open, digital, online, education, distance education

Motivations and self-regulated learning in MOOCs


Published: Nov 4, 2022
Keywords:
MOOCs self-regulation motivations for learning learning strategies
Ioanna Mitsoula
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6130-7258
Anthi Karatrantou
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5347-6251
Penny Panagiotopoulou
Christos Panagiotakopoulos
Abstract

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) require learners to self-regulate their learning to achieve their goals. Due to MOOCs’ learning autonomy, students must develop strong motivations for learning and self-regulated strategies. The aim of the present study is to investigate learners’ motivations for learning and their self-regulated learning strategies which led some to successfully complete their MOOC, whereas others not. One-hundred-and-twenty (120) learners in xMOOCs, or Coursera-type-MOOCs, took part in the study by completing the MSL-Questionnaire. The results indicated that learners who had completed their MOOC had developed strong motivations of extrinsic orientation, task value, and high self-efficacy. Furthermore, they had used strategies of elaboration and of metacognitive self-regulation. They were able to manage their time and study environment and felt the obligation to keep on studying even when the content of the course did not seem to have any interest on them. Finally, individual differences among the participants, such as gender, year of school graduation, reasons for participating in the MOOC, time for studying, and time dedicated to work per week were found to differentiate both motivations for learning and self-regulated learning strategies.

Article Details
  • Section
  • Section 1
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
Author Biography
Anthi Karatrantou, University of Patras

ΣΥΝΤΟΜΟ ΒΙΟΓΡΑΦΙΚΟ ΣΗΜΕΙΩΜΑ

Ανθής Καρατράντου

Ε.ΔΙ.Π. στο Τμήμα Επιστημών της Εκπαίδευσης και Κοινωνικής Εργασίας του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών

 Η Ανθή Καρατράντου είναι Φυσικός, κάτοχος Μεταπτυχιακού Διπλώματος Ειδίκευσης στην Ιατρική Φυσική, Διδακτορικού Διπλώματος στην Πληροφορική, Μεταπτυχιακού Διπλώματος Ειδίκευσης στην ‘Πληροφορική στην Εκπαίδευση’ και Πιστοποιητικού Μεταπτυχιακής Επιμόρφωσης στην Ανοικτή και εξ Αποστάσεως Εκπαίδευση. Είναι Μεταπτυχιακή Φοιτήτρια στο ΕΑΠ στο Πρόγραμμα Σπουδών ‘Εκπαίδευση Ενηλίκων’ έχοντας ολοκληρώσει 2 ΘΕ, τις Μεθοδολογία εκπαίδευσης ενηλίκων και Σχεδιασμός, διοίκηση, αξιολόγηση προγραμμάτων εκπαίδευσης ενηλίκων. Είναι Ε.ΔΙ.Π. στο Π.Τ.Δ.Ε. Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών - Εργαστήριο Υπολογιστών και Εκπαιδευτικής Τεχνολογίας (από 10/2017–σήμερα).

Η διδακτική/εκπαιδευτική της εμπειρία είναι εκτενής σε προπτυχιακό και μεταπτυχιακό επίπεδο (στο Π.Μ.Σ. του Π.Τ.Δ.Ε. του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών, στο Π.Μ.Σ. STEM του Π.Τ.Δ.Ε. του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών, στο Π.Μ.Σ. STEM της Α.Σ.ΠΑΙ.Τ.Ε., στο ΜΠΣ της Ιατρικής του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών, στο ΠΤΔΕ Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών ως διδάσκουσα 407, στο Ελληνικό Ανοικτό Πανεπιστήμιο ως ΣΕΠ, ως Επιστημονική συνεργάτης στην Α.Σ.ΠΑΙ.Τ.Ε., ως Επιστημονική συνεργάτης στο ΑΤΕΙ Πάτρας, κ.ά.).

Η διδακτική/εκπαιδευτική της εμπειρία στην Εκπαίδευση Ενηλίκων είναι εκτενής από το 1990 έως το 2020 διδάσκοντάς μαθήματα Πληροφορικής και θέματα Εκπαίδευσης Ενηλίκων Κέντρα Επαγγελματικής Κατάρτισης (ΚΕΚ), Κέντρα δια Βίου Μάθησης (ΚΕΔΙΒΙΜ), Ενδοεπιχειρησιακά σεμινάρια,  προγράμματα του ΙΔΕΚΕ, προγράμματα ΛΑΕΚ.

