Learners expectations and motivations using content analysis in a MOOC

The phenomenon of massive open online courses (MOOCs) has transformed the online educational delivery of courses around the world. There are several literature on MOOC publicity in the press, but little has been mentioned and discussed about the learner expectation and motivation. This paper investigates MOOC learner expectations and motivation from different perspectives. What they are hoping to achieve and how they prefer to learn. Firstly, we review existing literature bringing findings about learner expectations and motivation. We provide discussion from previously analysed research to review some learners’ expectation leading to motivation. Secondly, using the initial pilot investigation, we provide preliminary analysis of data from computing for teachers MOOC, run by the University of Warwick, UK hosted using Moodle platform. The first pilot study of CfT MOOC registered over 500 participants in 2013/2014. The CfT MOOC is of two main strands, programming and computing concepts

Collaborative filtering recommendation system : a framework in massive open online courses

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are growing relatively rapidly in the education environment. There is a need for MOOCs to move away from its one-size-fit-all mode. This framework will introduce an algorithm based recommendation system, which will use a collaborative filtering method (CFM). Collaborative filtering method (CFM) is the process of evaluating several items through the rating choices of the participants. Recommendation system is widely becoming popular in online study activities; we want to investigate its support to learning and encouragement to more effective participation. This research will be reviewing existing literature on recommender systems for online learning and its support to learners’ experiences. Our proposed recommendation system will be based on course components rating. The idea was for learners to rate the course and components they have studied in the platform between the scales of 1 – 5. After the rating, we then extract the values into a comma separated values (CSV) file then implement recommendation using Python programming based on learners with similar rating patterns. The aim was to recommend courses to different users in a text editor mode using Python programming. Collaborative filtering will act upon similar rating patterns to recommend courses to different learners, so as to enhance their learning experience and enthusiasm

Design Science MOOC : a framework of good practice pedagogy in a novel E-Learning platform eLDa

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have taken higher educational establishments of the western world by storm with large amounts of funding diverted into developing and delivering a wide variety of online, massparticipation courses. Many claims have been made relating to their potential for providing free, high quality education to everyone, no matter what their situation or geographical position. In practice however, there is little evidence as yet of the desired democratisation of education, with lack of support for students, an absence of pedagogy and very high drop out rates. This project is concerned with MOOC evaluation. It aims to understand the reasons why students drop out and to implement and assess the effectiveness of measures to address specific areas relating to attrition. The theoretical framework of this study is applying design science research methodology (DSRM) in creating and developing a learning tool as an instrument for the research investigation. My research goal is on designing, implementing and evaluating solutions to mitigate these problems. Enabled by developing network and Cloud technologies, MOOCs are credited with the potential to provide free, open, high quality (yet low cost) education for large classes. However, current efforts are lacking in the necessary pedagogy and framework necessary to provide suitable materials for different learners and supporting individuals in their different learning paths. This is one of the major contributory factors to the extremely high drop out rates currently observed. This research exposes the learners’ choice of studies from the perspective of analytics and survey responses. It further described the features in the tool and the good practice to be considered while developing an online learning syste

Massive open online courses : an adaptive learning framework

Diverse student needs present a challenge in online education. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) attract many diverse learners, so there is need to tailor the course instruction to meet the students’ individual needs. This paper investigates an adaptive MOOC system from a personalised learning perspective. Firstly, we review existing literature on adaptive online learning systems, bringing together findings on the relationship to both effective learning support and motivation to study. Secondly, we outline a proposed framework, which tailors the recommendation of instructional material using the learner’s profile. In this model, the system can present the user with a suggested learning path to meet appropriate learning objectives. As the student progresses, further recommendations can be made with appropriate resources to enhance and develop the learner’s understanding of the previous topics. Adaptation and personalised recommendation have been noted as providing the means for an online system to replicate, in part, the function of a human tutor. However, there are drawbacks both in the limitations of providing the best recommendations and in the danger of users having little control over their own learning. Allowing learners to manage their learning by setting objectives and developing paths has been associated with encouraging effective learning skills, increasing collaboration and enhancing learning. Our framework therefore supports users in creating their own paths, allowing them to make informed choices about appropriate resources based on their expression of current objectives and preferences. The framework will be evaluated by adapting an existing MOOC, allowing comparison of a variety of aspects including choice of learning path, learner satisfaction and effect on attainment and drop-out rate

