A descriptive statistical analysis of the profiles of massive open online course users and non-users in India. (2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Trehan, Sangeeta; Joshi, Rakesh Mohan
• Is Part Of: International journal of knowledge and learning. Volume 12:Number 4(2018)
• Page Start: 305
• Page End: 324
• Publication Date: 2018
• Subjects: MOOC -- massive open online course -- MOOC adoption -- conditional average -- subgroup characterisation -- comparison of means -- tukey simultaneous confidence intervals; Knowledge and learning -- Periodicals; Knowledge management -- Periodicals; 306.4205
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-1009

Abstract

The current paper presents our research regarding differences between massive open online course (MOOC) users and non-users. Extant literature, mostly in the Western and also Chinese contexts, has evidence regarding the demographic profiles of MOOC users. Limiting our research to the Indian context, we attempted to study MOOC-users and non-users using self-reported survey data. Our descriptive analysis allowed us to characterise the user base at micro-level and to find significant differences between users and non-users - among other things, age, education, general online efficacy, communicative online efficacy and self-directed learning preference emerge as significant distinguishers. These findings are on expected lines and in practical terms highlight some of the learner-level characteristics and capabilities that facilitate adoption of online learning through MOOCs in a developing country like India.