Internet Learning Volume 4, Number 2, Fall 2015 | Page 53

Internet Learning Volume 4 Number 2 - Fall 2015
The Tangible and Intangible Benefits of Offering Massive
Open Online Courses: Faculty Perspectives
Credence Baker, A Fred Nafukho, B Karen McCaleb, C Melissa Becker, D
and Michelle Johnson E
The primary purpose of this study was to establish perceptions of faculty
members regarding the benefits of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
in higher education. In addition, the study sought to determine what the
challenges of offering MOOCs were and what accounted for the low completion
rates of MOOCs. Data were collected using an online survey from 1,057 faculty
members in a major university system based in the southern United States.
Of the 1,057 target faculty population who completed the online survey,
939 responses were viable, and only 396 of the faculty respondents provided
answers to the open-ended question regarding the benefits of MOOCs. Overall,
the researchers analyzed 396 faculty responses using the Atlas Ti qualitative
program. Open-ended coding was conducted to determine what key concepts
faculty provided in their responses to describe the benefits of MOOCs. Axial
codes were developed to group primary codes into broader concepts which
enabled the researchers to create themes based on the axial codes. The responses
provide rich and robust descriptions about the benefits and drawbacks of
MOOCs. The paper presents the results of the open-ended question.
Keywords: MOOCs, massive open online courses, higher education, online
education, distance learning
A
Dr. Credence Baker is an assistant professor and assistant graduate dean at Tarleton State University.
B
Fredrick Muyia Nafukho serves as Professor and Department Head in the Department of Educational
Administration and Human Resource Development, College of Education and Human Development at Texas
A&M University. Dr. Nafukho earned his Ph.D. in Human Resource & Leadership Development from Louisiana
State University, M.Ed in Economics of Education and B.Ed in Business Studies and Economics from
Kenyatta University, Kenya. He attended Harvard’s Management Development Program (MDP) offered by
Harvard Institutes for Higher Education. He joined the Department of Educational Administration and Human
Resource Development at Texas A&M University as an Associate Professor in August 2007. Dr. Nafukho
has received numerous awards in recognition of his scholarship including: the Fulbright Scholarship in 1996,
Distinguished International Scholar Award, Louisiana State University in 1997, Arkansas Business Teacher
Educator of the Year Award in 2004, Cutting Edge Award for the Outstanding Papers, Academy of Human
Resource Development (with his student Dr. Carroll C. Graham) in 2005 and Outstanding New Faculty
Award, CEHD at Texas A&M University in 2008. Dr. Nafukho’ s research foci is on adult learning, emotional
intelligence and leadership development, organizational learning, performance improvement, evaluation in
organizations, and investment in human capital development.
52