Students demographics and behaviour in a series of Australian massive open online courses (MOOCS)

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

    Abstract

    I investigate the demographics and behavior of students in a series of four Astrophysics Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offered in 2014-15 by the Australian National University, via the edX Consortium. 100,000 students enrolled in one or more of the courses. These students came from 175 countries: only 6% came from within Australia and less than half had heard of the Australian National University before enrolling. MOOCs are thus an effective way to increase awareness of Australian universities amongst populations where such awareness is extremely low. Only 30% of those who enrolled in the first course ever logged in, and only 10% passed the first homework. Amongst those who passed the first homework, however, 75% would go on to pass the course. Students in the age range 20-30 years were particularly likely to enroll in the course but never log in. The students found the MOOCs to be an effective educational experience: 87% said that they learned as much or more from these MOOCs as they had from on-campus courses. They particularly praised the ability to pause and re-wind the short videos used in the course.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationProceedings of the Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education - The 21st UniServe Science Conference 2015
    Place of PublicationTBC
    PublisherThe University of Sydney
    Pages108-113pp
    EditionPeer Reviewed
    ISBN (Print)9780987183446
    Publication statusPublished - 2015
    EventAustralian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education 2015 - Curtin University, Perth, Australia
    Duration: 30 Sept 20151 Oct 2015
    https://openjournals.library.sydney.edu.au/IISME/issue/view/729

    Conference

    ConferenceAustralian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education 2015
    Country/TerritoryAustralia
    CityPerth
    Period30/09/151/10/15
    OtherThe 2015 Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education (ACSME – formerly known as the UniServe Science Conference) marks the first time it has been held on the west coast of Australia.
    Internet address

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