Learning as a perspective of reflective practice in computer science

Reflective practice in teaching and learning in education has a more profound focus on the professional development of instructors in multidisciplinary education dimensions. This reflection has been applied in most professional teaching practices for a long period. The reflective practice by professionals in education has recognisable benefits to enhance the experience of students. However, there exists some unclear aspect of some of the ways in which the practice of reflection was done by professional base on their methods of teaching. The main goal of this research is to describe the various methods applied in teaching undergraduate seminars and lab demonstrations in a Computer Security module. So many modern and existing methods of teaching were applied in the delivery of the subject for undergraduate level of Computer Science discipline. Feedback was collected from the students after the classes. The feedback analysis was done using SPSS for statistical sciences for the data collection. The analysis reveals the level of acceptance of the various methods applied during teaching. The various opinions and critiques of the students were captured and analysed for further improvement in my future teaching plans. This research covers the following. Firstly, a brief review on reflective practice. Secondly, discussion of some of the methods applied by the researcher during teaching seminars and labs classes. Thirdly, analysis of the feedback forms collected from the students after the seminar and lab classes at the end of the term, and finally, a conclusion and further research directions

An empirical investigation of students’ perceptions of self-regulated learning in Online Blended Learning : a case study of a novel E-learning platform

Emerging online learning technology such as massive open online courses (MOOCs) is a new trend in learning technology. With the propagation of MOOC as a vast learning platform, very little has been known nowadays about the online blended learning systems and how it improves students’ performance. The blended classroom was conducted using traditional teaching method in a brick-and mortar classroom arrangement and online. The research focuses on the usefulness of blended classroom teaching for a single sample of first year undergraduate students (n = 27) in a computer security module. The sample students participated in this study in an online blended classroom incorporating the orthodox (traditional) class teaching methods. This research investigates the various techniques students used to motivate their studying habit. The computer security module was created in a novel e-learning platform known as eLDa. This is an online platform developed for the delivery of computing concepts, and python programming. This investigation aims at revealing students’ perceptions on self-regulated learning (SRL) skills. Multi-dimensional questionnaires were designed to collate sufficient data on the learning skills and the motivation of the students to study. These surveys analyse the following: (i) the various students’ patterns of motivation (ii) the manner of learning suitable to individual student (iii) the level of improvement attained. The research compared the new introduction of blended class seminar with an initial run of a previous cohort of a traditional class seminar on computer security module. The research approach expanded on an existing Online Selfregulated Learning Questionnaire (OSLQ) as the instrument for measuring the self-regulated learning skills. In order to collect the research data, hard copy questionnaires were distributed during the data collection process in two of the traditional face-to-face learning to obtain the students’ response. Descriptive statistical method was applied for the data analysis and evaluation using a statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) tool. The results indicated the support received from the orthodox methods of teaching and the feedback received help in informing a better blended classroom delivery. The study analysis has provided insights to good practice with respect to the future direction of the online blended course embedded in the eLDaMOOC-learning platform. In summary, the blended learning used in this context was to introduce learners to the 21st century skills in learning, such as critical thinking skills, and self-regulated learning skills. Self-directed learning skills, we presume can lead and encourage learners to the era of autonomous e-learning in education

Assessing self-regulation of learning dimensions in a stand-alone MOOC platform

A capacity for self-regulated learning (SRL) has long been recognised as an important factor in successful studies. Although educational researchers have started to investigate the concept of SRL in the context of online education, very little is yet known about SRL in relation to massive open online courses (MOOCs) or of appropriate strategies to foster SRL skills in MOOC learners. Selfregulation is particularly important in a MOOC-based study, which demands effective independent learning, and where widely acknowledged high dropout rates are observed. This study reports an investigation and assessment of the concept of SRL using a novel MOOC platform (eLDa) by providing study options (either via a self-directed learning or instructor-led learning) using a novel learning tool. In view of this, the research presents general description of self-regulated learning and explored the various existing dimensions used to expose the learners SRL skills. Drawing comparison of the online tool, the results and findings of the data were analysed. The study discusses how the various dimensions contributed to the knowledge representation of the self-regulated learning abilities shown by the learners. We present how these SRL dimensions captured using the measuring instrument contributes to our growing understanding of the distinctive features of the individual learner’s self-regulated learning. MOOCs success required a high performance of self-regulated learning abilities which at the moment very little has shown these degree of supporting SRL skills. This paper presents preliminary evaluation of a novel e-learning tool known, as ‘eLDa’ developed to implement this investigation of self-regulation of learning. The research applied a modified online self-regulated learning questionnaire (OSLQ) as the instrument to measure the SRL skills. The modified questionnaire known as MOOC OSLQ (MOSLQ) was developed with a 19-item scale questions that exposes the six SRL dimensions used in this study

