Beyond one-size-fits-all in MOOCs: Variation in learning design and persistence of learners in different cultural and socioeconomic contexts

Abstract How successful online learners are in achieving their goals varies along geo-cultural and socioeconomic dimensions, as well as with learning design features. Despite diverse enrollments, most online courses adopt a one-size-fits-all design that presents the same learning activities to all learners. We studied how learning design can be adapted to improve learner persistence rate. We leveraged data from ten FutureLearn MOOCs (n = 49,582) to examine how variation in course activities, such as articles, videos, discussions and quizzes predicted learner persistence. We then assessed the heterogeneity in these associations by learners' geo-cultural and socioeconomic context. Our findings suggest that certain types of learning activities (e.g., discussion) facilitate progress for learners in one context (e.g., Anglo-Saxon), while inhibiting progress in another (e.g., South Asia). This research contributes new insights into the role of cultural variation in learning design preferences and can inform ongoing efforts to create online learning environments that are effective for learners from diverse backgrounds.