MOOC Design, Engagement, and Feedback: A Mixed Method Case Study of learners from a Health Science background in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have increased significantly in Saudi Arabia’s higher education and training; yet, many courses are challenged by low learner enrolment, engagement, retention, and satisfaction, which raises questions about how to design effective MOOCs for higher education learners. This paper reports a case study of a MOOC enrolling 714 learners from a healthcare background. The study analyzed the Thinkfic platform metrics and 45 learner reviews to explore engagement patterns, perceived quality, design impacts, benchmarking, and actionable improvements. Results showed an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5, a 62% completion rate, and an average progress of 65% across the entire course.  Thematic analysis revealed five key themes: usefulness and practicality, organization and structure, quality and excellence, engagement and motivation, and content relevance. Design mapping suggests that design features, such as structured content and short video segments, are more likely to contribute to higher course completion rates. Compared to large-scale MOOCs, the designed course showed that a single MOOC could achieve a high satisfaction rate.  The paper proposes improvements to enhance the completion and satisfaction rates of MOOCs. The findings of this paper offer practical guidance for MOOC and instructional designers on implementing effective and engaging online courses.