Abstract
With the advancement of online education, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have not just transformed the landscape of online distance learning, but they have also stimulated higher education reforms. Established MOOC providers (e.g. Coursera, edX) have partnered with the elite universities (e.g. Stanford, Harvard) and developed various revenue models; and increasingly, higher education institutions (HEIs) have begun to acknowledge the significance of how to take advantage of the opportunities from MOOCs. Many emerging MOOC practices have been evolving to enhance on-campus learning and teaching, to enlarge universities’ worldwide reputation, and to broaden the potential market of HEIs. However, little empirical MOOC research focuses on the non-Western contexts, and there is little to be explicitly known about that how learners are learning on MOOCs. The present study focused on a pioneering MOOC instructional mode across the Taiwan Straits which was anticipated to extend the reach of the MOOC in Chinese societies. The MOOC instructional mode had taken the initiative of promoting a cross-strait MOOC to be shared via cross-platforms relationship of the two Tsing-Hua universities in Taiwan and China, as well as cross-universities relationship using the SPOC (Small Private Online Course) approach in Taiwan. In order to catalyze the mode to be sustainable for future higher education, the present study aimed at investigating the learners’ learning effectiveness and overall experiences embedded within the unique context of Chinese societies. This study, which incorporated a mixed-methods approach to triangulate both quantitative and qualitative data, was conducted through the use of questionnaire survey. In this study, 431 participants who completed the MOOC comprised three groups: online learners in Taiwan (OLT group), online learners in China (OLC group), and institution-based learners in Taiwan (ILT group). In addition to statistical analysis of learners’ performance, this study systematically explored learners’ engagement, assessed their perceptions and satisfaction regarding the MOOC, and further developed the MOOC courseware guidelines based on learners’ suggestions. An analysis of the data indicated that learners’ performance, engagement, and perceptions all needed more pedagogical considerations when promoting the MOOC-by-SPOC approach in higher education. Moreover, the results of this study suggested that the integration of learning strategic guidance into courseware design reinforces learners’ cognitive engagement within the MOOC. As a whole, the findings have revealed that the MOOC instructional mode succeeded in leveraging a cross-strait course to create more satisfying learning experiences through underpinned cross-platforms and cross-universities partnerships in Chinese societies. Ultimately, the present study recommends the I.S.A.F.E., 3E, 3A, and O.R.I.G.I.N. guidelines for improving MOOC courseware design on video, exercise, quiz, and discussion forum respectively. Going forward, this study serves as a practical and valuable reference for MOOC practitioners and researchers in higher education.