Abstract
Self-efficacy is a strong predictor of academic performance, and an area of interest for higher education institutions. This paper reports on a massive open online course (MOOC) on study skills, aimed at increasing self-efficacy. Participants (n=32) were from Mexico and Colombia, with ages ranging from 21 to 45 years. At the beginning and the end of the MOOC, learners answered a survey that included the General Self-Efficacy Scale, items on specific study skills, and space for optional comments. Findings show statistically significant increases in general self-efficacy after completing the MOOC, as well as in the perceived self-efficacy related to five out of six study skills. Comments suggest that participants are aware of and value their own improvement. For students, MOOCs can represent low-risk, formative opportunities to widen their knowledge and increase their self-efficacy. For academic institutions, well-designed MOOCs on study skills provide a means to support students.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 335-343 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Open Praxis |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 22 Sept 2017 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Self-efficacy
- study skills
- massive open online courses
- MOOCs
- online learning