MOOCs in India: An Investigation about Reasons, Motivations and Valued MOOCs for Indian Students

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have become a prominent alternative source of learning for engineering and science students. This rising proclivity for MOOCs among students is based on multiple factors. Several studies have focused on factors that affect MOOCs usage, and most of them have used the Motivation theory. These studies have primarily focused on intrinsic motivations and tangible benefits of MOOCs. However, they have rarely examined why students spend on MOOCs. This paper examines why students are paying only for a certain courses on MOOCs. Our analysis uses the theory of consumption value (TCV) to explain this phenomenon. This study uses a survey method to investigate the students' pursuit of various courses on different MOOC platforms. The survey questionnaire elicited students to share information about MOOCs they have pursued, either free or paid. Our analysis reveals that personal motivations, negative classroom experiences and different learning reasons influence Indian students to pursue MOOCs. The expenditure analysis of students on MOOCs shows that students find Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) courses are more valuable than courses from any other discipline. Finally, we discuss the findings and interpret its implications with respect to future of learning in higher education. [For the full proceedings, see ED630948.]