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Fast Certificate Issuance in a Moodle-Based MOOC Platform: A Large-Scale Study

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Title: Fast Certificate Issuance in a Moodle-Based MOOC Platform: A Large-Scale Study
Language: English
Authors: Gabriela Trindade Perry (ORCID 0000-0002-9405-4477), Marlise Bock Santos
Source: Journal of Computer Assisted Learning. 2024 40(6):3072-3082.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 11
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, MOOCs, Distance Education, Electronic Learning, Learning Management Systems, Cheating, Plagiarism, Time on Task, Student Certification, Educational Attainment, Time Factors (Learning), Course Organization, Curriculum Development
Geographic Terms: Brazil
DOI: 10.1111/jcal.13054
ISSN: 0266-4909
1365-2729
Abstract: Background: Instances of academic dishonesty are common in online learning environments because difficulties in their detection result in considerably low degrees of risks. However, if not identified, the noise introduced by dishonest learners in MOOCs' clickstream data could lead to biased results and conclusions in scientific research. Objectives: This study aimed to identify and quantify the most frequent undesirable behaviour employed by students to earn completion certificates. Methods: We employed descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse a Brazilian Moodle-based MOOC platform's clickstream data. The database had information related to 113 MOOCs, and 297,687 students who obtained 109,050 certificates from 2016 to 2023. The MOOCs were organised in two groups, with and without a minimum time-on-course restriction. Results and Conclusions: Amongst the issued certificates of MOOCs without the minimum time-on-course restriction, around 51% were obtained via Fast certificate issuance, while for MOOCs with the restriction, only 2% of certificates were obtained this way. We conclude that this difference in course configuration is key in explaining the identified behaviours. Implications: The results indicate that the number of instances of undesirable behaviours in MOOCs might be much higher than reported, posing a potential threat to this educational model. Also, the nature of this behaviour is dependent on course configurations.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1448400
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Fast Certificate Issuance in a Moodle-Based MOOC Platform: A Large-Scale Study
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gabriela+Trindade+Perry%22">Gabriela Trindade Perry</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9405-4477">0000-0002-9405-4477</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marlise+Bock+Santos%22">Marlise Bock Santos</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Computer+Assisted+Learning%22"><i>Journal of Computer Assisted Learning</i></searchLink>. 2024 40(6):3072-3082.
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22MOOCs%22">MOOCs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Distance+Education%22">Distance Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electronic+Learning%22">Electronic Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Management+Systems%22">Learning Management Systems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cheating%22">Cheating</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Plagiarism%22">Plagiarism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Time+on+Task%22">Time on Task</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Certification%22">Student Certification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Attainment%22">Educational Attainment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Time+Factors+%28Learning%29%22">Time Factors (Learning)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Course+Organization%22">Course Organization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum+Development%22">Curriculum Development</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Brazil%22">Brazil</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1111/jcal.13054
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  Data: 0266-4909<br />1365-2729
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  Data: Background: Instances of academic dishonesty are common in online learning environments because difficulties in their detection result in considerably low degrees of risks. However, if not identified, the noise introduced by dishonest learners in MOOCs' clickstream data could lead to biased results and conclusions in scientific research. Objectives: This study aimed to identify and quantify the most frequent undesirable behaviour employed by students to earn completion certificates. Methods: We employed descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse a Brazilian Moodle-based MOOC platform's clickstream data. The database had information related to 113 MOOCs, and 297,687 students who obtained 109,050 certificates from 2016 to 2023. The MOOCs were organised in two groups, with and without a minimum time-on-course restriction. Results and Conclusions: Amongst the issued certificates of MOOCs without the minimum time-on-course restriction, around 51% were obtained via Fast certificate issuance, while for MOOCs with the restriction, only 2% of certificates were obtained this way. We conclude that this difference in course configuration is key in explaining the identified behaviours. Implications: The results indicate that the number of instances of undesirable behaviours in MOOCs might be much higher than reported, posing a potential threat to this educational model. Also, the nature of this behaviour is dependent on course configurations.
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Time on Task
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      – SubjectFull: Student Certification
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Attainment
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      – SubjectFull: Time Factors (Learning)
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