2 research outputs found
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MOOCs for Development? A Study of Indian Learners and their Experiences in Massive Open Online Courses
The study outlined in this thesis provides an account of the demographics, motivations and experiences of Indian learners in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) comparing the UK-based platform FutureLearn and the Indian platform NPTEL (The National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning).
A sequential mixed-methods approach was adopted. A web-based survey (n=2373) was used to collect demographical data and evidence of respondents’ perceptions about their motivations for taking a MOOC, their learning experiences, and any challenges they may have faced while taking a MOOC. The survey phase was followed by 30 semi-structured interviews with learners from both platforms, adding a rich level of qualitative data to the study, revealing the varied experiences and backgrounds of MOOC learners from India.
Analysis of the collected data suggests that learners from India tend to be male, younger, more likely to be in formal education, and more educated than participants featured in many existing studies on MOOC learner demographics. Further, the current study outlined several demographic and motivational differences between learners on FutureLearn and NPTEL, likely to be attributable to the distinct objectives of the two platforms.
A more in-depth exploration of learners’ experiences suggested that a diverse group of people, particularly on the FutureLearn platform, are using MOOCs to learn more about areas of personal interest, and, in some cases, using FutureLearn resources to assist in their teaching practice. Conversely, learners on the NPTEL platform, who tended to experience more technical challenges such as connectivity issues, were using MOOCs as a supplement to their formal studies, to make up for some of the systemic lack of quality education in many Indian universities.
This thesis suggests that educational technology, in the form of MOOCs, might not necessarily be widening participation in education in a Global South context like India. However, it offers a unique insight into the experiences of learners from India, and provides practical recommendations on how best to serve the needs of the varied Indian learners that make use of MOOCs
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Assessment and Recognition of MOOCs: The State of the Art
This study presents a descriptive overview of assessment and verification techniques used and emergent in contemporary online learning platforms. The Covid-19 pandemic has encouraged many institutions to move to online examinations at scale. Verification of learner identity is thus increasingly important for online education in examination and proctoring. Here we review state of the art approaches to ID verification, recognition, and assessment in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). Desktop research included research publications, grey literature, and direct interactions with MOOC platforms to identify current practices. The main focus was on public data from course pages on MOOC platforms, and particularly courses that had been grouped to offer a single academic program. Four approaches to verification of identity are described: basic identity checks; checks made by the university; external proctoring; and various types of interview. Our review demonstrates the absence of any universal approach. However, the emergent picture indicates increasing co-ordination across relevant stakeholders (including higher education institutions, employment services and the private sector). There remain significant challenges for online proctoring, including overcoming learner preferences and meeting the increased resourcing needed for human-led processes of identity verification. There remain significant ethical challenges regarding the use of learner data (especially biometrics). As a result, MOOC platforms may benefit from adopting identity verification strategies that are well-established in higher education institutions, such as plagiarism checking software and pedagogies like e-portfolios