Survey: MOOCs Supplement Traditional Higher Ed -- Campus Technology

Distance Learning

Survey: MOOCs Supplement Traditional Higher Ed

By Joshua Bolkan
07/06/15

A new survey of students enrolled in massive open online courses (MOOCs) suggests that the courses are supplementing traditional higher education forms and "democratizing learning."

Researchers from Duke University studied "13 free, open-access digital courses offered by Duke using the Coursera platform," according to a news release, and found that the courses "are popular among youngsters, retirees and other non-traditional student populations."

The team analyzed pre-course surveys administered to all students who signed up for a fall 2014 MOOC offered by Duke, looking specifically at responses from 9,000 people younger than 18, older than 65 and those who reported that they had no access to higher education.

Findings of the study included:

Students in the younger group often reported taking MOOCs in topics not taught in their schools;
Students in the youngest group also reported taking MOOCs to explore different disciplines to help weigh academic and career choices;
Those in the over-65 group reported taking MOOCs to pursue lifelong learning, to keep their minds active and to mentor younger students in their own professional field; and
Students who said they enrolled in MOOCs because of limited access to higher ed chose them because MOOCs were available despite their financial or mobility limitations.

"The idea was trying to get a better handle on individuals who were underserved, because so much of the popular press has focused on highly educated, white (for the most part), upper middle class folks taking Coursera courses," said Lorrie Schmid, the lead researcher on the study, in a prepared statement. "We wanted to get a sense of these other groups and how they might be approaching, in similar or different ways, these types of classes."

"The theme that was most pronounced was that Coursera classes were supplementing or enhancing their education that they were getting from other either K-12 or higher education formal courses," added Schmid.

About the Author

Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].

E-Mail this page

Printable Format

Featured

Report Identifies Surge in Credential͏͏ Theft͏͏ and͏͏ Breaches͏͏

A recent report from cybersecurity firm Flashpoint detected an escalation of threat activity across͏͏ multiple͏͏ fronts͏͏ during͏͏ the͏͏ first͏͏ half͏͏ of͏͏ 2025.
National U Launches Student Support Hub for Non-Traditional Learners

National University has launched a new student support hub designed to help online and working learners balance career, education, and family responsibilities as they pursue their education. Called "The Nest," the facility is positioned as a "co-learning" center that provides wraparound support services, work and study space, and access to child care.
Email Security Transparency Dashboard Added to Office 365 Defender

Microsoft has announced a new e-mail security dashboard in Microsoft Defender for Office 365, offering customers visibility into threat detection metrics and benchmarking data.
Why AI Strategy Matters (and Why Not Having One Is Risky)

If your institution hasn't started developing an AI strategy, you are likely putting yourself and your stakeholders at risk, particularly when it comes to ethical use, responsible pedagogical and data practices, and innovative exploration.