Learning experiments in a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course)

We present results from two treatment / control experiments in the 8.MReV: Mechanics ReView massive open online course (MOOC) run on edX.org during summer 2014. We compare the efficacy of physics homework problems: (1) traditional physics problems involving many skills, (2) deliberate-practice activities that train individual skills using the drag-and-drop format, and (3) analogous deliberate practice activities in multiple choice format. Using a common assessment, our results suggest that traditional instruction is more effective than deliberate practice activities cast in the multiple-choice format; comparison of traditional problems and drag-and-drop deliberate practice is so far inconclusive. Some evidence suggests users prefer the drag-and-drop format over multiple-choice and are more engaged in such problems. In a separate experiment, we investigate the validity of the pre-test/post-test methodology in a MOOC environment where students receive feedback on the pretest and can view the correct answer after finishing a pre-test problem. It seems that little learning occurs during the pre-test and that exposure to a problem on the pre-test usually does not provide students an advantage on the post-test.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Chudzicki, Christopher A

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• David E. Pritchard.

• Physics.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/99281

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/99281