A successful Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) attracts students. It motivates them not only to enroll in the course but more importantly, to finish the course. Such courses benefit from reduced dropout rates, higher perceived effectiveness, and increased engagement of students.
Most instructors definitely aim to create a successful MOOC. They wish to beat 80-90% dropout rates, gain excellent feedback, and provoke active participation of students. But the fact is, that only a limited number of courses really reach those goals. By using video lectures, many MOOCs are just employing face-to-face teaching methods but displayed on computer screens. The full potential of the instructional features offered by an online environment remains unfulfilled.
In our study, we decided to systematically examine the instructional design of successful MOOCs. We conducted a systematic literature review of over 40 highly rated, peer‐reviewed articles published between 2016 to 2020. Addressing the following questions, we aim to summarise reported findings: With a focus on instructional design, which factors have a positive or negative effect on students’ engagement, perceived effectiveness, and retention rates? How can selected elements of instructional design be implemented into MOOCs?
The findings of the provided analysis revealed four main topics: content, communication, and interaction (student-instructor, student-course, student-student), structure and technology, assignments, and assessments. Discussing individually each of them, we bring a list of practical recommendations for the instructional design of MOOCs. Each recommendation is supported by the rich database of research studies that prove or contradict it. The results suggest that coupling these recommendations into MOOCs can help researchers to build a successful MOOC.
After participating in this session, attendees will be able to:
- Recognize main issues of instructional design in MOOCs
- Support and improve learners’ control of MOOC
- Identify characteristics of a successful MOOC’s instructor
- Understand video as an important, but not the only study resource of MOOC
- Suggest, how to efficiently implement peer-assessments into a MOOC and much more
