Theme | Feature | Definition | Example |
---|---|---|---|
Active learning | Connectivity | Learning is connected to real-world issues, daily life examples. | “This math course is well connected the math knowledge to our daily life experience. It helps us to understand the abstract concepts and problems in ...” |
Interactivity | Participants are provided with online platform (e.g., social media) or contents (e.g., video lectures with embedded quizzes) to interact with other people (e.g., tutors), and course materials. | “...the convenience of the interaction support me to [ask questions] to understand the contents depth...” | |
Course resources | Conciseness | Course contents are well structured (e.g., key points in bullet form), and clear explanations and instructions in the video lectures or forums. | “The summary notes are more concise...The concepts and skills are listed [in one page]. [It] gives systematic view of the concepts, which helps a lot for the beginners.” |
Flexibility | Courses that allow learners to repeatedly access the materials they need without time or space limitations. | “I could choose what to watch or read, and when (and where to do my learning) ... I felt that I could decide what I would learn in the MOOC, according to my needs.” | |
Visualization | Illustrations or demonstrations of course materials using relevant videos, and graphs. | “Visual discussion via video rather than just written text helped me to grasp the concepts quicker and held my attention.” | |
Instructor attributes | Professionality | The depth of specialized knowledge the instructor demonstrated in the video lectures or interactive platforms (e.g., forums). | “... the instructors had a great depth of knowledge and [the explanations] were easy to understand” |
Personality | Instructor’s personality traits such as showing humor and support to students. | “The tutors seemed very sympathetic, approachable people – their enthusiasm for the course shines through” | |
Teaching style | Instructor’s teaching strategies (e.g., giving clear examples). | “The instructors will take a consideration on some aspects of the knowledge that we may lack of” | |
Willingness to communicate | Instructor’s willingness to communicate regularly to the students (e.g., setting aside weekly time to interact with students). | “...[the instructors] obvious commitment to ensure that ... many opportunities they provide for interaction with them” | |
Behaviour | Instructor actual responding to students (e.g., giving answers concerning the common problems that students ask). | “[After I asked questions to the instructors], they will reply to me in 24 h” | |
Approach | Different approaches (e.g., forum, social media) that instructor used to communicate with students. | “[I can feel the connection] through weekly feedback videos based on course comments.” |