Η διδακτική/εκπαιδευτική της εμπειρία στην Επιμόρφωση Εκπαιδευτικών είναι εκτενής από το 2000 έως το 2019 διδάσκοντας σε επιμορφωτικά προγράμματα του ΠΕΚ Πάτρας, του ΟΕΠΕΚ, του Υπουργείου Παιδείας, του ΠΤΔΕ Πανεπιστημίου Πάτρας με θέμα την παιδαγωγική αξιοποίηση των ΤΠΕ

Η διδακτική/εκπαιδευτική της εμπειρία στην Δευτεροβάθμια Εκπαίδευσης είναι εκτενής ως εκπαιδευτικός Πληροφορικής από το 1996 έως το 2017 εργαζόμενη σε Γυμνάσια, Λύκεια,  ΕΠΑΛ (Οργανική Θέση στο 3ο ΕΠΑΛ Πάτρας – Εσπερινό) , ΣΔΕ, σχολείο Φυλακών Αγ. Στεφάνου (ως Υπεύθυνη του σχολείου ακαδ. έτος 2015-16, εκπαιδευτικός και υπεύθυνη Αντισταθμιστικής Εκπαίδευσης ακαδ. Έτος 2016-17, εθελόντρια εκπαιδευτικός 2017-20).

Έχει συμμετάσχει σε 24 Ερευνητικά Προγράμματα (Ευρωπαϊκά και Εθνικά) ως Ερευνήτρια – Επιστημονική Συνεργάτης (προγράμματα που υλοποίησαν ΑΤΕΙ Πάτρας, ΑΤΕΙ Στερεάς Ελλάδας, ΠΤΔΕ Πανεπιστημίου Πάτρας, Ιατρικό Τμήμα Πανεπιστημίου Πάτρας, Ελληνικό Ανοικτό Πανεπιστήμιο, Α.Σ.ΠΑΙ.Τ.Ε., Π.Τ.Δ.Ε. Πανεπιστημίου Ιωαννίνων, Εθνικό Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών (ΕΚΠΑ), ΝΕΛΕ Αχαΐας, Αχαϊκό Ινστιτούτο Εκπαίδευσης Ενηλίκων).

Έχει συμμετάσχει στην Συγγραφική ομάδα 1 βιβλίου, στις συγγραφικές ομάδες 5 κεφαλαίων σε βιβλία, στην Επιμέλεια για την συμβατότητα με την ΑεξΑΕ 2 βιβλίων. Έχει 23 δημοσιεύσεις σε Διεθνή και Ελληνικά Περιοδικά και 90 δημοσιεύσεις σε πρακτικά Διεθνών και Ελληνικών συνεδρίων.

Τα ερευνητικά της ενδιαφέροντα εστιάζουν στην παραγωγή και αξιολόγηση εκπαιδευτικού λογισμικού, στην εκπαιδευτική ρομποτική, στην ηλεκτρονική μάθηση, στην εκπαιδευτική αξιοποίηση των ηλεκτρονικών παιχνιδιών, στην εκπαιδευτική αξιοποίηση υπηρεσιών διαδικτύου, στην Ανοικτή και εξ Αποστάσεως Εκπαίδευση, στις Ανοικτές εκπαιδευτικές πηγές (OER), σε καινοτόμες δράσεις στην εκπαίδευση.

