In this work we study how different motivations of learners relate to their engagement in a massive open online course (MOOC). The research was conducted in a cohort-based astronomy MOOC "Astronomy: Exploring Time and Space" provided through the Coursera platform. In order to discern motivations of course participants, the Science…

This article reviews the existing Chinese language Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and points out three problems in their design: the monism-based teaching method, the non-integration of cultural elements, and the lack of learner-learner interactions. It then presents the design principles of the Introductory Chinese MOOC in an attempt to…

This article reports a study applying an exploratory factor analysis to discovering the underlying factor structure of Chinese college students' obstacles to learning MOOC in an English context. Seven obstacle factors are identified: 1. academic and language skills; 2. internet skills; 3. course instruction/management; 4. learning motivations; 5.…

A study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of using a satellite delivery system to provide market information to farmers. The program delivered by satellite was Crop Market Prospects, a one-day conference that presents the market outlook for both crops and inputs, investigates the world grain situation, and provides a long-term outlook.…