MOOCs support the global need of learning resources with large impact through online access and no geographical boundaries. However, pedagogical design limitations in MOOCs are known to result in passive role of the learner, lack of learner connect and engagement, limited interactivity with course content and peers, all of which result in low…

A critical aspect of designing and running online study programs is the identification of factors and elements that could potentially threaten the continuation of studies. In this study, we first identified a set of critical events that occurred in the running of a Finnish online doctoral study program over 16 years. Next, we analyzed the events…

The design of online course materials is rarely informed by learning theories or their pedagogical implications. The goal of this research was to develop, implement and assess a virtual learning environment (VLE), SOFIAA, which was designed using the cognitive apprenticeship model (CAM), a pedagogical model based on learning-centered theory. We…

The aim of this study was to develop a coding scheme rooted in the Knowledge Building model, named Conversational Functions for Knowledge Building (CF4KB), to analyze students' interactions in an online undergraduate course. In order to develop the coding scheme, we analyzed students discourse and identified the kinds of "Conversational…

A constructivist learning paradigm emphasises authenticity as a required condition for learning. However, the design of an online learning environment is ultimately separate from learners' real-life environments, it is inevitably challenging to make online learning authentic. In this article, the author aims to propose an alternative way of…

Challenges of broadening access, escalating cost, maintaining desirable quality and enhancing meaningful learning experiences in African higher education (HE) have spurred debates on how to restructure higher education delivery to meet the diverse needs of heterogeneous learners and adapt pedagogical models to the educational realities of…

The massive open online course (MOOC) is emerging as the new paradigm for modern education. The success of MOOCs depends on learners' continued usage. Drawing upon the information systems success model (IS success model) and technology acceptance model, a theoretical model for studying learners' continuance intentions toward participation in MOOCs…

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a content analysis model for assessing students' cognitive learning in asynchronous online discussions. It adopted a fully mixed methods design, in which qualitative and quantitative methods were employed sequentially for data analysis and interpretation. Specifically, the design was a…

Successful online students must learn and maintain motivation to learn. The Self-regulation of Motivation (SRM) model (Sansone and Thoman 2005) suggests two kinds of motivation are essential: Goals-defined (i.e., value and expectancy of learning), and experience-defined (i.e., whether interesting). The Regulating Motivation and Performance Online…

The purpose of this study was to identify and validate items applicable to evaluating online courses at the postsecondary level. Items were derived from a review of the literature. Four judges rated the similarity of the items by making pair-wise comparisons utilizing multidimensional scaling (MDS). The study consisted of five stages. Stage I…

Little is known about how successful students in Web-based courses self-regulate their learning. This descriptive case study used a social cognitive model of self-regulated learning (SRL) to investigate how six graduate students used and adapted traditional SRL strategies to complete tasks and cope with challenges in a Web-based technology course;…