References
Allen, E. I., Seaman, J., Poulin, R., & Taylor Straut, T. (2016). Online report card. Tracking online education in the United States. Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED572777.
Allen, E. Ι., & Seaman, J. (2014). Grade change: Tracking online education in the United States. Babson Survey Research Group. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED572778.
Anderson, A., Huttenlocher, D., Kleinberg, J., & Leskovec, J. (2014). Engaging with massive online courses. Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on World Wide Web (pp. 687-698). N.Y.: ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/2566486.2568042
Artino, A. R. (2008). Motivational beliefs and perceptions of instructional quality: Predicting satisfaction with online training. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 24(3), 260–270.
Artino, A. R. (2009). Online learning: Are subjective perceptions of instructional context related to academic success? Internet and Higher Education, 12, 117–125. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.07.003
Artino, A.R., & Jones, K. (2012). Exploring the complex relations between achievement emotions and self-regulated learning behaviors in online learning. Internet and Higher Education, 15 (3), 170–175.
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, Prentice-Hall.
Barak, M., Watted, A., Haick, H. (2016). Motivation to learn in massive open online courses: Examining aspects of language and social engagement. Computers & Education, 94, 49-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.11.010.
Barnard, L., Paton, V., & Lan, W. (2008). Online self-regulatory learning behaviors as a mediator in the relationship between online course perceptions with achievement. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v9i2.516.
Barnard-Brak, L., Paton, V. O., & Lan, W. Y. (2010). Profiles in self-regulated learning in the online learning environment. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 11(1), 61–80. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v9i2.516.
Bates, A.W. (2019). Teaching in a Digital Age (2nd Edition). Tony Bates Associates Ltd. Retrieved from https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/teachinginadigitalagev2/
Brahimi, T., & Sarirete, A. (2015). Learning outside the classroom through MOOCs. Computers in Human Behavior, 51, 604-609. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.03.013.
Breslow, L., Pritchard, D. E., DeBoer, J., Stump, G., Ho, A. D., & Seaton, D. (2013). Studying learning in the worldwide classroom: Research into edX's first MOOC. Research & Practice in Assessment, 8, 13-25.
Broadbent, J. (2017). Comparing online and blended learner’s self-regulated learning strategies and academic performance. Internet and Higher Education, 33, 24-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2017.01.004.
Broadbent, J., & Poon, W. (2015). Self-regulated learning strategies & academic achievement in online higher education learning environments: A systematic review. Internet and Higher Education, 27, 1–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2015.04.007.
Caprara, G. V., Vecchione, M., Alessandri, G., Gerbino, M., & Barbaranelli, C. (2011). The contribution of personality traits and self-efficacy beliefs to academic achievement: A longitudinal study. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 81, 78–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1348/2044-8279.002004.
Carson, A.D. (2011). Predicting student success from the LASSI for learning online (LLO). Journal of Educational Computing Research, 45(4), 399–414.
Chang, M.M. (2007). Enhancing web-based language learning through self-monitoring. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 23(3), 187–196.
Chang, M.M. (2010). Effects of self-monitoring on web-based language learner's performance and motivation. CALICO Journal, 27(2), 298–310.
ChanLin, L. J. (2012). Learning strategies in web-supported collaborative project. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 49(3), 319–331.
Cho, M.-H., & Jonassen, D. (2009). Development of the human interaction dimension of the Self-Regulated Learning Questionnaire in asynchronous online learning environments. Educational Psychology, 29, 117–138. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01443410802516934.
Cho, M.-H., & Shen, D. (2013). Self-regulation in online learning, Distance Education, 34(3), 290-301. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2013.835770.
Cho, M.-H., & Summers, S. (2012). Factor validity of the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire in asynchronous online learning environments (AOLE). Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 23, 5–28.
Cho, M.-H., Shen, D., & Laffey, J. (2010). Relationships between self-regulation and social experiences in asynchronous online learning environments. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 21, 297–316.
Cosnefroy, L. (2011). L’apprentisage autorégulé: entre cognition et motivation. Grenoble: Presses universitaires de Grenoble.
Dabbagh, N., & Kitsantas, A. (2005). Using web-based pedagogical tools as scaffolds for self-regulated learning. Instructional Science, 33, 513–540. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11251-005-1278-3.
Dascalu, M.-I., Bodea, C.-N., Lytras, M., de Pablos, P. O., & Burlacu, A. (2014). Improving e-learning communities through optimal composition of multidisciplinary learning groups. Computers in Human Behavior, 30, 362–371.
