MOOCs as a massive research laboratory: opportunities and challenges

• Published in: Distance education Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. 5 - 25
• Main Authors: Diver, Paul, Martinez, Ignacio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne Routledge 02.01.2015; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Academic Persistence; achievement; big data subject classification code I21; Business Administration Education; Certification; Classification; College Students; Comparative Analysis; Computer Mediated Communication; Course organisation; Distance Education; Distance learning; Dropout Rate; Educational Technology; effort; Electronic Learning; Forums; History Instruction; Large Group Instruction; Massive open online courses; MOOCs; Nontraditional Education; Online Courses; online education; Online learning; Online teaching; Opportunities; Pedagogy; Procrastination; Scores; Student Behavior; Student motivation; Student Participation; subject classification code I23; Surveys; Teaching Methods; Tests; Use Studies; Video Technology; Virginia; Web based courses; Virginia

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) offer many opportunities for research into several topics related to pedagogical methods and student incentives. In the context of over 20 years of online learning research, we discuss lessons to be learned from observational comparisons and experiments on randoml...