Abstract:

Over the last years we have seen many studies related to Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) focusing their attention on student completion (Alario-Hoyos et al., 2014). This kind of analysis is based on educational paradigms which are related to formal learning. However, MOOC contexts are different from formal learning. Therefore, other studies focus their attention on variables like performance (Fischer, 2011) or engagement/motivation (Khalil & Ebner, 2017). These types of approaches are more suitable to the context of MOOC, since MOOC have a different purpose, less focused on success and completion.

Moreover, while building a MOOC, the course team might have specific purposes. So, it might not be suitable to apply certain framework analysis on specific MOOC. Consequently, it should be more relevant to understand the original reasons to have created a course and then confront it with the reasons that lead learners to enroll into it. By following this approach, we are able to confirm not only if the target audience was reached, but more importantly, if their needs were being answered. Nevertheless, we should consider the possibility of having other audience that was not in the first place, or even to have failed to understand the needs of our target audience.

This paper explores 3 editions of a MOOC delivered at Universidade Aberta’s “Open Class” platform. This platform offers different kinds of open learning paths; concerning specifically the MOOC learning path it is relevant to understand if the pedagogical model and the strategy achieve the desired results:
(i) to improve education and enlarge the access to knowledge;
(ii) to deliver high quality open and online education in Portuguese.

A cross-analysis of learner activity statistics against certain characteristics like profession or motivation can provide some insights on the diversity of learners, their behaviours and the results of learning experiences.

The main purpose of the open course analyzed was to disseminate the role and importance of the School Library for the development of literacies, and teachers were the target public. Some of the results suggest that most participants had already some experience in the field of SL. This first experience in an online and open course was an opportunity to share experiences with participants with similar responsibilities in SL and, as a result, in some cases the level of interaction in forums was very high. Their engagement with the activities in the MOOC had an external motivation, related with the possibility to obtain a certificate. The internal motivation was related with the analysis of the news contents and pedagogical scenarios that were proposed but also the possibility of sharing ideas and experiences with other participants. A second group of participants did not have experience in the field, but took advantage of the relative “expertise” of the first group.

References:
[1] G. Fischer, (2011) Understanding, fostering, and supporting cultures of participation, Magazine Interactions, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 42–53.
Alario-Hoyos, C; Pérez-Sanagustín, M.; Delgado-Kloos, C.; Parada, H.; & Munoz-Organero, M (2014). Delving into Participants’ Profiles and Use of Social Tools in MOOCs. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 7(3), 260-266.
[2] Khalil, M. & Ebner, M. (2017). Clustering patterns of engagement in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs): the use of learning analytics to reveal student categories. J Comput High Educ, 29, 114–132.

Keywords:

MOOC, Motivation, Social engagement, Universidade Aberta.