Assessing the psychometric properties of students’ MOOC efficacy measurement model

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have been identified as a potential innovation for improving teaching and learning. This research aims to develop and evaluate a measurement model of students’ MOOC-e cacy. The study conceptualized students’ MOOC-e cacy in four dimensions of information searching, making queries, MOOC learning, and MOOC usability. Data were collected with a 23 items questionnaire whose reliability indexes ranged from 0.822 to 0.890, identified from university students who have had some experience with MOOCs and who willingly volunteered to participate in the research (N=1,524). A sample of 623 respondents was drawn through simple random sampling. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was adopted for data analysis. The findings designate that four-dimensional students’ MOOC-efficacy measurement model achieved an acceptable level of fit (RMSEA = 0.061, CFI = 0.935 and a normed chi-square, χ2/df = 3.322). All statistics provide empirical evidence that the students’ MOOC-efficacy measurement model is psychometrically sound in terms of validity and reliability. The measurement model of students’ MOOC-efficacy provides further insights into what works in an open online environment which may be used to fulfill learners’ needs and preferences

The Relationship between Students’ MOOC-efficacy and Meaningful Learning

This research explored two important constructs in 21st century e-education—students’ MOOC-efficacy and meaningful learning among undergraduate students in selected public universities in Malaysia. Its main objective was to examine the causal relationship of students’ MOOC-efficacy on meaningful learning. The study conceptualized students’ MOOC-efficacy in four dimensions (i.e. information searching, making queries, MOOC learning, and MOOC usability), while conceiving meaningful learning as having five dimensions (i.e. cooperative learning, active learning, authentic learning, constructive learning, and intentional learning). This research applied cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected with a 52-item questionnaire whose reliability indexes ranged from 0.822 to 0.890 for the dimensions. The study's population was identified as university students who have had some experience with MOOCs and who willingly volunteered to participate in the research. A sample of 603 respondents was drawn through simple random sampling. The full-fledged Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was adopted for data analysis. The finding indicated that students’ MOOC-efficacy was positively associated with meaningful learning. The results show that students’ MOOC-efficacy explains 67% of the variance in meaningful learning. The fit indices indicate an adequate fit: RMSEA = 0.041, CFI = 0.923 and χ2/df = 2.067. The finding provides further insights into what works in an open online environment. The insights may be used to fulfill learners’ needs and preferences. MOOC-efficacy interventions are crucial in order to encourage students’ meaningful learning in the e-learning platform

Assessing the pychometric properties of students’ MOOC-efficacy measurement model

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have been identified as a potential innovation for improving teaching and learning. This research aims to develop and evaluate a measurement model of students’ MOOC-efficacy. The study conceptualized students’ MOOC-efficacy in four dimensions of information searching, making queries, MOOC learning, and MOOC usability. Data were collected with a 23 items questionnaire whose reliability indexes ranged from 0.822 to 0.890, identified from university students who have had some experience with MOOCs and who willingly volunteered to participate in the research (N=1,524). A sample of 623 respondents was drawn through simple random sampling. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was adopted for data analysis. The findings designate that four-dimensional students’ MOOC-efficacy measurement model achieved an acceptable level of fit (RMSEA = 0.061, CFI = 0.935 and a normed chi-square, χ2/df = 3.322). All statistics provide empirical evidence that the students’ MOOC-efficacy measurement model is psychometrically sound in terms of validity and reliability. The measurement model of students’ MOOC-efficacy provides further insights into what works in an open online environment which may be used to fulfill learners’ needs and preferences

Technology and L2 writing: EFL student perspectives on electronic feedback using online learning logs

The use of instructional technology has opened up new avenues in education with broad implications in the foreign or additional language (L2) learning context. One of the research priorities is to explore student perceptions of the use of such modern means in their education which otherwise might not be anticipated. The present study aimed to determine (a) the perceived affordances as well as limitations of the information and communication technology (ICT) pedagogical application in coded corrective feedback (e-feedback) provision on L2 writing, (b) English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ perspectives on using e-feedback to reduce their local and global mistakes, and (c) the type of self-regulated learning (SRL) behaviours, according to EFL students’ self-reports, electronic feedback and learning logs called forth in cognitive, affective, and metacognitive domains. The participants (n=48) were high-intermediate to advanced EFL learners from four cohorts enrolled on an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) preparation course in a branch of the Institute of Science and Technology in Tehran. Each cohort went through 84 face-to-face tutorial sessions in four months. During this period, they also wrote essays and received e-feedback on 12 IELTS Writing Task 2 prompts with a minimum of drafting work three times for each on an e-learning platform (www.ekbatani.ir) specially designed for this study. The data from all four cohorts were collected over the course of 11 months, using semi-structured interviews, online structured and unstructured learning logs, and an open-ended questionnaire to provide an in-depth picture of student perceptions of this technology mediation. Through a purely qualitative research design, the log, interview, and open-ended questionnaire data were analysed, categorised and coded. The findings represented students’ perceptions of the benefits of the e-feedback and learning logs as (i) offering a motivating and empowering means of providing EFL writing support, (ii) enhancing the thinking and problem-solving processes, (iii) a flexible and fast scaffolding approach for L2 writing improvement, and (iv) encouraging student writers’ active knowledge construction by helping them notice mistakes, focus on writing specifics, overcome the fear of writing, and grow confidence in L2 learning. The self-reported data indicated perceived limitations including (i) the time-consuming nature of the e-feedback processes, (ii) the occasional need for face-to-face discussions, peer feedback addition, providing supplements to e-feedback such as on-demand e-tutorials, and (iii) increased workload for the teacher in proportion to the number of students. Specific writing improvement was perceived to be locally in the use of punctuation signs and grammar, in spelling skills and the scope of vocabulary; and globally in organising ideas, finding ideas in the form of blueprints, and developing ideas into full-length essays. The student perceptions demonstrated that the learner-centred e-feedback environment created different affordances for students’ cognitive, affective, and metacognitive behaviours: (i) cognitively, it assisted the use and development of various learning strategies, enhanced student EFL writing experience, and increased awareness of error patterns in their essays; (ii) affectively, it supported students’ motivational processes, ability to appraise their progress, restore, and sustain positivity, and greater perceived self-efficacy beliefs in their own L2 writing skills; finally, (iii) metacognitive affordances included the ability to rethink and amend their plans as well as seek out support, ability to reflect on the writing processes holistically, ability to self-monitor to remain on course, and ability to devise and implement a plan of action mostly by finding a strategy to deal with mistakes and by taking greater caution in writing their future drafts. Despite arising from a particular contextual framework with the experience of particular cohorts of students, the findings can hopefully be of value to researchers and practitioners in the fields of online language pedagogy, second language acquisition (SLA), EFL writing, and computer-assisted language learning (CALL) with communication uses. The findings can assist language courseware designers, e-feedback platform developers, and L2 writing course administrators to support and enhance their practices and decisions, especially in providing and implementing ICT and SRL initiatives in EFL writing