Intention and barriers to use MOOCs: An investigation among the post graduate students in India

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have widely been acknowledged as a unified platform to reduce the digital divide and make education accessible to all. It also enables students’ access to professors and educational contents sans spatial and institutional barriers. Despite several benefits, MOOCs’ adoption and completion rate remain unimpressive, especially among developing countries. Using Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2), we examine the key factors that influence the behavioral intention to use MOOCs among students in an Indian private university. The data from 412 postgraduate students were analyzed using Partial Least Squares-Structured Equation Modelling. The study identifies barriers to use MOOCs, in a university that has offered free MOOCs courses and certifications to the students. The study makes several theoretical contributions and offer adequate insights for higher education institutions to administer and integrate MOOCs in their curriculum.