Sixteenth International Conference on Technology, Knowledge & Society

Abstract

Technology innovation is revolutionizing higher education allowing new modes of learning to emerge. One of these emerging modes of learning is the phenomenon of Massive Open Online Courses, known as MOOCs. Despite its popularity in media and research between the supporters and the opponents, little is known about how learning happens in a large scale educational context and how to design learning environments so they are most effective, innovative, and transparent to learners’ needs. Therefore, in this presentation I will investigate the dynamic nature of learning at scale by using a case study of a Coursera MOOC offered by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Using a combination of educational data mining and qualitative methods, I will trace learners’ behaviors as they engage with the digital environment and examine the relationship between these behaviors and the different factors that motivate and limit learners to learn. Data was collected from clickstream files and archival pre and post course survey of the course. The study provides significant insights on how to differentiate learning at a massive scale and personalize educational experiences to reflect on learners’ unique needs.