Introductory science courses can be a struggle for instructors and students not only because of the challenging nature of the material, but also due to differences in the background knowledge of students. Provision of pre-lecture resources reviewing or introducing key concepts is recommended to support diverse students. In this paper, we describe…

Computer programming MOOCs attract people who have different motivations. Previous studies have hypothesized that the motivation declared before starting the course can be an important predictor of distinctive dropout rates. The aim of this study was to outline the main motivation clusters of participants in a computer programming MOOC, and to…

In Mexico, there has been a rise in Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) enrollments through platforms such as MexicoX. However, this rise in interest has not been accompanied by a corresponding increase in completion rates. This article examines the factors that influence Mexican learners' retention rates and learner engagement to determine the…

The importance of self-regulation in a MOOC has been extensively discussed in research studies that provide evidence about the significant relationship between self-regulated learning and success in an e-learning environment. Learners with high self-regulated learning are more independent in regulating their learning and have a greater probability…

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a promising form of online education. However, the occurrence of academic dishonesty has been threatening MOOC certificates' effectiveness as a serious tool for recruiters and employers. Recently, a large-scale study on the log traces from more than one hundred MOOCs created by Harvard and MIT has identified…

The free nature and open access courses in the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) allow the facilities of disseminating information for a large number of participants. However, the "massive" propriety can generate many pedagogical problems, such as the assessment of learners, which is considered as the major difficulty facing in the…

Team assessment has been suggested as a competency-based collaborative learning technique. Critical to the success of an assessment for learning, in competency-based education, is the use of formative feedback. This study reports on the development of, and the students' experience of, a Team Assessment with Immediate Feedback (TAIF), in which…

This study investigated the distribution of incentives (e.g., certificates, badges) for massive open online course (MOOC) completion, and relationships between incentives and MOOC outcomes. Participants were 779 MOOC students internationally who participated in at least 303 different MOOCs offered by at least 12 providers. MOOC participants most…

Massive open online course (MOOC) learning attracts more and more attention in both the practice and the research field. Finding out what factors influence learners' MOOC adoption is of great importance. This study focuses on learner control, user characteristics and platform difference. Hypotheses and a research model are proposed by…

University teachers are faced with a problem of "knowing" their learners when teaching on a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). This paper explores and analyses what the University of Edinburgh has come to know about its recent MOOC participants, highlighting one particular course. We draw attention to barriers and enablers from…

Gaining access to higher education (HE) is a serious concern for refugees. Although studies on the integration and success of refugees in HE are scarce, the challenges associated with this issue as well as its international relevance are becoming apparent. The "Success and Opportunities for Refugees in Higher Education" (SUCCESS) project…

Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) can create large scale communities of learners who collaborate, interact and discuss learning materials and activities. MOOCs are often delivered multiple times with similar content to different cohorts of learners. However, research into the differences of learner communication, behavior and expectation between…

The advent of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) has led to the availability of large educational datasets collected from diverse international audiences. Little work has been done on the impact of cultural and geographic factors on student performance in MOOCs. In this paper, we analyze national and cultural differences in students' performance…

Accessing higher education without having to overcome bureaucratic hurdles is a serious concern for refugees. Although empirical studies on the integration and success of refugees in higher education are scarce, the challenges related to this issue are becoming apparent. The Success and Opportunities for Refugees in Higher Education (SUCCESS)…

Why do over 90% of the learners in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) never finish the course? There is a need for further studies focusing on the learners' experiences of participating in MOOCs and factors that influence the decision to complete or drop out of the course. To deepen our understanding of why learners complete or drop out of MOOCs,…