Quality indicators: developing 'MOOCs' in the European Higher Education Area

Abstract

The objective of this research is to design an integrated system of evaluation of the quality of the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) taking into account the features of this type of courses. The criteria included in the evaluation of the quality of e-learning training in a broad sense are considered, and specifically those developed for the MOOCs. Using a quantitative, descriptive and sectional design, a team of experts have valued those indicators proposed by the scientific literature. To do this, eight courses, focusing on the field of entrepreneurship and innovation, were selected. Most of the analysed courses meet designated quality criteria by having a clear and organized academic structure. In addition, each course states clearly the timing and hours of dedication by the learner. However, only a few courses do that on the open Internet and on their own academic institutions' websites. None of the MOOCs establishes the admission requirements. The main contribution of the current research is that it gives MOOC developers some quality indicators, related to course design and platform, to better plan their applied design and implementation, which has a decisive positive impact on the educational quality of such e-learning platforms.