Usage of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and Learning Effectiveness among Students in the Introduction to Service Management Course: A Concept Paper

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are now an integral aspect of digital transformation in higher education as universities continue to support blended, flexible and technology enhanced learning in the post COVID-19 environment. MOOCs provide wide access to course content, interactive assessments and scalable course delivery. The educational impact of MOOCs is yet to be empirically investigated. Recent research has identified factors that influence MOOC outcomes such as learner engagement, motivation, platform quality, self-regulated learning, teaching presence, social interaction, and perceived value. The value of MOOCs is particularly relevant to business and management education where students are able to translate conceptual knowledge into practical skills in the areas of service quality, customer experience, service recovery and operational workflows. Although MOOCs have great potential, few studies have investigated the association between MOOC use and learning effectiveness in the Introduction to Service Management course. This concept paper proposes a quantitative study to measure the effect of MOOC use on the learning effectiveness of students enrolled in this course. Drawing on the Community of Inquiry framework and the recent literature on online learning, the paper defines the usage of MOOCs in terms of frequency of use, content quality, accessibility, interactivity, self-paced learning and engagement. Learning effectiveness is conceptualised in terms of perceived knowledge acquisition, conceptual understanding, application ability, learning satisfaction, academic confidence and performance improvement. The proposed study will contribute theoretically to scholarship on digital learning and practically to the refinement of curriculum design, MOOC development, and blended learning implementation.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC), Learning Effectiveness, Service Management, Student Engagement, Online Learning

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