The OER Knowledge Cloud makes use of cookies. By continuing, you consent to this use. More information.
Deconstructing disengagement: analyzing learner subpopulations in massive open online courses
Kizilcec, René F. · Piech, Chris · Schneider, Emily

PublishedApril 2013
ConferenceLAK '13: Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge
Pages 170-179
CountryUnited States, North America

ABSTRACT
As MOOCs grow in popularity, the relatively low completion rates of learners has been a central criticism. This focus on completion rates, however, reflects a monolithic view of disengagement that does not allow MOOC designers to target interventions or develop adaptive course features for particular subpopulations of learners. To address this, we present a simple, scalable, and informative classification method that identifies a small number of longitudinal engagement trajectories in MOOCs. Learners are classified based on their patterns of interaction with video lectures and assessments, the primary features of most MOOCs to date.

In an analysis of three computer science MOOCs, the classifier consistently identifies four prototypical trajectories of engagement. The most notable of these is the learners who stay engaged through the course without taking assessments. These trajectories are also a useful framework for the comparison of learner engagement between different course structures or instructional approaches. We compare learners in each trajectory and course across demographics, forum participation, video access, and reports of overall experience. These results inform a discussion of future interventions, research, and design directions for MOOCs. Potential improvements to the classification mechanism are also discussed, including the introduction of more fine-grained analytics.

Keywords MOOC · learner engagement · trajectories of engagement

Published atCalifornia
LanguageEnglish
RefereedYes
DOI10.1145/2460296.2460330
Export optionsBibTex · EndNote · Tagged XML · Google Scholar


Viewed by 467 distinct readers




CLOUD COMMUNITY REVIEWS

The evaluations below represent the judgements of our readers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Cloud editors.

Click a star to be the first to rate this document


POST A COMMENT
SIMILAR RECORDS

Digging deeper into learners' experiences in MOOCs: Participation in social networks outside of MOOCs, notetaking and contexts surrounding content consumption
Veletsianos, George; Collier, Amy; Schneider, Emily
Researchers describe with increasing confidence what they observe participants doing in massive open online courses (MOOCs). However, our understanding of learner activities in open courses is limited by researchers' ...
Match: Schneider, Emily

MOOCs for professional teacher development
Jobe, William; Östlund, Christian; Svensson, Lars
A MOOC is a trending concept in education that is disrupting traditional methods of learning consumption. The emergence and use of MOOCs for professional teacher development is still uncommon, but on the verge of ...
Match: MOOC; United States

Design framework for an adaptive MOOC enhanced by blended learning: Supplementary training and personalized learning for teacher professional development
Gynther, Karsten
The research project has developed a design framework for an adaptive MOOC that complements the MOOC format with blended learning. The design framework consists of a design model and a series of learning design ...
Match: MOOC

A MOOC on approaches to machine translation
Costa-jussà, Marta Ruiz; Formiga, Lluis; Torrillas, Oriol; Petit, Jordi; et al.
This paper describes the design, development and analysis of a MOOC entitled “Approaches to Machine Translation: rule-based, statistical and hybrid” providing lessons learnt on conclusions to be take into account in ...
Match: MOOC

Massive open online courses: Strategies and research areas
Murphy, Jamie; Kalbaskab, Nadzeya; Williams, Alan; Ryan, Peter; et al.
The latest education revolution, the massive open online courses (MOOCs), is gaining momentum, accolades, and participation across industry and academia. These learning laboratory behemoths host and assess tens to ...
Match: MOOC

Exploring the MOOC format as a pedagogical approach for mLearning
de Waard, Inge; Koutropoulos, Apostolos; Keskin, Nilgün Özdamar; Abajian, Sean C.; et al.
This paper takes a look at the MOOC format as a possible pedagogical approach to fit mobile learning (mLearning) based on mutual affordances of both contemporary learning/teaching formats. The paper presents a case ...
Match: MOOC

Research opportunities for educational innovation in the era of MOOCs and learning analytics
Alario-Hoyos, Carlos
MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) have been a major revolution in education, especially in higher education, and have served as a catalyst for educational institutions to reflect (beyond the discussion of whether or ...
Match: MOOC

Are MOOCs the long-awaited technological revolution in higher education?
Daniel, John; Uvalić-Trumbić, Stamenka
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a portent of the potential of online learning and teaching to transform higher education. The University of Manitoba offered the first online course to bear the name MOOC in 2008. ...
Match: MOOC

Towards a world tour for shared OER
Jeans, Nick; Pepler, Giles; Bacsich, Paul
This report (a PDF file) is the first deliverable (out of three) of the study called A scoping study on the potential of shared, cross-border OER and syllabi in Europe - in short, SharedOER - that was carried out by ...
Match: North America

Open education e modelli di apprendimento flessibile
Menichetti, Laura
La “cultura open” sta cambiando profondamente il settore della formazione in tutto il mondo, nei suoi aspetti formali e non-formali.Il presente contributo mette a fuoco le diverse declinazioni e costruzioni di ...
Match: MOOC