Examining teachers as learners in MOOCs: Demographics, challenges, and long-term impact on professional development

• In Event: Supporting teachers through digital tools and frameworks

Proposal

Connection with the Conference Theme:
The CIES 2025 conference theme, “Envisioning Education in a Digital Society,” emphasizes the critical role of digital technologies in transforming education. This proposal examines how Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are influencing teacher professional development (TPD) in China. By exploring the demographics of the MOOC teacher audience, the challenges they face, and the long-term impact on their professional growth, this study contributes to the broader discussion about how online platforms could improve access to quality TPD across diverse educational contexts.

Problem Statement:
Teachers are now one of the largest groups engaging with MOOCs worldwide (Chuang & Ho, 2016; Karachristo et al., 2018). However, there remains a lack of comprehensive understanding about who these teachers are, what challenges they face, and the lasting effects of their participation (Koukis & Jimoyiannis, 2019). While most research has focused on students' experiences of using MOOCs, teachers’ needs and experiences remain underexplored. Given the central role teachers play in education, it is crucial to understand how online platforms can serve their professional development needs. This study aims to explore the following research questions:
1. Who are the teachers participating in MOOCs for professional development in China, and where do they come from?
2. What challenges do these teachers face while learning in MOOCs?
3. How do these teachers perceive the long-term impact of MOOCs on their professional development?

Theoretical Framework:
This study is grounded in Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) (Bandura, 1986, 2001), which emphasizes the interaction between personal, behavioral, and environmental factors in shaping learning. Therefore, SCT provides a framework to explore how individual teacher characteristics (personal), learning habits (behavioral), and the regional context (environmental factors) influence their experiences in MOOCs. This theory also helps explain the process of professional learning in an online environment, where factors such as digital infrastructure and local support play critical roles.

Research Design:
This study employs a mixed-methods approach to address the research questions. Combining quantitative and qualitative data, this approach allows an in-depth exploration of the demographics, challenges, and long-term impacts associated with MOOC participation among Chinese teachers.
1. Quantitative Data:
o Survey Data: Pre- and post-course surveys were collected from 1,445 teacher participants (666 pre-course and 779 post-course respondents) who took MOOCs across China. These surveys collected demographic information, as well as data on teachers’ learning experiences, such as age, gender, location, educational background, teaching levels, hours spent, and overall course satisfaction.
o Descriptive Analysis: Demographic data were analyzed to identify patterns in MOOC participation across variables like gender, age, teaching levels, educational background, and disciplinary focus. Additionally, geographic distribution was examined to highlight participation trends across different regions, focusing on regional disparities in access and engagement.
2. Qualitative Data:
o Semi-Structured Interviews: Twenty teachers from the survey respondents were selected for in-depth interviews. These interviews explored teachers’ motivations for enrolling in MOOCs, the challenges they faced, and their reflections on the long-term impact of MOOCs on their professional development.
o Thematic Analysis: The interview data were thematically coded to identify common themes related to challenges and long-term benefits, with particular focus on reginal and contextual factors.

Preliminary Findings and Discussion:
Initial findings from the descriptive analysis of pre-survey questionnaires show important demographic information. Of the 666 pre-course survey participants, 67% were female and 33% were male. Most participants (69.2%) were between the ages of 21 and 40, indicating that younger teachers are more likely to engage with MOOCs for professional development in China.
Regarding education, 90.8% held undergraduate or graduate degrees. This suggests that highly- educated teachers are more likely to seek out MOOCs for continuous learning. Interestingly, while 40% of participants were from an education major, there was still notable diversity in their academic backgrounds, such as literature and science disciplines. This diversity suggests that MOOCs are reaching a broad audience, providing interdisciplinary learning opportunities.
Geographically, the highest number of participants came from Henan, Shandong, and Guangxi provinces. When adjusted for the percentage of MOOC participants (the number of MOOC participants relative to the total population of each province), participation rates were surprisingly high in provinces like Ningxia and Guangxi, despite their smaller populations and less economic development. This suggests that MOOCs are reaching teachers in both urban and rural areas, including under-resourced regions.
Findings also show that obtaining certificate was an important motivator for teachers to learn on MOOCs, with 50% of teachers aiming for “excellent” certificates and 40% for “completion” certificates. However, teachers also faced challenges such as managing time effectively while balancing their job duties, navigating difficult course content, and coping with limited support during the learning process. Despite these challenges, many teachers reported positive long-term impacts from their MOOC participation, including improved teaching practices, enhanced digital literacy, and greater confidence in using technology in the classroom. Teachers also emphasized that the flexibility of learning at any time or place, and the opportunity to connect with a broader teaching community were key factors contributing to their sustained growth and development.

Contribution to Comparative and International Education:
This study provides key insights into the demographics and challenges of the MOOC teacher audiences in China, highlighting how digital education platforms can be tailored to meet diverse educator needs. Additionally, this study emphasizes the importance of addressing regional disparities and improving access to quality online learning opportunities. Currently in the data analysis stage, this research will offer additional insights on MOOCs’ long-term impact on teachers’ professional development.
These findings can inform strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of MOOCs in teacher education, not only in China but also in other countries facing similar challenges. These insights may also support policymakers and educators in expanding the reach of high-quality, flexible professional development resources to more teachers worldwide.

Authors

• Xi Wang, The University Of Pittsburgh School of Education

• Maureen W McClure, The University Of Pittsburgh School of Education