An overview of research topics and focuses of the empirical MOOC literature

Abstract

Over the years, MOOCs have been an attractive research area and has yielded large quantities of empirical and review studies. However, existing review studies in MOOCs are characterized by short year coverage or focusing on a specific theme. Therefore, we aim to examine the overall research topics, focuses and research productivity of the empirical MOOC literature from 2009 to 2018. Findings show that research in MOOCs have risen significantly since 2013. MOOC studies have mostly focused on learners’ completion/dropout, and other learner dropout related topics. Specific types of learners’ self-regulation themes in MOOCs were not researched.

Full text

Of Continuing
Education &
Professional Studies
Institute
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An overview of research topics and focuses of the empirical MOOC literature
An overview of research topics and focuses of
the empirical MOOC literature
Rasheed Abubakar Rasheed, Amirrudin Kamsin, Nor Aniza Abdullah,
Abubakar Zakari, Jaafar Zubairu Maitama
Faculty of Computer Science & Information Technology, University of Malaya,
50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
*Corresponding Author: noraniza@um.edu.my
Abstract: Over the years, MOOCs have been an attractive research area
and has yielded large quantities of empirical and review studies. However,
existing review studies in MOOCs are characterized by short year coverage
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research topics, focuses and research productivity of the empirical MOOC
literature from 2009 to 2018. Findings show that research in MOOCs
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researched.
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INTRODUCTION
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e-learning that has revolutionized modern education in providing free and
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democratization of open and free access of courses has changed along the
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researchers and practitioners especially after the 2012 when the New York
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been a substantial growth of research activities and investigation studies

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perspectives leading to the emergence of variety of themes, topics, issues
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studies over the last decade.
METHODOLOGY
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consulted the following electronic databases: ACM Digital Library; IEEE
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An overview of research topics and focuses of the empirical MOOC literature
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we considered 311 studies based on the application of our inclusion and
exclusion criteria, and the general viewpoints of the researchers of this study.
RESULTS
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investigates students’ topics such as dropout/retention/completion,
self- regulation, collaborative learning, dishonesty/cheating,
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elderly persons etc. Fig 1 below illustrates our selected study focuses
Fig 1: Research Focuses
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Fig 1: Research Focuses

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Fig 2: Research topics in MOOCs
WHAT IS THE OVERALL RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY IN
MOOCS?
3.1 Publication channels
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articles and conference papers. From our 311 selected studies, 173
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Fig 3: Publication channel
3.2 Publication trend

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An overview of research topics and focuses of the empirical MOOC literature
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41 publications in 2014 and reaching its peak in 2016 with 73 studies.
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in the United States started in 2011 which attracts global attention and
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and other non-learner related aspects such as instructional design of
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possibly due to learners’ dropout rate. Fig 5 shows that research on
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since 2014. Completion rates have been embarrassingly low as the
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even across the years are ‘satisfaction’, ‘self-regulation’, ‘learner
behavior’ and ‘communication/interaction’. Although self-regulation
has been ever present in technology-mediated modes of instruction
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in learners’ dropout.
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115
An overview of research topics and focuses of the empirical MOOC literature
Fig 5: A bubble plot of year-wise empirical MOOC research topics
DISCUSSION
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$OWKRXJKLWLVYHU\GLI¿FXOWWRLGHQWLI\DOOWKHUHOHYDQW022&VWXGLHVGXH
to our methodology of only considering the studies that are deemed as
‘high impact’. Nevertheless, we are fully assertive that our selected studies
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in terms of research topics, focuses and overall productivity.
)LUVWRXU VWXG\KDV IRXQGWKDW 022& UHVHDUFK KDYH IRFXVHG PRUHRQ
issues of learner dropout. Even though, researchers have proposed various
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not slowed down and has been on the constant high throughout the years.
Arguably, many other related research themes such as learner engagement,

116
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less on important research themes/issues such as learners’ self- regulation.
Although, students self-regulation in online environments has been an
inherent problem that
hinders the effectiveness of various online learning mode of instructions
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as procrastination. Though, procrastination is considered a psychological
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why the majority of the research activities on procrastination behavior
comes from the medical and psychological domains. Therefore, future
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procrastination behavior and its effect on dropouts, satisfaction and overall
performance. In addition, future research is warranted in fostering learners’
self- regulation behavior through external scaffolds such as social identity
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Research is also warranted to investigate the underlying issues of seclusion,
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as yet weak and inconclusive.

117
An overview of research topics and focuses of the empirical MOOC literature
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,GHQWLI\LQJOHDUQHU SRVWVWKDW UHTXLUHXUJHQW UHVSRQVHLQ 022&
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+RQH.6(O6DLG*5([SORULQJWKHIDFWRUVDIIHFWLQJ022&
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/HH':DWVRQ6/:DWVRQ:56\VWHPDWLFOLWHUDWXUHUHYLHZ
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118
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2012.
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Recommendation Approach for Web Search in E-Learning. IEEE
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5DL/&KXQUDR',QÀXHQFLQJIDFWRUVRIVXFFHVVDQGIDLOXUHLQ
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International Conference on Computer Supported Education.
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analysis of intervention studies. Educational Research Review.

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