Why do MOOCs fail on completion Rate? An Analysis of SWAYAM Courses

Abstract

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have transformed the traditional open and distance learning (ODL) system and bridged the arbitrary distance between face-to-face and ODL in the last decade. Since their starting in 2012 (commonly known as Year of MOOC), MOOCs have gained momentum and attracted millions of learners worldwide, and India is not an exception. SWAYAM (a MOOC platform launched in 2016 by the Government of India) is the most prominent MOOC provider in India. While judging the success of any MOOC, there are two distinct criteria. One is enrollment (massiveness) and another is retention and completion rate (certification ratio). MOOCs offered on SWAYAM are also being judged on these two criteria. The average completion rate is approximately 4.60 percent on SWAYAM. To explore the reasons for the low completion rate, the researcher has collected, and analyzed the perception of 537 dropout learners from two SWAYAM courses and concluded that many learners are dropping out from SWAYAM MOOC because they have never joined the course with the intent of certification. Other important reasons identified in the study are course instructors’ failure in sustaining the interest of learners and engaging them in class; non-availability of all modules at the same time; offering the courses in English and not in Hindi or other regional languages; lack of clarity in announcements, longer duration of lectures, and the challenge of sustaining learners’ motivation such courses. The researcher has suggested the implications of these findings for course coordinators, host institutions, and policymakers.