RCTs are an essential part of scientific research, allowing testing of different experimental setups with independent groups. In an eLearning context, this can relate to both platform features and teaching didactic experiments. So far, the MOOC platform we operate provided no simple way to run A/B tests at the course content level, but only at the platform feature level. However, this limitation is unacceptable when studying the effect of different content presentation styles and methods, so we had to develop a new RCT feature. In this paper, we describe our requirements and the challenges associated with content A/B testing in MOOCs. We examine how other platform providers solved these problems and compare our solution design. We then describe the technical implementation of the new feature, which difficulties we encountered on our complex infrastructure, and how we solved them. We also share our results from the first successful content A/B test experiments and further planned enhancements. The paper thus offers researchers the opportunity to better understand the technical concept and our implementation of content A/B testing on a MOOC platform. It helps developing a technical solution for RTCs on their infrastructure.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have become a well-established tool for lifelong learning since their first invention in 2008. Although the courses initially aimed at high social interaction rates and interactive course structures, most conducted courses since the big MOOC hype in 2012 follow a classic teaching approach that often lacks interactive elements and suffers from low user engagement. To make our course format more engaging and interactive, we experimented with gameful learning by creating two storified Java programming MOOCs, which include a detective story that spans all course weeks. This paper evaluates learner engagement and perception with story videos and interactive story quizzes in our storified programming courses. We found that the learners’ engagement with the optional story videos and quizzes is slightly less than regular video lectures and other mandatory learning materials. Nevertheless, some learners are particularly motivated by the story and interact with the story elements throughout the course. These learners have relatively good learning outcomes; for some, the story is even their primary motivation to continue with the course. However, some learners dislike the story elements and feel distracted by them. In terms of acceptance, we did not notice any major differences in demographic factors like age and gender. However, we found that learners motivated to participate in the course above average and even using additional bonus tasks show no higher interest in the story than the average learner. Thus, we disprove that learners only use the story because they use all offered course elements but because they are actually interested in it.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are usually attended by several thousand learners who barely get to know each other during the course period. Being unaware of fellow learners often results in a low sense of community. In addition, many MOOC learners are afraid of using the course forum, which often is the only participation opportunity in social course activities apart from forming smaller learning groups. Thus, learners can easily be frustrated with the course content when feeling alone. To improve social presence and the sense of community, course instructors can use ice-breaking games. First, this paper evaluates which kind of ice-breaking games can be used in MOOCs. Afterward, we present the results from a first experiment where we use “self-reflection sociograms as an icebreaking activity. Most learners perceived the implemented Self-Reflection Questionnaires” (SRQ) ice-breaker as a positive course feature (68.35%). SRQs increased the sense of community, and learners were satisfied (91.06%) with their perceived community sense level. The SRQs were also helpful for the teaching teams. Our results indicate that further investigation of SRQs is beneficial to explore the provided value for course instructors and their influence on individual MOOC learners and community-building.

In 2017, Geoffrey West published his book "Scale" in which he examined universal laws of scale in different contexts. Inspired by his keynote in 2021's [email protected] conference, we investigated the applicability of these laws in the context of Massive Open Online Courses and learners' behavior. We tested these laws on different learning platforms from academic, enterprise and social, and research contexts. In this paper, we examine course characteristics, such as course size, the completion rate, and the forum activity. We observed that the number of issued certificates scales almost identically on all examined platforms, while forum participation scales slightly different on each of the platforms. In the future, we will perform a deeper analysis on the forum behavior that exceeds a mere quantitative analysis.

A wide range of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on various topics has been offered since 2008. The high expectations of this new way of teaching, however, were not entirely met until now due to different reasons. To better engage participants in MOOCs, gamification was implemented on many platforms; especially since gamification became a buzz-word in 2012. Gamification, however, did not stop people from dropping out of courses as efficiently as expected. Although completion rates are no longer assumed to be the only evidence for the users' success, different approaches to improve both the learners' experience and motivation should be evaluated to increase the advantages of MOOCs. In the scope of gamified learning, the use of Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) to offer learning in an even more playful way than with gamification is worth a closer look. In this paper, the current implementation of gamification, DGBL and their role within MOOCs will be evaluated. It is also explained why and how playing can be beneficial for learning. Possible approaches how to integrate DGBL in MOOCs as well as advantages, disadvantages, and different needs will be discussed. A survey will be presented that gives a first hint about the participants' desires and needs. In conclusion, the paper presents current as well as possible future research on how to best integrate game-based learning into MOOCs for engineering education, specifically at the openHPI platform.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have left their mark on the face of education during the recent years. At the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI) in Potsdam, Germany, we are actively developing a MOOC platform, which provides our research with a plethora of e-learning topics, such as learning analytics, automated assessment, peer assessment, team-work, online proctoring, and gamification. We run several instances of this platform. On openHPI, we provide our own courses from within the HPI context. Further instances are openSAP, openWHO, and mooc.HOUSE, which is the smallest of these platforms, targeting customers with a less extensive course portfolio. In 2013, we started to work on the gamification of our platform. By now, we have implemented about two thirds of the features that we initially have evaluated as useful for our purposes. About a year ago we activated the implemented gamification features on mooc.HOUSE. Before activating the features on openHPI as well, we examined, and re-evaluated our initial considerations based on the data we collected so far and the changes in other contexts of our platforms.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) focus on manifold subjects, ranging from social sciences over languages to technical skills, and use different means to train the respective skills. MOOCs that are teaching programming skills aim to incorporate practical exercises into the course corpus to give students the hands-on experience necessary for understanding and mastering programming. These exercises, apart from technical challenges, come with a series of questions to be addressed, for example: which fraction of the participants' time should they take (compared to video lectures and other course activities), which difficulty should be aimed for, how much guidance should be offered and how much repetition should be incorporated? The perceived difficulty of a task depends on previous knowledge, supplied hints, the required time for solving and the number of failed attempts the participant made. Furthermore, the detail and accuracy of the problem description, the restrictiveness of the applied test cases and the preparation provided specifically for a given exercise also influence the perceived difficulty of a task. In this paper, we explore the data of three programming courses to find criteria for optimal practical programming exercises. Based on over 3 million executions and scoring runs of participants' task submissions, we aim to deduct exercise difficulty, student patterns in approaching the tasks and potential flaws in task descriptions and preparatory videos. We compare our findings to in class trainings and traditional, mostly video and quiz based MOOCs. Finally, we propose approaches and methods to improve programming courses for participants as well as instructors.

Tools to generate game-based learning materials are seldom implemented in Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platforms. First experiments with game-based learning MOOCs had shown good results. In my research, I will focus on the integration of game-based learning to the openHPI MOOC platform. The use of game-based learning materials will be evaluated in three iterations: (1) by existing means the platform already offers, (2) by simple interactive exercises, and (3) by an educational game. The success of all iterations will be evaluated with user surveys and A/B testing. The research goal is to establish a tool for creating interactive exercises as well as the design of an appropriate educational game. Advantages and disadvantages of different game-based methods as well as best practices will be listed in the process.