Dive Brief:
- A new qualitative study asks traditional college students what they think about massive open online courses, finding a number of concerns that mirror those of administrators.
- According to eCampus News, the students found reason for concern when it comes to the accuracy of course content and instructor quality, responding that it is nice that people with information can share it in a MOOC platform but also a drawback to the system because their teaching materials are not necessarily peer-reviewed.
- Almost a quarter of interviewees said outcomes were a major concern, pointing to course credit for MOOCs as a way to legitimize them for students.
Dive Insight:
The report's authors focused on a traditional cross-section of students rather than a sample of current MOOC students because they argue that MOOC creators need to acknowledge and address the concerns of the first group to achieve widespread adoption of these courses.
One finding of the study may reflect one reason why MOOCs have such low completion rates. Authors wrote that “for reasons not directly clear,” students expect more prompt feedback from instructors in MOOC courses than their traditional course instructors. Enrolling in a MOOC would leave a student with a different experience than expected, and the ensuing disappointment could lead to dropping out.
