Refining success and dropout in massive open online courses based on the intention–behavior gap

TLDR

The study proposes an alternative typology for assessing success and dropout in MOOCs. The typology incorporates learners’ intentions and subsequent behavior, and was evaluated through an exploratory study of two MOOCs. Traditional completion‑based success rates were only 6.5 % and 5.6 %, whereas learner‑perspective rates were 59 % and 70 %, illustrating that completion alone is inadequate and highlighting the value of considering learners’ perspectives.

Abstract

In this paper we present an alternative typology for determining success and dropout in massive open online courses (MOOCs). This typology takes the perspectives of MOOC-takers into account and is based on the their intentions and subsequent behaviour. An explorative study using two MOOCs was carried out to test the applicability of the typology. Following the traditional approach based on course completion to identify educational success, success rates were 6.5 and 5.6%. The success rates from the perspectives of the MOOC-taker were 59 and 70%. These findings demonstrate that merely looking at course completion as a measure for success does not suffice in the context of MOOCs. This change in addressing MOOC success and dropout provides an alternative view and demonstrates the importance of MOOC-takers' perspectives.