An Exploratory Study of Emotional Affordance of a Massive Open Online Course

Cheng, Jeremy C.Y.

doi:10.2478/eurodl-2014-0003

Abstract

This exploratory study examines emotional affordance of a massive open online course (MOOC). Postings in a discussion forum of a MOOC in computer science are analysed following a research design informed by virtual ethnography. Emotional affordance is investigated, focusing on nonachievement emotions which are not directly linked to achievement activities or outcomes. The study identifies two non-achievement emotions in the MOOC. First, altruistic emotion evolves with the collaborative learning community and possibly compensates for teachers’ minimal emotional intervention in a large, diverse class. Second, intergenerational emotional resonance is observed and this bears a key implication on managing age diversity for the future MOOCs.

References

1. Angelaki, C. and Mavroidis, I. (2013). Communication and social presence: The impact on adult learners’ emotion in distance learning. In European Journal of Open, Distance, and e-Learning, 16(1), (pp. 78-93). http://www.eurodl.org/?p=archives&year=2013&halfyear=1&article=563
Search in Google Scholar
2. Baytiyeh, H. and Pfaffman, J. (2010). Volunteers in Wikipedia: Why the community matters. In Educational Technology & Society, 13(2), (pp. 128-140).
Search in Google Scholar
3. Borup, J.; West, R.E. and Graham, C.R. (2012). Improving online social presence through asynchronous video. In Internet and Higher Education, 15(5), (pp. 195-203).10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.11.001
Search in Google Scholar
4. Crook, C. (2011). Versions of computer supported collaborating in higher education. In S.Ludvigsen, A. Lund, I. Rasmussen, & R. Säljö (eds.), Learning across sites: New tools, infrastructures and practices, (pp. 156-171). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Search in Google Scholar
5. Dua, A. (2013). College for all. Voices on Society: The art and science of delivery. Retrieved from the World Wide Web on 11 August 2013 at http://voices.mckinseyonsociety.com/college-for-all/
Search in Google Scholar
6. EdX. (2013). About edX. Retrieved from the World Wide Web on 16 February 2013 at https://www.edx.org/about-us
Search in Google Scholar
7. Esposito, A. (2012). Research ethics in emerging forms of online learning: Issues arisen from a hypothetical study on a MOOC. In Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 10(3), (pp. 315-325).
Search in Google Scholar
8. Garrison, D.R.; Anderson, T. and Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. In Internet and Higher Education, 2(2-3), (pp. 87-105).
Search in Google Scholar
9. Garrison, D.R. and Arbaugh, J.B. (2007). Researching the community of inquiry framework: Review, issues, and future directions. In Internet and Higher Education, 10(3), (pp. 157-172).10.1016/j.iheduc.2007.04.001
Search in Google Scholar
10. Gibson, J.J. (1979). An ecological approach to visual perception. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
Search in Google Scholar
11. Graesser, A.C. and D’Mello, S. (2012). Emotions during the learning of difficult material. In Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 57, (pp. 183-225).10.1016/B978-0-12-394293-7.00005-4
Search in Google Scholar
12. Hargreaves, A. (1998). The emotional practice of teaching. In Teaching and Teacher Education, 14(8), (pp. 835-854).10.1016/S0742-051X(98)00025-0
Search in Google Scholar
13. Holmberg, B. (1989). Theory and practice of distance education. New York, NY: Routledge.
Search in Google Scholar
14. Holmberg, B. (2003). A theory of distance education based on empathy. In M. Moore & W.Anderson (eds.), Handbook of Distance Education, (pp. 79-86). Mahwah, N.J.: L. Erlbaum Associates.
Search in Google Scholar
15. John, P. and Sutherland, R. (2005). Affordance, opportunity and the pedagogical implications of ICT. In Educational Review, 57(4), (pp. 405-413).10.1080/00131910500278256
Search in Google Scholar
16. Koutropoulos, A.; Gallagher, M.S.; Abajian, S.C.; Waard, I.; Hogue, R.J.; Keskin, N. and Rodriguez, C.O. (2012). Emotive vocabulary in MOOCs: Context & participant retention. In European Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, 15(1). Retrieved from the World Wide Web on 13 July 2013 at http://www.eurodl.org/?p=archives&year=2012&halfyear=1&article=507
Search in Google Scholar
17. Mann, B. (2006). Virtual ethnography and discourse analysis. In B. Mann (ed.), Selected styles in web-based research, (pp.439-455). Hershey, PA: Information Science Publishing.
Search in Google Scholar
18. Marchand, G.C. and Gutierrez, A.P. (2012). The role of emotion in the learning process: Comparisons between online and face-to-face learning settings. In Internet and Higher Education, 15(5), (pp. 150-160).10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.10.001
Search in Google Scholar
19. Pekrun, R. (2006). The control-value theory of achievement emotions: Assumptions, corollaries, and implications for educational research and practice. In Educational Psychology Review, 18(4), (pp. 315-341).10.1007/s10648-006-9029-9
Search in Google Scholar
20. Salmon, G. (2004). E-moderating, the key to teaching and learning online. London: Kogan Page.
Search in Google Scholar
21. Schutte, N.S.; Malouff, J.N.; Price, I.; Walter, S.; Burke, G.; Wilkinson, K. (2008). Personsituation interaction in adaptive emotional functioning. In Current Psychology, 27(2), (pp. 102-111).10.1007/s12144-008-9027-9
Search in Google Scholar
22. Terras, M.M. and Ramsay, J. (2012). The five central psychological challenges facing effective mobile learning. In British Journal of Educational Technology, 43(5), (pp. 820-832).10.1111/j.1467-8535.2012.01362.x
Search in Google Scholar
23. Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. M. Cole, V.John-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman (Eds.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Search in Google Scholar
24. Wosnitza, M. and Volet, S. (2005). Origin, direction and impact of emotions in social online learning. In Learning and Instruction, 15(5), (pp. 449-464).10.1016/j.learninstruc.2005.07.009
Search in Google Scholar
25. Zembylas, M. (2008). Adult learners’ emotions in online learning. In Distance Learning, 29(1), (pp. 71-87).10.1080/01587910802004852
Search in Google Scholar
26. Zembylas, M. and Vrasidas, C. (2004). Emotion, Reason, and Information and Communication Technologies in Education: Some issues in a post-emotional society. In Elearning, 1(1), (pp. 105-127) 10.2304/elea.2004.1.1.2
Search in Google Scholar

An Exploratory Study of Emotional Affordance of a Massive Open Online Course

Abstract

Paradigm

My account