Amy Collier and George Veletsianos discuss the need for rich methodological and theoretical explorations of learning in MOOCs. Presented at ELI 2014, New Orleans: What do we know about learners' experiences in MOOCs? While surveys and big data yield insights into general behavioral patterns, these detached methods can distance us rather than help us understand the human condition. As a result, the phenomenon of "learning in a MOOC" is understudied and undiscovered. In this session, presenters will share their findings from two small-scale qualitative investigations of MOOC learners' experiences. Attendees will discuss findings from the investigations and generate research questions and methods that advance understanding of MOOC learners' experiences.

1. Messy realities
Investigating learners’ experiences
In MOOCs
@veletsianos
@amcollier
“Explosion
of
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from
MarkChadwickArt
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4. The new “data science” of learning
- Majority of learning research in moocs
is survey-based, focused on learner
behavior
- “big data” is generating new insights,
but researchers may be Excluding
important paradigms & methods

5. Why qualitative research for moocs?
- Different methodologies yield richer
Understandings
Micro (Ota, 2013)
“(I was) left with a partial sense of accomplishment and
feelings of hollowness and incompleteness”
Macro (Kizilcec, piech, & Schneider, 2013)
students are auditing, completing, disengaging, and
sampling

6. Study 1: post-course surveys in 2 moocs
@amcollier
Study 2: learners’ narratives in moocs
@veletsianos
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of
Paint”
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from
MarkChadwickArt
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NC-­‐ND
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7. Extremely
Good
158
Very
Good
234
Mostly
Good
Neutral
CS course
69
12
Mostly
Bad
1
Very
Bad
3
Extremely
Bad
0
Extremely
Good
959
Very
Good
1731
Mostly
Good
530
Neutral
Health Science
course
92
Mostly
Bad
23
Very
Bad
11
Extremely
Bad
6

9. Health Science
course
Applies
to
me
Does
not
apply
to
me
Total
I
expect
to
perform
beSer
at
my
work
as
a
result
of
this
course
3,156
172
3,328
I
plan
on
menUoning
my
parUcipaUon
in
the
course
to
my
employers
2,470
851
3,321
I
plan
on
menUoning
my
parUcipaUon
in
the
course
to
current
or
future
educaUonal
insUtuUons
2,382
939
3,321
My
problem-­‐solving
skills
have
improved
as
a
result
of
this
course
2,403
916
3,319
Taking
this
course
made
me
feel
more
confident
about
learning
new
things
2,809
519
3,328
This
course
was
valuable
to
my
academic
career
2,881
442
3,323

10. resources used
Wikipedia (CS)
Textbooks & articles (HS & CS)
Other websites
OTHER OER & MOOCs
Colleagues (HS)

11. Veletsianos,
G.
(2013).
Learner
Experiences
with
MOOCs
and
Open
Online
Learning.
Hybrid
Pedagogy.
Retrieved
on
Sept
29,
2013
from
hSp://learnerexperiences.hybridpedagogy.com.

12. Results from both studies
Learners Identified a need for improved
Instructional design
- improvements to materials & assessments
- Unclear expectations
- Long & Monotonous lecture videos

13. Results from both studies
Learners valued flexible learning design
and denounced rigidity
- However, some learners Appreciated some
formal structures

14. Results from both studies
Re: Interactions in the course, Learners:
- Wanted more instructor presence,
appreciated instructor responsiveness
- Valued instructor expertise
- Were frustrated by peer-peer interactions

15. Results from both studies
Mixed overall responses from learners
- Expressed enthusiasm & gratitude
- Questioned instructor, institutional, &
MoOc Provider commitment

16. Current study:
Learners’ lived experiences in MOocs
@amcollier
@veletsianos
“Explosion
of
Paint”
image
from
MarkChadwickArt
CC
BY
NC-­‐ND
2.0

17. Methods
20 in-depth interviews with mooc learners
Via skype
Interviews transcribed, thematic analysis
Coder check-in after 5 interviews

18. Discussion
“Explosion
of
Paint”
image
from
MarkChadwickArt
CC
BY
NC-­‐ND
2.0

19. questions
What’s possible if educational & social
researchers collaborate with computer
scientists?
What should we be asking about the
learner experience?
What designs/methodologies should we be
implementing?