Dörrenbächer, L., & Perels, F. (2016). Self-regulated learning profiles in college students: Their relationship to achievement, personality, and the effectiveness of an intervention to foster self-regulated learning. Learning and Individual Differences, 51, 229–241.
Effeney, G., Carroll, A., & Bahr, N. (2013). Self-regulated learning: key strategies and their sources in a sample of adolescent males. Australian Journal of Educational & Developmental Psychology, 13, 58–74.
Evans, B. J., Baker, R. B., & Dee, T. S. (2016). Persistence patterns in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Journal of Higher Education, 87(2), 206-242. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/jhe.2016.0006
Ferguson, R., & Clow, D. (2015). Examining engagement: analysing learner subpopulations in massive open online courses (MOOCs). In P. Blikstein, A. Merecon, G. Siemens (Eds.), Proceedings of The 5th International learning analytics and knowledge Conference (pp. 51-58). NY: ACM.
France Stratégie (2016, March 2). MOOC franҫais: l’heure des choix. France Stratégie: Retrieved from http://strategie.gouv.fr/publications/mooc-francais-lheure-choix
Hao, Q., Wright, E., Barnes, B., & Branch, R. M. (2016). What are the most important predictors of computer science students' online help-seeking behaviors? Computers in Human Behavior, 62, 467–474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.04.016
Halawa, S., Greene, D., & Mitchell, J. (2014). Dropout prediction in MOOCs using learner activity features. In U. Cress, & C. D. Kloos (Eds.), Proceedings of the European MOOC stakeholder summit (pp.58-65).
Lausanne: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne.
Hodges, C.B., & Kim, C. (2010). Email, self-regulation, self-efficacy, and achievement in a college online mathematics course. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 43(2), 207–223.
Hood, N., Littlejohn, A., & Milligan, C. (2015). Context counts: How learners' contexts influence learning in a MOOC. Computers & Education, 91, 83–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.10.019.
Hrastinski, S. (2008). Asynchronous and synchronous e-learning. Educause Quarterly, 31(4), 51–55.
Jordan, K. (2014). Initial trends in enrolment and completion of massive open online courses. International Review of Research on Open and Distance Learning, 15, 133-160.
Kizilcec, R. F., Pérez-Sanagustín, M., & Maldonado, J. J. (2016). Recommending self-regulated learning strategies does not improve performance in a MOOC. In Proceedings of the Third ACM Conference on Learning Scale (pp. 101-104). NY: ACM. http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2876034.2893378.
Kizilcec, R. F., Pérez-Sanagustín, M., & Maldonado, J. J. (2017). Self-regulated learning strategies predict learner behavior and goal attainment in Massive Open Online Courses. Computers & Education, 104, 18-33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2016.10.001.
Kizilcec, R., Piech, C., & Schneider, E. (2013). Deconstructing disengagement: Analyzing learner subpopulations in massive open online courses. Proceedings of the third international conference on learning analytics and knowledge (pp. 170–179). http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2460296.2460330.
Klingsieck, K.B., Fries, S., Horz, C., & Hofer, M. (2012). Procrastination in a distance university setting. Distance Education, 33(3), 295–310.
Kruger-Ross,M. J., & Waters, R. D. (2013). Predicting online learning success: Applying the situational theory of publics to the virtual classroom. Computers & Education, 61, 176–184.
Littlejohn, A., & Milligan, C. (2015). Designing MOOCs for profesional learners: Tools and patterns to encourage self-regulated learning. eLearning Papers (4)42, 38-45. http://oro.open.ac.uk/46385/.
Littlejohn, A., Hood, N., Milligan, C., & Mustain, P. (2016). Learning in MOOCs: Motivations and self-regulated learning in MOOCs. Internet and Higher Education, 29, 40–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2015.12.003.
Mega, C., Ronconi, L., & De Beni, R. (2014). What makes a good student? How emotions, self-regulated learning, and motivation contribute to academic achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 106(1), 121–131.
Michinov, N., Brunot, S., Le Bohec, O., Juhel, J., & Delaval, M. (2011). Procrastination, participation, and performance in online learning environments. Computers & Education, 56(1), 243–252.
Milligan, C., & Littlejohn, A. (2014). Supporting professional learning in a massive open online course. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 15(5), 197–213.
Nawrot, I., & Doucet, A. (2014). Building engagement for MOOC students: introducing support for time management on online learning platforms. In Proceedings of the companion publication of the 23rd international conference on World wide web companion (pp.1077-1082).
Onah, D. F. O., Sinclair, J., & Boyatt, R. (2014). Dropout rates of massive open online courses: behavioral patterns. In Proceedings of EDULEARN14 (pp. 5825-5834). N.Y.: ACM.
Perna, L. W., Ruby, A., Boruch, R. F., Wang, N., Scull, J., & Evans, C. (2014). Moving through MOOCs: Understanding the progression of users in Massive Open Online Courses. Educational Researcher, 43, 9, 421-432. http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/0013189X14562423.
Pilli, O., Admiraal, W., & Salli, A. (2018). Moocs: Innovation or stagnation? Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 19(3), 169-181. http://dx.doi.org/10.17718/tojde.445121.
