[publication] “How satisfied are you with your MOOC?” – A Research Study on Interaction in Huge Online Courses

Our publication at this year ED-Media Conference in Victoria, Canada about ““How satisfied are you with your MOOC?” – A Research Study on Interaction in Huge Online Courses” is now online available.
Abstract:

This research work investigates the importance and satisfaction on the level of interaction in MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) as perceived by learners and instructors. The study is based on data from online students and instructors of MOOCs. Two web-based surveys were used to collect data. The theoretical basis of the two surveys is the five-step model for interactivity developed by Salmon (2001). Salmon’s model proposed effective e-moderating in five discrete steps (Access and Motivation, Online Socialization, Information Exchange, Knowledge Construction and Development). Findings of the survey revealed that students rated the importance of interactions in MOOCs as highly important. However, they reported negatively the availability of many criteria suggested by Salmon. On the other hand, instructors rated nearly half of Salmon criteria as less important, and consequently did not offer them in their MOOCs. In addition, the study revealed that students and instructors rated a high level of satisfaction in MOOCs. In contrast, some students expressed their less satisfaction of interaction in MOOCs. They revealed their dissatisfaction to that lack of instructor interaction. Instructors suggested that it is impossible for instructor to interact with this huge number of students in MOOCs. As result, some strategies were suggested to enhance instructor interaction with students of MOOCs.

Reference: Khalil, H. & Ebner, M. (2013). “How satisfied are you with your MOOC?” – A Research Study on Interaction in Huge Online Courses. In Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2013 (pp. 830-839). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.