A case study on the impact of using a MOOC for high school science and mathematics independent study courses

Abstract

This case study involves five students, all high school seniors, who elected to enroll in a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) as part of their independent study courses during the final trimester of the 2016 school year. The students chose their fields of study and the primary topics they intended to investigate. The topics extended beyond the school's science and mathematics curriculum, thus, the students were pursuing these courses for enrichment purposes. Five instruments were used to measure how much students were interacting with the MOOC and the value of the MOOC in terms of learning: pre-course interviews, post-course interviews, mid-course surveys, post-course surveys, and the Brief Electricity & Magnetism Assessment concept inventory. When considering the primary research question, "What impact can MOOCs have in high school independent-study enrichment courses?", there is evidence in this case study to suggest that MOOCs can have a positive impact, therefore, can be used to guide and support students seeking such enrichment opportunities.