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Description
Academic self-efficacy is of particular relevance to the community college student population, and its role is important to understand in the distance education and Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) environment. The purpose of this study was to examine how adult learner characteristics influence academic self-efficacy in a MOOC environment and the role that self-efficacy plays in MOOC completion irrespective of adult learner characteristics. This study collected data from a student population registered for a MOOC titled Disaster Preparedness offered by the University of Pittsburgh through the Coursera MOOC delivery platform. A total of 34 participants completed two surveys separated by an approximate 7-week period. Participant variables including age, race/ethnicity, educational background, prior MOOC experience, community college enrollment, and reasons for taking the Disaster Preparedness MOOC were examined per their relationship to (a) academic self-efficacy and (b) the percentage of the MOOC completed. With the exception of participant race/ ethnicity demonstrating significant group differences with academic self-efficacy, no other significant relationships were found. The results of this study extend our understanding of the relationships among specific student characteristics and academic self-efficacy and the likelihood of success in a MOOC learning environment. The findings from this study offer implications for how community colleges can best prepare students to participate and succeed in MOOC courses and overall help to establish a possible connection between academic self-efficacy and self-directed learning in MOOC learning environments.
