respuestas: ¿Qué son los MOOCS? http://desarrolloweb.dlsi.ua.es/cursos/2012/ que-son-los-moocs/preguntas-respuestas.
  38. Marginson, S. 2012. Online open education: Yes, this is the game changer. The Conversation. http://the conversation.com/online-open-education-yes-this-isthe-game-changer-8078.
  39. Marshall, S. J. 2013. Evaluating the Strategic and Leadership Challenges of MOOCs. In MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 9(2), 216- 227.
  40. McAuley, A., Stewart, B., Siemens, G. y Cormier, D. 2010. The MOOC model for digital practice. University of Prince Edward Island. http:// www.elearnspace.org/Articles/MOOC_Final.pdf
  41. Nipper, S. (1989). Third generation distance learning and computer conferencing. In R. Mason & A. Kaye (Eds.), Mindweave: Communication, Computers and Distance Education. Oxford: Pergamon.
  42. Osvaldo, C. 2012. MOOCs and the AI Standford like Courses: Two successful and distinct course formats for massive Open Online Courses. In European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning. http:// www.eurodl.org/?article=516.
  43. O'Toole, R. 2013. Pedagogical strategies and technologies for peer assessment in Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs). University of Warwick. http://wra p.warwick.ac.uk/54602/7/WRAP_O%27toole_ROToole.
  44. Parr, C. 2013. Mooc completion rates 'below 7%. Times Higher Education. http://www.timeshighereducation. co.uk/news/mooc-completion-rates-below-7/2003710. article.
  45. Ptaszynsky, J. G. 2012. MOOCs: The New Internet Bubble in Education? Microsoft Partners in Learning. http://pil-tei.com/blog/moocs-the-new-internet-bubblein-education/
  46. Radenkovic, S., Krzavac, N. & Devedzic, V. 2010. An assessment system on the Semantic Web, in Devedzic, V. & Gasevic, D. (ed.), Web 2.0 and Semantic Web, annals of information systems. USA: Springer.
  47. Rheingold, H. (2013) MOOCs, Hype, and the Precarious State of Higher Ed: Futurist Bryan Alexander. DML Central. http://dmlcentral.net/blog/howard-rheingold/ moocs-hype-and-precarious-state-higher-ed-futuristbryan-alexander.
  48. Siemens, G. 2012a. Massive open online courses as new educative practice. http://es.slideshare.net/gsiemens/ open-online-courses-as-new-educative-practice.
  49. Siemens, G. 2012b. What is the theory that underpins our MOOCs? http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/2012/06/ 03/what-is-the-theory-that-underpins-our-moocs/
  50. Sloep, P. 2013. MOOCs, what about them? Some moral considerations. In Stories to TEL. http:// pbsloep.blogspot.nl/2013/01/moocs-what-about-themcontinued.html.
  51. Strither, J.B. 2002. An assessment of the effectiveness of e-learning in corporate training programs, in The international review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, vol.3, n.1. http://www.irrodl.org/ index.php/irrodl/article/viewArticle/83/160.
  52. Tauber, T. 2013. The dirty little secret of online learning: Students are bored and dropping out. Quartz http:// qz.com/65408/the-dirty-little-secret-of-online-learning -students-are-bored-and-dropping-out/
  53. Taylor, J. 1995. Distance education technologies: the fourth generation, in Australian Journal of Educational Technology, vol. 11(2).
  54. Taylor, J. 2001. Fifth generation distance education, in Higher Education Series, report n.40. Canberra, Australia:Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs.
  55. Washington Post. 2012. Santorum: Obama is “a snob” because he wants everybody in America to go to college”. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/postpolitics/post/santorum-obama-is-a-snob-because-he-w ants-everybody-in-america-to-go-to-college/2012/02/ 25/gIQATJffaR_blog.html.
  56. Weston, C. 2012. MOOCs and other ed-tech bubbles. Ed Tech Now http://edtechnow.net/2012/12/29/moocsand-other-ed-tech-bubbles/
  57. Wilkinson, L. R. 2008. ESL academic writing and plagiarism. In The Internet TESL Journal, 14(7).
  58. Williams, R., Karousou, R., & Mackness, J. 2011. Emergent learning and learning ecologies in Web 2.0. In The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 12(3), 39-59.
  59. Young, J. R. 2012. Inside the Coursera Contract: How an Upstart Company Might Profit from Free Courses, Chronicle of Higher Education. http://www.chronicle .com/article/How-an-Upstart-CompanyMight/133065/
  60. Yuan, L., Powell, S. 2013. MOOCs and Open Education: Implications for Higher Education. A White Paper. CETIS. Retrieved March, 21, 2013 from www.publications.cetis.ac.uk/2013/667.
  61. Zimmerman, B. & Schunk, S. 2001. Self-regulated learning and academic achievements: theoretical perspectives (2nd edition). Routledge.
Download


Paper Citation


in Harvard Style

Davis H., Dickens K., Leon M., Sánchez-Vera M. and White S. (2014). MOOCs for Universities and Learners - An Analysis of Motivating Factors . In Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 1: CSEDU, ISBN 978-989-758-020-8, pages 105-116. DOI: 10.5220/0004844901050116


in Bibtex Style

@conference{csedu14,
author={Hugh Davis and Kate Dickens and Manuel Leon and María del Mar Sánchez-Vera and Su White},
title={MOOCs for Universities and Learners - An Analysis of Motivating Factors},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 1: CSEDU,},
year={2014},
pages={105-116},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0004844901050116},
isbn={978-989-758-020-8},
}


in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 1: CSEDU,
TI - MOOCs for Universities and Learners - An Analysis of Motivating Factors
SN - 978-989-758-020-8
AU - Davis H.
AU - Dickens K.
AU - Leon M.
AU - Sánchez-Vera M.
AU - White S.
PY - 2014
SP - 105
EP - 116
DO - 10.5220/0004844901050116