This document summarizes a study on using MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) to support further vocational training. The study examined two pilot MOOCs on nearly zero-energy buildings and sustainable energy solutions developed as part of an EU-funded project. The study collected data on 157 students through course analytics, surveys, and interviews. Key findings were that students appreciated the flexibility of MOOCs but wanted clearer instructions. They were motivated by relevant course content for their work but employers were often unaware the courses existed. Overall MOOCs showed potential for vocational training if issues around instruction, content design, and involving employers were addressed. Next steps included improving course quality, continuing the studies, and translating courses for a

1. 02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
1
MOOCs – supporting further vocational training
Merja Drake & Päivi Rajaorko
Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences
Finland
EADTU 27th October 2017

2. Content
02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
2
 Background of our study
 Overview of MOOCs
 Student-teacher dialectic framework within SDT
 Research questions
 Research data
 Results
 Conclusions
 Next steps

3. 02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
3
Background of our study
 EU-funded project ”New Open Energy” 2015-2018
 EU directive ”´Nearly zero building (Nzeb)” 2020
 10 Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences
 MOOCs for vocational continued training for
energy & building sector experts
 Pilot MOOCs ”Nearly zero-energy buildings”
and ”Sustainable energy solutions”
 4 modules 1-3 ECTS
 can be studied separately

4. 02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
4
New Open Energy -project (2015-2018)

5. 02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
5
Overview of MOOCs
https://image.slidesharecdn.com/eadtu2014warburtonv3forslideshare-141029085811-conversion-gate02/95/successful-design-approaches-to-moocs-10-638.
VOO
C
madeMOOCs
sMOOC
s
groupMOOCs
asynchMOOCs
synchMOOC
s
connectivistMOOCs

6. Student-teacher dialectical framework within SDT ( Reeve 2012)

7. Research questions
02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
7
 RQ1: What motivates full-time and part-time
empoyeers to participate in MOOCs?
 RQ2: What learning methods and materials
appeal most to full-time and part-time MOOC
students?
 RQ3: What kind of a vocational continued training
method is a MOOC?

8. 02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
8
Research data
• Moodle analytics – each modules performance
measures (157)
• Course feedback (38)
• Questionnaire (17)
• Interviews – employeer participants (12) and
employees (7)

9. 02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
9
Module
0
%
1-20
%
21-40
%
41-60
%
61-80
%
81-99
%
100
%
Total
Energy
efficiency of
building
64 14 2 6 21 2 0
110
Energy
efficiency
calculations
21 12 5 3 3 1 1
46
Energy
efficiency
requirements 13 1 5 1 0 0 0
20
Solar
energy
76 39 6 2 4 0 7
134
Moodle modules performance measures (157 part/15.8.2017)

10. 02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
10
Motivation factors
 Self-motivation: arises from desire to learn
 Course contents relevant to present or future work
 To deepen the knowledge and skills in the field
 General or personal interest in the topics
 Need to share the knowledge with the customers
Reasons for unmotivation:
• Would have liked to have more profound information
• Unclear instructions

11. 02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
11
Most appealling methods and materials
• Autonomy in studying, no timetables
• Contradictional attitudes towards video
• Good to have videos also as a PDF-format
• Students would also like to have podcasts
• Extra material for independent study
• Contradictional attitudes towards assignments
• Multiple-choice quizzes could way to rehearsal
• Some would have preferred independent information retrieval
• Short answer questions were good
• Multiple small assignments instead of one or two larger ones
• For majority no need for interaction
• The language used should be work related (essays->reports)

12. 02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
12
MOOC as a vocational continued training method
• Unfamiliar concept to both employees and participants
• Employees unaware of the MOOC and there employee´s
were studing in the course
• Seen as a valuable method for vocational continued training
• Study anywhere at any time
• Possibility to study only parts of the content
• However employees have different needs
• No need necessarily for certifications/badges
• Important to involve employeers in course content planning
• time for studying during the working day

13. 02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
13
Conclusions
 Autonomy and flexibility are vital elements
 Good study instructions needed
 The content need to be diversified and challenging
 Variety of learning assignments
 Relatedness with collegues and other work-related groups
is more important than communication with study peers
 how to implement that in the learning process?
 Forum to ask questions
 Common platform for VOOCs
How to involve employees into the MOOC planning process?

14. Next steps
 Improving the quality of MOOCs
 Continuing studies in the spring 2018
 Specially concentrating in the employees´ point of view
 Looking for European level partners in order to translate
MOOCs into English and disseminate MOOCs into the
European level
02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
14

15. Thank you!
02.11.17www.haaga-helia.fi
15
Merja Drake merja.drake@haaga-helia.fi
Päivi Rajaorko paivi.rajaorko@haaga-helia.fi