Understanding the edX MOOC: How can Circuits and Electronics (6.002x) help us understand the MOOC learning experience?

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

This is a RAPID to study Massive Open Online Courses as to how and in what context learning best occurs. This is a collaboration between MIT and Harvard on their edX initiative. The course studied is the MIT Circuits course "Circuits and Electronics" first offered in the Spring of 2012 as a MOOC. Data was collected from the 154,763 students enrolled in the course and this award will fund analyses of that data and additional data on students that needs to be collected quickly before too much attrition takes place. Additionally, the learning outcomes and experiences of students in the classroom version of the course will be compared to the outcomes and experiences of students in the MOOC to best determine both the effectiveness of MOOCs and the contexts in which MOOCs work well. MOOCs are a recent phenomenon and MOOCs have not been studied as to their effectiveness in a learning environment. This study will answer many such questions and provide guidance for improvement in MOOCs and in their deployment.