MOTIVATIONS, PERCEPTIONS AND RESULTS OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE EXPERIMENTATION OF THE MOOC ACADEMIC ITALIAN FOR SLAVIC-SPEAKING STUDENTS

Abstract

MOOCs represent an important educational innovation capable of overcoming some structural limitations of traditional educational systems, such as high costs and limited accessibility. However, the initial enthusiasm surrounding these learning paths has gradually been tempered by studies questioning their effectiveness and highlighting high dropout rates and frequent course interruptions (Joo et al., 2018; Nascimbeni & Goglio, 2023; Reich & Ruipérez-Valiente, 2019; Cecconi & Proietti, 2019). In this context, several studies emphasize the central role of motivation in learners’ intention to complete a course and continue using MOOCs in the future (Alraimi et al., 2015; Barba et al., 2016; Breslow et al., 2013; Christensen et al., 2013; Zhou, 2016). This paper analyses the level of motivation and the outcomes achieved by participants in the pilot implementation of the MOOC Academic Italian for Slavic-speaking Students, developed within the Erasmus+ project Romance Languages for Slavic University Students – LMOOC4Slav. The course, structured into six modules over a six-week period, was based on self-directed learning and delivered through the EduOpen platform. The pilot implementation, launched on 5 February 2023, involved students from the Universities of Skopje, Štip, Belgrade, Banja Luka, and Zadar, with the aim of evaluating the functioning of the course and the quality of the proposed content. Data were collected through a semi-structured online questionnaire administered via Google Forms and based on a Likert scale. The questionnaire was completed several months after the end of the course, encouraging a more detached and reflective evaluation of the learning experience. The findings may contribute to improving the effectiveness of MOOCs and enhancing learner motivation.