A Classification of Barriers that Influence Goal Achievement in Massive Open Online Courses

Maartje Henderikx, Karel Kreijns & Marco KalzOpen University of the Netherlands

maartje.henderikx@ou.nl

Image retrieved from http://f.hatena.ne.jp/Vivalavida0423/20140302220511

OVERVIEW

• Alternative success measurement in MOOCs• Dynamics of acting out intentions into real actions• Classification of barriers in MOOCs• Conclusion & discussion

DEFINE SUCCESSMOOC success is measured by the number of certificates issued as

is done in traditional education

Scholars agree that due to the exceptional learning circumstances MOOCs should not be compared to traditional education (Huin, Bergheaud, Caron, Codina, & Disson, 2016; Koller, Ng, Do, & Chen, 2013; Liyanagunawardena, Parslow, & Williams, 2014)

Scholars acknowledge that getting the certificate is not the ultimate measurement. Learners may have other intentions (Koller, Ng, Do, & Chen, 2013; Reich, 2014)

MOOC-TAKER INTENTIONS

In an open learning environment, the most important variable in the equation is the individual learner

MOOC Intention to finish

Other intentions

Marine litter ES 62% 38% Marine litter UK 56% 44% Puberbrein 49% 51%

Examples of other intentions:• Finish x number of weeks• Finish most activities in week x and x• Just browse to see what a MOOC looks like• Finish all activities in the last 3 weeks• Etc….

INDIVIDUAL INTENTION

Alternative approach to success measurement

The intention of the individual as a starting point

Focus on acting out intentions into real actions

THE REASONED ACTION APPROACH

FISHBEIN & AJZEN (2011)

Dynamics while acting out intention

Dynamics of acting out intentions – Example 1

Onderwerp via >Beeld >Koptekst en voettekst Pagina 8

Dynamics of acting out intentions – Example 2

Onderwerp via >Beeld >Koptekst en voettekst Pagina 9

Dynamics of acting out intentions – Example 3: Drop-out

Onderwerp via >Beeld >Koptekst en voettekst Pagina 10

DATA COLLECTION

Short questionnaire based on the intention-behavior dynamics state diagram

Request for participation send to 423 MOOC learners

84 MOOC learners completed the questionnaire

INTENTION-BEHAVIOUR STUDY RESULTS

INTENTION-BEHAVIOUR STUDY RESULTS

NON EMPIRICAL CLASSIFICATION OF BARRIERS

Nonempirical classification ofbarriers (Henderikx,Kreijns,Kalz,2017b)

Further research needed

AN EMPIRICAL CLASSIFICATION OF BARRIERS

01

02

Designed a barrier survey; 44 barrier items taken from various scientific studies; 5-point Likert scales ranging from ‘to a very large extent’ to ‘not at all’’ when asking whether these 44 barriers are perceived as real

1618 participants of Spanish MOOCs were invited; 317 respondents à After elimination of outliers, 295 respondents left

EEN INDELING VAN BARRIERES-II

03

04

Extraction method = Principal component analyse, cut off point .4 en Oblimin rotation à Oblimin rotation produced simplest component structure. After investigating various possible solutions, 35 items were kept due to multiple loading or cross-loading > .4 or loading < .4.

The PCA resulted in 4 components + residual category of eliminated items

LOADINGS COMPONENT 1+2

Note: 4 components classification explains 67,7% of the variability

LOADINGS COMPONENT 3+4

Note: 4 components classification explains 67,7% of the variability

A CLASSIFICATION OF BARRIERSN=295

Compo- nent

Label Example items

1 Technical and online learning related skills

Lack of IT skills Lack of typing skills Lack of information literacy skills

2 Social context Feelings of isolation Learning feels impersonal Lack of interaction with students

3 Course design Lack of clear instruction/expectations Lack of decent feedback Low quality course

4 Time, support and motivation

Lack of time Family issues Lack of motivation

Henderikx, Kreijns, Kalz (2018, accepted)

A CLASSIFICATION OF BARRIERS

N=295

Henderikx, Kreijns, Kalz (2018, accepted)

Compo- nent

Label Type Coping level

1 Technical and Online learning related skills

Non-MOOC related

Can be dealt with on a personal level

2 Social context Partly MOOC and partly non-MOOC related

Can be dealt with on both personal and MOOC-level

3 Course design MOOC related Can be dealt with on MOOC level

4 Time, support and motivation

Non-MOOC related

Can be dealt with on a personal level

LIMITATIONS

• Sample of the study only consists of participants who particpated in Spanish MOOCs

• The item ratio 6:1 is acceptable, but a larger ratio provides a more reliable result

• Self reported data which is prone to bias

• The intention of the learner should be taken as a starting point

• Intention-behavior is a dynamical process • A reason for these dynamics is that learners change intentions

and encounter barriers to learning in MOOCs• These barriers are predominantly non-MOOC related

CONCLUDING

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION