This project is producing a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) delivered workshop that addresses the poor completion rate for MOOCs that currently exists. The project team is studying what factors impact the completion rates and gathering data that indicates how the addition of human mentoring and guided peer learning can impact student completion. The exploration is based on two observations: (1) MOOCs are presently more successful for highly self-motivated individuals, and (2) currently there is an absence of interactive human mentoring in MOOCs. Six different modes of instructor-student and instructor directed-student peer interactions are being investigated to determine efficacy of multiple methods of instructor intervention and human guidance in the success rates of online MOOC students. Ultimately, the project is offering guidance as to how MOOCs can more successfully impact a broader segment of students.
Broader Significance: MOOCs are presently being offered on a large scale; however, there has been little discussion of how effective these courses are with respect to student learning. This timely workshop offers a groundbreaking effort to study and report on the addition of interactive student mentoring to MOOCs. The effort is also examining the potential to provide students in high schools and community colleges with increased access to low-cost remedial mathematics courses. Students who complete such mathematics remediation before they arrive at a community college or university campus may be more successful in college, thereby increasing the likelihood of obtaining a bachelor's degree. The workshop is helping faculty to design and offer MOOC-style courses that have built-in mentoring components that are needed to help students complete these courses.
