This is a presentation for the FutureLearn Academic Network. Took place 15 June at the Open University, UK and was related to my PhD Study.

1. Exploring Learners’ Motivations on
Assessment in Massive Open Online
Courses
Tina Papathoma
Supervisors: Canan Blake, Doug Clow, Eileen Scanlon
Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University, UK
(Tina.Papathoma@open.ac.uk)

2. AIMS
 In the context of Massive Open Online
Courses (MOOCs), this study aims at exploring
learners’ motivations in relation to
assessment and their experiences of Self-
Regulated Learning (SRL)

3. MOOCs
 Massive Open Online Courses: Courses
aiming at large scale interactive
participation & open access via the web
regardless of pre-requisite knowledge or
qualification (Littlejohn 2013; Vale &
Littlejohn 2013)

4. ASSESSMENT
 Assessment seeks to measure outcomes of
learners’ performance on different activities &
is part of the learning process. Though, there
is discussion whether assessment drives
learning or not (Hughes 2014; Rowntree
1987)
 Common assessment methods include
multiple choice questions, quizzes, peer
marked assignments, self-assessment.

5. SELF-REGULATED LEARNING
 Self-Regulated Learning: the degree to which
students are meta-cognitively, motivationally
and behaviourally active participants in their
own learning
 Phases of Self-Regulation
1. Forethought
2. Performance
3. Self-Reflection
(Zimmerman, 2008)

6. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
 RQ1: In what ways do common
assessment practices influence learners’
goals in MOOCs?
 RQ2: What are learners’ experiences of
Self-Regulated learning in MOOCs?

7. RESEARCH AREAS

8. METHODOLOGY & METHODS of
DATA COLLECTION
 Online ethnography: indicates qualitative
techniques but sometimes includes the use of
quantitative data and analysis (Hammersley 2006).
 Data will be collected through:
a) online interviews so as to understand
people’s perspectives
b) a questionnaire instrument that will be
used to measure how learners regulate their
learning in MOOCs (Millingan &Littlejohn 2014)

9. PILOT STUDY
 6 Interviews of a Mental Health Course of
the Future Learn Platform
 6 questionnaires completed after the
interviews

10. PILOT STUDY

11. NEXT STEPS
 The Interviews & Questionnaires will be
analysed
 More courses in different contexts will be
investigated in the main study

12. CONTRIBUTION
 Findings will give insight into learners’
perspective on assessment as well as
methods to be used in our future work on
this topic.
 The end goal is to throw light on the
potential for influencing future MOOCs in
terms of adaptive assessment designs
based on learners’ goals and needs.

13. REFERENCES
1. Littlejohn, A. (2013). Understanding massive open online courses. CEMCA
EdTech Notes, 1-2.
2. Vale, K., & Littlejohn, A. (2013). Massive Open Online Courses: A traditional or
transformative approach to learning?, 212–227.
3. Hughes, G. (2014). Ipsative Assessment - Motivation through Marking Process
(Palgrave M). London.
4. Rowntree, D. (1987). Assessing Students: How Shall We Know Them?
(Cogan Page). London.
5. Zimmerman, B. J. (2008). Investigating Self-Regulation and Motivation_
Historical Background, Methodological Developments, and Future Prospects.
American Educational Research Journal, 45(1), 166–183.
6. Hammersley, M., 2006. Ethnography: Problems and prospects. Ethnography
and Education, 1(1), pp.37–41.
7. Milligan, C., & Littlejohn, A. (2014). Supporting Professional Learning in a
Massive Open Online Course. The International Review of Research in Open
and Distance Learning, 15(5), 197–213.

14. Thank you !
@ aktinaki