This article describes the design and evaluation of an online, asynchronous tool that mirrors the beneficial peer instruction process currently conducted in face-to-face classrooms. In the online Peer Instruction tool, students respond to a multiple-choice question with an answer and explanation. They are then exposed to peer responses to the same…

Although higher education institutions offer self-paced massive open online courses (MOOCs) on platforms like edX, little systematic effort has been made to examine their instructional design features. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to review self-paced MOOCs on edX and examine their instructional design features for those interested in…

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that being able to learn online is now a crucial life skill and cannot be left to chance. Pedagogical interventions are critical to support students in building their digital skills and confidence, given identified links between online learning readiness and academic success. Based on this premise, the purpose…

Social media has been used in massive open online courses (MOOCS) from the beginning of the MOOC movement. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google Hangouts have provided collaborative and engaging spaces for MOOC students to work together on projects and activities, and for instructors to guide students. Instructional…

Language MOOC research has evolved over the last three years to a more mature stage in which researchers have gained a deeper comprehension of the theories that enable effective language learning in this format. The application of these theoretical advances should be reflected in the instructional design of the courses. This study is based on this…

English language education nowadays is not merely about the instruction and acquisition of linguistic knowledge and skills. Instead, it has progressed to the real-life applications of the target language, which further requires a mastery of cultural knowledge and skills. In terms of culture, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, compared…

Purpose: Open online courses have expanded opportunities for people to learn remotely. However, few online experiences offer participants ways to create projects and actively engage with course materials while developing meaningful personal connections with one another. The purpose of this paper is to share strategies implemented in a large online…