Exploring learners’ strategies of self-regulated learning abilities in a novel MOOC Platform : eLDa

Online educational research such as massive open online courses (MOOCs) has recently begun investigating and exploring key approaches of learners‘ selfregulated learning (SRL) strategies. MOOCs have been known to record high dropout rates and low completion rates in recent times. The study aimed at investigating learners‘ SRL abilities by providing study options (either via a self-directed learning or instructor-led learning) using a novel learning tool. In view of this, the research present general description of self-regulated learning and explored the various existing dimensions used to expose the learners SRL skills. A nonparametric testing analysis was conducted to interpret the probability of our predicted null hypothesis. Drawing comparison of the online tool the results and findings of the data were analysed. The study discusses how the various dimensions contributed to the knowledge representation of the selfregulated learning abilities shown by the learners. We present how these SRL dimensions captured using the measuring instrument contributes to our growing understanding of the distinctive features of the individual learner‘s self-regulated learning. MOOCs success required a high performance of self-regulated learning abilities which at the moment very little has shown these degree of supporting SRL skills. This paper presents preliminary evaluation of a novel e-learning tool known as ‘eLDa’ developed to implement this investigation of self-regulation of learning. We predict equal higher SRL skills among the participants, because of the fact that most of our learners are highly educated, professional, graduates and undergraduate. However, that is not the case with this study, our investigation reveals some aspect of low self-regulators observed in some dimensions including help-seeking and task strategies. This demonstrates that even learners of higher educational background may not be able to fulfill all the requirements necessary to be (or of been) called a high self-regulator and may need to improve in some of the strategies (or dimensions) lacking. The research applied a modified online self-regulated learning questionnaire (OSLQ) as the instrument to measure the SRL skills. The OSLQ was developed with a 19-item scale ques-1 tions that exposes the six SRL dimensions used in this study. This research is of imperative and impeccable value to the establishment and encouragement of self-regulated learning in MOOCs and also on the evaluation of the learners’ cognitive ability in developing these skills

Forum posting habits and attainment in a dual-mode MOOC

Discussion forums in massive open online courses (MOOCs) are a primary means of interaction among learners and instructors. Despite their widespread use there is concern that forums are not an effective means of promoting engagement and learning. This paper examines issues relating to forums through a brief literature review and by drawing on data from a specific MOOC run by the University of Warwick. Two parallel delivery modes allow comparison of forum participation. We analysed two users; those who contributed to forums and those who did not, using comparison of their final average grades in quizzes to analyse their performance rate. We classified super posters in our CfT forum as those who started a thread or more and at the same time contributed optionally in forum discussion posted by other participants. It was observed in our analyses that participants in the forum perform better within the top grades at the end of the course. However, results indicated that forum use overall is low and that tutor-moderation may close down participants’ discussion, while peer-support forums fail to offer adequate support

Cognitive optimism of distinctive initiatives to foster self-directed and self-regulated learning skills:A comparative analysis of conventional and blended-learning in undergraduate studies

Independent learning in massive open online courses (MOOCs) requires considerable effort from the learners themselves. Blended-learning has been recognised to foster independent learning among undergraduate students. With the popularity of the blended-learning approach to teach in traditional educational settings, little has been mentioned on how cohesive this approach is in fostering self-directed learning and self-regulation among university students. This study hopes to explore undergraduate learners in their distinctive study patterns. The study was conducted to investigate a comparative study between students from two departments; Science and Social Science. The aim was to explore the students’ self-directed and self-regulated learning skills in conventional classrooms and aspects of blended-learning embedded in a MOOC platform in two academic years for undergraduates at a top UK university. This study encompasses two case studies; firstly, a combine blended-learning seminar and a conventional seminar classes and a study undertaken with a student of English as a second language (ESL). The blended-learning students were participants who registered in a conventional university and took an optional module in computer security. The second group of students participated in a core module of logic and verification. The second case study was with a final year undergraduate student in Education Studies. The students studied and engaged with the course content using their initiative and directing their learning approaches