Crowd-sourced learning in MOOCs: Learning analytics meets measurement theory

Abstract

This paper illustrated the promise of the combination of measurement theory and learning analytics for understanding effective MOOC learning. It reports findings from a study of whether and how MOOC log file data can assist in understanding how MOOC participants use (often) messy, chaotic forums to support complex, unpredictable, contingent learning processes. It is argued that descriptions of posting, voting and viewing behaviours do not in and of themselves provide insights about how learning is generated in MOOC forums. Rather, it is hypothesised that there is a skill involved in using forums to learn; that theory-informed descriptions of this skill illustrate how MOOC participants use fo..