Understanding Higher Education Teachers’ Perceptions and Attitudes Towards MOOCs for Professional Development: A Scale Validation and Predictive Study

This study examines the perceptions and attitudes of higher education teachers towards using Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for professional development and validates new scales within the Indian context. Data were collected from 76 teachers in colleges and universities in Jammu City using a structured questionnaire comprising two self-developed scales. Psychometric analyses demonstrated robust internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.984 for perceptions and 0.942 for attitudes) and sound factor structures (six factors for perceptions and four for attitudes), supporting the validity and reliability of the scales. Results indicated uniformly positive perceptions (means 3.72–4.00) and attitudes across demographic variables, with moderate to strong positive correlations (r = 0.33–0.88), suggesting that attitudes towards MOOCs transcend hierarchical and experiential boundaries. Regression analyses identified key predictors: Cost and Resource Considerations significantly influenced attitudes, while Content Relevance and Quality (β = 0.456) and Assessment and Feedback (β = –0.548) emerged as critical factors. These findings align with the Technology Acceptance Model and reinforce the potential of MOOCs to support continuous professional development in line with India’s National Education Policy 2020. Despite limitations such as sample specificity and the cross-sectional design, the study offers practical insights for leveraging MOOCs within faculty development initiatives in Indian higher education.