The research proposes that a servant leadership style of engagement in a MOOC learning environment has the potential, via the implementation of a collaborative engagement model, to enhance learner intrinsic motivation. Servant Leadership is a leadership philosophy based on the premise ‘primus inter pares’ or first amongst equals, thus the leader leads from within, sharing power rather than exerting power via controlling influence and the oppression of others. This style of engagement results in personal growth, enhanced identity and strengthening of community.

1. Servant Leadership as an
enhancer of intrinsic
motivation in MOOCs
Presenter
Mary Bolger
Networked Learning Conference, Edinburgh , 8th April, 2014

2. The MOOCs Story
The Tech Touch Dilemma
Using Servant Leadership to Resolve the Dilemma
Theoretical Perspective
Proposed Research Focus
Overview
What’s Missing?

3. The First cMOOC

4. The First xMOOC
Sebastian Thrun and Peter Norvig from Stanford University

5. Arising out of the Stanford course - Udacity was set up-
in early 2012 – set up as a for profit venture
Co-founder Sebastian Thrun
https:udacity.com

6. xMOOC - Coursera, for profit, partnered with - Stanford,
Princeton, Michegan, Pennsylavania (disruptive innovation, focus
here is on developing a new business model, new markets etc)
https://www.coursera.org/

7. xMOOC - Non profit venture founded by Harvard and MIT
(sustaining innovation – looking to new ways of enhancing
existing learning with use of online learning tools)
https://www.edx.org/

8. https://novoed.com/
Launched in July 2013 – by Stanford Professors, Amin Saberi &
Farnaz Ronaghi - (a mix of free, paid and closed courses)

9. https://www.futurelearn.com/
Consortium including the Open University, UK and a number of

10. https://iversity.org/
German MOOCs Provider

11. https://www.miriadax.net/
Spanish MOOCs Provider

12. So, What’s the Problem Then?
High Volume of discussion threads, non course related discussions together
with declining participation over the duration of a MOOC
(Brinton, Chiang, Jain, Larn, Liu and Wong, 2013)
High Attrition with approximately10% completion rates
(Kolowich, 2013)
Lack of Motivation – motivation is an important prerequisite to enhanced
learner engagement and self direction in a MOOC
(Milligan, Littlejohn and Margaryan, 2013)

13. Dilemma Reconciliation Framework
(Trompenaars and Voerman, 2009)
The Alternatives Scenario – Linear Logic
The Reconciliation Scenario – Cyclical Logic
Two people want very different things
Outcome tends to be ‘compromise’ rather than ‘all’ or ‘nothing’,
Result is that neither party is entirely satisfied or entirely dissatisfied.
Acknowledge that differences present dilemmas, for example, leading-serving
and specific-diffuse
Combine best attributes of both value positions
Opposites are overcome by combining them
(Trompenaars and Voerman, 2009)



14. Dilemma Reconciliation
High Touch
Low Tech
High Tech
Low Touch
High Tech
High Touch
The Tech Touch Dilemma
Conceptual representation of ‘tech-touch’ dilemma depicting a continuum from low tech to
high tech contexts together with the human touch associated with each of the contexts
And also showing the cyclical nature of ‘reconciliation’ by merging the seemingly polar
opposites to generate a setting that combines the best attributes of technology and touch

15. Theoretical Perspective

16. Servant Leadership as an Engagement Style
Building
Community
Commitment to
the growth of
people
Stewardship
Foresight
Conceptualis
ation
Persuasion
Awareness
Healing
Empathy
Listening
Servant
Leadership
Providing the context
to facilitate the
optimal growth of
others (followers)
beyond one’s own
self interests (the
leader). Thus the
leader becomes
servant inspiring
followers to go on
and become servant
leaders themselves

17. Associated Theories
Self Directed Learning
(Knowles, 1980, 1984)
Self Determination Theory
(Deci and Ryan, 2000)

18. Needing
More Support
Needing Less
Support
Hase and Kenyon (2007)
Knowles (1984)

19. • Achieve mastery
COMPETENCE
• Connect with, interact and care for others
RELATEDNESS
• Initiate change (agency) in harmony with the self
AUTONOMY

20. The Research Gap
The how of adult learning has been well documented over the years
(Houle, Tough, Knowles). However little attention has been given to
how adults learn in networked / connectivist learning contexts like
MOOCs
The stream of thought associated with the above is the meeting of
basic psychological needs (relatedness, competence, autonomy)-
>enhanced intrinsic motivation -> self direction
It is envisaged therefore that Servant-Leadership will enhance
motivation by enhancing engagement
It is further envisaged that Servant-Leadership becomes a goal in
itself in that it is self perpetuating. By generating an environment
that is collegially empowering, positive and emancipatory, others
(servants) will want to go on to become servant-leaders themselves

21. Servant Leadership
Engagement Style
Listening, empathy,
healing, awareness,
persuasion,
conceptualisation,
stewardship, growth,
building community
Intrinsic
Motivation
Self Direction
Competence
Relatedness
Autonomy
S
E
L
F
P
E
R
P
E
T
U
A
T
I
O
N
The Servant Leadership
Engagement Model

22. Given that the social context can either
Enhance motivation, or
Diminish motivation
- it is anticipated that the inclusion of an
engagement model (based on servant leadership
attributes) has the potential to enhance intrinsic
motivation and the development of the necessary
self direction required in MOOCs.

23. question

24. BRINTON, C. CHIANG, M., JAIN, S., LARN, H., LIU, Z., WONG, F. (2013) Learning about social learning in MOOCs:
From statistical analysis to generative model
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013arXiv1312.2159B
[accessed, 1st Jan, 2014]
DECI, E.L. and RYAN, R.M., (2000). The 'What' and 'Why' of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of
Behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), pp. 227.
HASE, S. and KENYON, C. (2007) Hautagogy: A child of complexity theory, Complicity: An International Journal of
Complexity and Education, 4(1), pp. 111-118.
HOULE, C. O. (1961) The Inquiring Mind. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press
KNOWLES, M. S. (1980) The Modern Practice of Adult Education. Andragogy versus pedagogy, Englewood Cliffs:
Prentice Hall/Cambridge
KNOWLES, M. S. (1984) Andragogy in Action. Applying modern principles of adult education, San Francisco: Jossey
Bass
KOLOWICH, S., (2013). Coursera Takes a Nuanced View of MOOC Dropout Rates. Chronicle of Higher
Education, 59(32), pp. A22-A22.
MILLIGAN, C., LITTLEJOHN, A., & MARGARYAN, A. (2013). Patterns of engagement in connectivist MOOCs. MERLOT
Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 9(2), 149-159. http://jolt.merlot.org/vol9no2/milligan_0613.htm
[accessed 3rd January, 2014]
TOUGH, A. (1971) The Adult’s Learning Projects: A Fresh Approach to Theory and Practice in Adult Learning. Toronto:
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
TROMPENAARS, F. and VOERMAN, E. (2009) Servant Leadership Across Cultures, Harnessing the Strength of the
World’s Most Powerful Management Philosophy, Oxford, Infinite Ideas Limited.

25. Thank You!
Contact Details
Mary Bolger
Phd Candidate, Open Universiteit, Nederland
marytbolger@gmail.com
Full Conference Paper available
http://nlc2014.sched.org