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Emotionally Engaged Learners Are More Satisfied with Online Courses

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  • Ruiqi Deng

    (Department of Educational Technology, Jing Hengyi School of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 211121, China)

Abstract

Research on massive open online courses (MOOCs) has tended to focus on outcome indicators valued in traditional higher education settings, particularly achievement and completion. This study highlights the differences between MOOCs and credit-bearing university courses and shifts this focus to an alternative outcome indicator—learner satisfaction. In this study, engagement is identified as an important antecedent of learner satisfaction and is conceptualised and operationalised as a multidimensional construct. This study built three regression models to identify the relative importance of behavioural, cognitive, emotional, and social engagement for learner satisfaction after controlling for personal characteristics unrelated to the criteria of good teaching. The analysis showed that engagement explained approximately 20% of the variance in learner satisfaction with MOOCs. Emotional engagement was more influential for predicting learner satisfaction than cognitive engagement and behavioural engagement. Social engagement had no significant effect on learner satisfaction. Demographics (age, education level, and origin) and motivation were of limited utility in predicting learner satisfaction with MOOCs, accounting for 4% and 2% of variance, respectively. Based on research findings, the article presents the following propositions: (1) configure the MOOC teaching and learning environment in a way that enhances emotional engagement; (2) statistically adjust for age, education level, origin , and motivation when interpreting learner satisfaction results; and (3) monitor the level of emotional engagement and implement educational interventions to provide support for emotional disengagers.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruiqi Deng, 2021. "Emotionally Engaged Learners Are More Satisfied with Online Courses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-19, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:20:p:11169-:d:652982
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christian M. Stracke & Giada Trisolini, 2021. "A Systematic Literature Review on the Quality of MOOCs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-26, May.
    2. Karen C. H. Zhoc & Beverley J. Webster & Ronnel B. King & Johnson C. H. Li & Tony S. H. Chung, 2019. "Higher Education Student Engagement Scale (HESES): Development and Psychometric Evidence," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 60(2), pages 219-244, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Brina Kurent & Stanislav Avsec, 2024. "Synergizing Systems Thinking and Technology-Enhanced Learning for Sustainable Education Using the Flow Theory Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-42, October.
    2. Annchen Mielmann, 2021. "Being Innovative in Running an Online Food Research Project in Consumer Sciences during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-22, December.

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