Crowd-sourced learning in MOOCs

Abstract

This paper illustrated the promise of the combination of measurement theory and learning analytics for understanding effective MOOC learning. It reports findings from a study of whether and how MOOC log file data can assist in understanding how MOOC participants use (often) messy, chaotic forums to support complex, unpredictable, contingent learning processes. It is argued that descriptions of posting, voting and viewing behaviours do not in and of themselves provide insights about how learning is generated in MOOC forums. Rather, it is hypothesised that there is a skill involved in using forums to learn; that theory-informed descriptions of this skill illustrate how MOOC participants use forums differently as they progress from novice to expert; that the skill progression can be validated through the use of forum log file data; and that log file data can also be used to assess an individual MOOC participant's position in relation to this progression -- that is, to measure an individual's skill in learning through forums and similar educational settings. These hypotheses were examined using data drawn from forums in a large MOOC run at the University of Melbourne in 2013.