The State of the MOOC
Two recent articles about Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) got my attention this week.
Fail?
The first article brings to the fore the reality that only about 7% of those who start a MOOC course complete it. This is, of course, a major concern for educators, given that completion rates are the major metric for colleges. It is completely understandable that many would see that number and conclude that MOOCs are failing. I’m not sure I agree with that assessment for several reasons.
First, it’s important to remember that MOOCs are a new and novel concept that has received a tremendous amount of public press. Many people are curious to know what the hype is all about and may well have signed up to take a course simply to see what the hype was all about. Once their curiosity was satisfied they dropped out.
Other students may have signed up with specific learning needs on the topic. Once their learning needs were satisfied they, too, dropped out. This is one of the benefits of the ‘open’ aspect of the MOOC; students are free to come and go as they please, according to their needs.
A third factor is the low, or no cost, aspect of the MOOC. One of the basic concepts of the MOOC is that the courses are available at little or no cost. This has, I think, two implications. The first is that the low, or no, cost of the course means the student has nothing to lose by signing up. This could lead to many students signing up for courses. The second implication is that with no “skin in the game” the student has no real incentive to work hard to achieve. Fowler (2013) points out a Coursera study that finds that students who pay $30 – $60 for an Identify Verification service associated with the course are “significantly” more likely to complete the course. Surely cost, and having skin in the game, makes a difference on completion rates. At the same, time, I’m not sure which comes first. Are they more likely to complete because they paid the fee, or are they more likely to pay the fee because they want to complete the course?
A final reason, at least in my mind, is that many MOOCs are simply poorly designed and, as a consequence, students found the format unpalatable. MOOCs are based on some very specific concepts. One of those concepts is that students contribute to the learning process with the faculty serving as guide. In other words, students are actively involved in their education. Many courses, however, appear to be highly structured courses with an over-reliance on video lectures and assigned reading. Students simply don’t want to sit passively.
Who are MOOCs for?
While there is no question that completion is an issue, it turns out that the one who are completing already have some college-level education — usually at least a baccalaureate degree. This comes as a bit of surprise, apparently, to some of the folk who felt that MOOCs would be the salvation for underprivileged students. Frankly, I’m not surprised. The design of MOOCs require the student to bring the ability to study independently to the table. Moreover, the concepts that underly the MOOC rely on student interest and motivation. The undergraduate student often lacks both the skills needed for independent study and the motivation and interest to seek out the knowledge the course is intended to provide.
To me, the MOOC has a couple of very specific niche markets. I think that MOOCs are great resources for the individual who wants to know more about some topic without necessarily wanting a degree. These individuals are motivated to learn, not because they need the degree but because they want to know more. These folk, not surprisingly, are often already well educated. Their motivation might be to gain the knowledge to move into a new position or to deepen their knowledge for a position they’ve recently been promoted into. Or, it may simply be to fulfill a curiosity. Many well-educated people tend to expand their interests into new areas. The MOOC is a perfect vehicle for meeting that interest.
These well-educated people also bring a history of study skills to the table, making the MOOC not only more appealing to them, but making them more likely to be successful in that environment. This is one of the major issues, in my view, for those considering offering MOOCs to undergraduate students.
Wrapping it Up…
I believe that MOOCs are a potentially valuable way for people to learn new skills that they need to improve their work situations, or to expand their interests. On the other hand, I don’t think that they are the best option for teaching students who are not already well versed in studying. Stay tuned, though, because things are always subject to change!