Realizing Equity and Inclusion Goals in the Design of MOOCs

Abstract

Our research explores coherence between diversity, equity, and inclusion goals that faculty articulate in advance of the design process and their enactment within massive open online courses (MOOCs). The purpose of the study is to gain an understanding of the types of goals identified by faculty within course design proposals and how those goals are instantiated in corresponding course designs when working with design teams. Our team analyzed 11 single MOOC and MOOC series proposals to characterize the design goals stated. Following the proposal analysis, we analyzed 32 corresponding courses to identify instances in which stated goals related to diversity, equity, and inclusion were realized. Our analysis revealed patterns between proposed goal types and the ways in which goals manifest in courses related to the way in which content or learning processes were central to the design. We intend to use the results to inform the development of processes to engage in a systematic and purposeful approach for the realization of equitable and inclusive design goals in MOOCs.