Study shows MOOC students prefer communicating on Facebook

Researchers have found Facebook groups provide a higher amount of student collaboration between MOOC students than other online learning platforms as Facebook provides more of a 'community' feel. Microsoft research scientist Saijing Zheng noted that 90% of MOOC students will drop out of a course two weeks after enrolling, leading MOOC platforms to consider incorporating Facebook-style groups into sites in an effort to boost retention rates. The study showed social media tools help to keep students engaged in the course through ease of connection with course instructors and contact with other students before, during and after the course.

Dive Brief:

According to a study presented recently at the annual ACM conference on Learning at Scale, MOOC students prefer Facebook's communication tools for collaborating and interacting over those built into online learning platforms.

The higher engagement in course-related Facebook groups compared to MOOC platforms' message boards and forums is leading some to consider whether embracing the medium could lead to a retention boost.

According to researchers, students felt Facebook groups were more like "a real community," had the added convenience of being part of a service they regularly use, had higher engagement from instructors and TAs and had superior collaboration tools.

Dive Insight:

In a press release, Microsoft research scientist and former Penn State doctoral student Saijing Zheng stated that within two weeks a MOOC will lose 90% of those enrolled. Massive open online courses have had issues with retention and completion numbers since their rise to prominence a few years ago, though. While this has led some to question their viability, there are also proponents who suggest they simply shouldn't be held to the same metrics that measure "success" in traditional courses. As their argument goes, if a student in a MOOC gets the information and skills needed to attain a better job or a promotion but doesn't complete the rest of the course, has the student not found success?