Pintrich, P. R., Smith, D. A. F., Garcia, T., & McKeachie, W. J. (1991). A Manual of the Use of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan. National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Teaching and Learning.
Pintrich, P. R. (1999). The role of motivation in promoting and sustaining self-regulated learning. International Journal of Educational Research, 31(6), 459-470.
Puzziferro,M. (2008). Online technologies self-efficacy and self-regulated learning as predictors of final grade and satisfaction in college-level online courses. American Journal of Distance Education, 22(2), 72–89.
Rakes, G. C., & Dunn, K. E. (2010). The impact of online graduate students’ motivation and self-regulation on academic procrastination. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 9, 78–93.
Richardson, M., Abraham, C., & Bond, R. (2012). Psychological correlates of university students' academic performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 138(2), 353-387. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026838
Seaton, D. T., Bergner, Y., Chuang, I., Mitros, P., & Pritchard, D. E. (2014). Who does what in a massive open online course? Communications of the ACM, 57(4), 58-65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2500876.
Serdyukov, P., & Hill, R. (2013). Flying with clipped wings: are students independent in online college classes? Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching, 6(1), 54–67.
Shen, C., & Kuo, C. (2015). Learning in massive open online courses: Evidence from social media mining. Computers in Human Behavior, 51, 568–577. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.02.066.
Sinha, T. (2014). Together we stand, together we fall, together we win: dynamic team formation in massive open online courses. In Proceedings of the 5th IEEE International Conference on application of digital information & web technologies (pp. 107-112). Bangalore: IEEE. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ICADIWT.2014.6814694.
Sitzmann, T., Kraiger, K., Stewart, D., & Wisher, R. (2006). The comparative effectiveness of web-based and classroom instruction: a meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 59, 623-664.
Steinmayr, R., Weidinger, A., F., Schwinger, M., & Spinath, B. (2019). The importance of students’ motivation for their academic achievement - replicating and excending previous findings. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01730.
Stonebraker, P.W., & Hazeltine, J.E. (2004). Virtual learning effectiveness. The Learning Organization, 11 (2-3), 209-25.
Sun, J. C.-Y., & Rueda, R. (2012). Situational interest, computer self-efficacy and self-regulation: Their impact on student engagement in distance education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 43(2), 191-204.
Wang, S. L., & Wu, P. Y. (2008). The role of feedback and self-efficacy on web-based learning: the social cognitive perspective. Computers & Education, 51(4), 1589–1598.
Wei, C. W., & Chen, N. S. (2012). A model for social presence in online classrooms. Educational Technology Research and Development, 60(3), 529–545.
Weinstein, C. E., Acee, T. W., & Jung, J. (2011). Self-regulation and learning strategies. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 126, 45-53. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.443
Welsh, E.T., Wanberg, C.R., Brown, K.G., & Simmering, M.J. (2003), “E-learning: emerging uses, empirical results and future directions”, International Journal of Training and Development, 7, 245-58.
Wolters, C. A., & Hussain, M. (2015). Investigating grit and its relations with college students' self-regulated learning and academic achievement. Metacognition and Learning, 10(3), 293–311.
Xu, D., & Jaggars, S. S. (2014). Performance gaps between online and face-to-face courses: Differences across types of students and academic subject areas. The Journal of Higher Education, 85(5), 633–659.
Zhang, X., & Ordonez de Pablos, P. (2012). How second life impact the team learning outcome?: From the perspective of IT capabilities. International Journal of Engineering Education, 28(6), 1388–1392.
Zheng, S., Rosson, M. B., Shih, P. C., & Carroll, J. M. (2015). Understanding Student Motivation, Behaviors and Perceptions in MOOCs. Proceedings of the 18th ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing - CSCW ’15, (pp. 1882-1895). http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2675133.2675217.
Zhuhadar, L., Kruk, S. R., & Daday, J. (2015). Semantically enriched Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) platform. Computers in Human Behavior, 51, 578–593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.02.067.
Zhuhadar, L., Yang, R., & Lytras, M. D. (2013). The impact of social multimedia systems on cyberlearners. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(2), 378–385.
Zimmerman, B., Bandura, A., & Martinez-Pons, M. (1992). Self-motivation for academic achievement: The role of self-efficacy beliefs for personal goal setting. American Educational Research Journal, 29(3), 663–676.
Zimmerman, B. J., & Schunk, D. H. (2004). Self-regulating intellectual processes and outcomes: A social cognitive perspective. In D. Y. Dai, & R. J. Sternberg (Eds.), Motivation, emotion, and cognition: Integrative perspectives on intellectual functioning and development (pp. 143–174).
Most read articles by the same author(s)