Internet Learning Volume 4, Number 2, Fall 2015 | Page 66

The Tangible and Intangible Benefits of Offering Massive Open Online Courses: Faculty Perspectives
As noted by Clow (2013) MOOCs have
higher dropout rates when compared to
traditional face-to-face courses. Thus, only
about 10% of the learners who enroll in
MOOCs successfully complete the course
(Daniel, 2012; Sandeen, 2013).
The study’s other noted broad
benefit of MOOCs can be defined as the
advantage to the institution or program
offering the MOOC. Due to the nature of a
MOOC, it can reach audiences worldwide.
The MOOC, dependent on its effectiveness,
can popularize both the institution, as well
as the instructor, which may serve as a
recruitment tool for perspective students as
it was the case with San Jose State University
in California (Young, 2013).
In addition to reaching a broad
audience, other institutional benefits
include the direct impact on course
quality as well as professional development
opportunities. As MOOCs are unique in
their structure and purpose, instructors
need to determine which courses should
be offered in a MOOC format, the related
pedagogical issues, and the cognitive
accessibility and instructional design of the
course (Clara & Barbera, 2013).
Within this study, one of the
most poignant comments from faculty
members regarded the lack of familiarity
with MOOCs. Although MOOCs are
well established in many sectors of higher
education (McCully, 2012), it cannot be
presumed that all institutions or faculty
members have experience or knowledge
regarding MOOCs. This leads to questions
of institution adoption and support.
Faculty members clearly need professional
development opportunities to explore the
potential application of MOOCs in their
specific field of study.
Although many of the study’s
findings are corroborated by the literature,
this study raised questions regarding
faculty members’ perceptions of the overall
purpose, design, adoption, pedagogy, and
implementation of MOOCs. It is anticipated
this paper will be one of a series exploring
the issues of incorporating and offering
MOOCs within an established university
system in a well-known and respected
university in southern United States.
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