Design review of MOOCs: application of e-learning design principles
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Design review of MOOCs: application of e‑learning design principles Eunjung Grace Oh1 · Yunjeong Chang2 · Seung Won Park3
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019
Abstract The purpose of this study is to explore the pedagogical design of massive open online courses (MOOCs) using evidence-based e-learning principles. MOOCs have become an important part of discourse in higher education. However, there has been shared concern on the quality of MOOCs as learning systems for engaging learners as well as fulfilling their needs. The researchers conducted a design review of 40 computer science MOOCs from two major MOOC providers. The findings indicate a relatively low application of the principles in general, with the exception of those related to the organization and presentation of content. MOOC platforms and the difficulty level of MOOCs used the application of e-learning principles and guidelines differently. Implications for future research and design of MOOCs are discussed. Keywords MOOCs · E-learning design · Instructional quality · MOOCs design
Introduction Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have rapidly increased in number and expanded the landscape of higher education. The cumulative growth of MOOCs reached over 9,400 courses, with an estimated total number of 81 million people * Eunjung Grace Oh [email protected] Yunjeong Chang [email protected] Seung Won Park [email protected] 1
Department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1310 S. 6th St., Champaign, IL 61820, USA
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Department of Learning and Instruction, Graduate School of Education, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, 578 Baldy, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
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Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Rd., Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
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signed up for at least one MOOC as of 2017 (Shah 2017). Although MOOCs were initially conceived as free educational opportunities for everyone and a potential means to democratize higher education (Dillahunt et al. 2014), MOOCs have evolved beyond the concept of open education by universities. After less than a decade, MOOCs have become different things to different stakeholders. Despite its original mission of democratizing education, many learners of MOOCs, in fact, already have a college education and employment, and do not have significant barriers when it comes to the affordability of higher education (Christensen et al. 2013; Dillahunt et al. 2014; Rohs and Ganz 2015). Their highest motivation and expectation for taking MOOCs is to obtain professional and career benefits (Egloffstein and Ifenthaler 2017; Zhenghao et al. 2015). Higher education institutions have generated a number of new business models using MOOCs (Burd et al. 2015). MOOCs’ providers, such as Coursera, edX and Udacity, have been expanding their services in diverse ways for monetization (e.g., concentrations, nano-degrees, micromasters) (Waters 2015, August
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