Early Analysis Shows MOOCs Struggle With Engagement

By Mirabel Shanny. Although Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are fast becoming a popular option for students worldwide, the medium faces several challenges along the way to realizing its full potential. According to completion statistics, more than 90 percent of students who enroll in a MOOC drop out, as many feel isolated, disengaged or just lose interest. MOOCs, heralded as the next great technological disruption in education, went mainstream last year with the broad popularity of Khan Academy, Coursera, edX and Udemy. Putting lecture videos and interactive coursework on the web makes it possible for top-notch universities to make education available to more students. MOOCs have already shown they can attract massive number of students. According to Geoffrey A. Fowler of The Wall Street Journal, Coursera, the largest provider of online courses, has drawn 5 million students, and nonprofit provider edX has attracted more than 1.3 million. More...