Augmented reality-based approach for interactivity in MOOCs

Abstract

Purpose -MOOCs represent a new concept that offers learning content to participants freely, anywhere and anytime. However, they suffer from several unsolved problems such as high dropout percentage, low completion rate or uncontrollable understanding level of the participants that can be caused by the lack of the practical activities and simulations. This article aims to propose a solution to ensure the integration of virtual manipulations in MOOCs.Design/methodology/approach -This paper proposes the integration of virtual manipulations (simulations and practical activities) relying on augmented reality. To ensure the manipulation of the used 3D objects, two methods have been proposed based on markers or hand gestures. Customized markers are used, facilitating their recognition by the users, to visualize the objects and to ensure their interactions. Hand gestures have been proposed to perform the manipulation easily. Consequently, hand detection and gestures classification using hand contour detection and HSV filter have been applied.Findings -Two MOOCs pedagogically similar were proposed to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed solution. The only difference is that the second MOOC contains virtual manipulations that the participants can perform to understand better and to interact during the courses. The finding results show that the participants' understanding and satisfaction levels in the second MOOC were higher, and the dropout rate was lower than the first one.Originality/value -The integration of practical activities/simulations in MOOCs using augmented reality is the key novelty of our work. To do so, two manipulation methods have been proposed, so the instructor can feel free to choose the adequate method to ensure a better progress of the manipulations.

How Different Categories of Gamified Stimuli Affect Massive Open Online Courses Continuance Intention and Learning Performance? Mediating Roles of Internal Experiences

“…To date, the issue of high dropout rates undoubtedly represents an unprecedented challenge for MOOCs practitioners (Dai, Teo, & Rappa, 2020; El Kabtane et al, 2019). However, existing studies that capture learners’ intention to participate in MOOCs are too rough to explain their behavioral response to MOOCs adoption situations (Wu & Chen, 2017).…”

“…Not only can it encourage learners’ MOOCs continuance intention driven by their internal experiences, but it can further enhance learners’ learning performance. It is of particular interest to note that if learners may feel to the presence of the participants’ interactions in MOOCs learning environments, thus they will be intrinsically motivated, and they eventually tend to complete MOOCs, which is considered as a major challenge encountered in the MOOCs development (El Kabtane et al, 2019; Wu & Chen, 2017). Hence, this study’s results further imply that if learners can be intrinsically motivated by their interactions with gamification features, and thus this will trigger their MOOCs continuance intention, which can increase their learning performance, thereby reducing dropout rates.…”

“…Up to now, while MOOCs, as a new mode of online learning, have gained increasing attention from both academia and industry, there still exist a prevailing problem, high dropout rates and low completion rates when comparing enrollments with the number of students that completed these courses (El Kabtane et al, 2019; Dai, Teo, & Rappa, 2020; Zhao et al, 2020). Thus, the measurement of MOOCs’ effectiveness may depend on its continued usage (Wu & Chen, 2017; Zhao et al, 2020), and it is crucial to explore the underlying mechanisms that motivate learners to continue using MOOCs, which is a major research topic to this study and it is of great importance to online education.…”

Students Perceptions of Digital Disruption in Learning

“…The use of AR technology in learning can involve students in the learning process that could develop their knowledge and skills in terms of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) literacy [15]. Even a study by Kabtane, et al [16] found that the use of AR-based approach in the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) has results that the level of understanding and satisfaction of participants using the AR based approach in the MOOC is higher than those who do not use it. Based on these facts, digital innovation in learning is a challenge for teachers to be able to compete in the current era of globalization.…”

Systematic research of e-learning platforms for solving challenges faced by Indian engineering students

“…Similarly, live quizzes with leader-boards would not only add an element of fun to the learning but would also be an indicator of how much the students have learned (Huang et al (2019a, b), Seaborn and Fels (2015)). The platforms should further be compatible with augmented reality and virtual reality as these would greatly increase the level of understanding (Bower, 2017; El Kabtane et al , 2019; Uhomoibhi et al , 2019). The presence of a virtual user guide along with a chat box would help in resolving the basic issues faced by a great number of users.…”