Identification of Indicators, Components, and Dimensions of Interactive MOOCs in Iranian Higher Education with an Emphasis on Humanities Disciplines

Abstract

The present study aimed to identify the indicators, components, and dimensions of interactive MOOCs in Iranian higher education, with a particular emphasis on the humanities disciplines. The research method was applied in terms of purpose, qualitative in terms of data type, cross-sectional regarding the time of data collection, and based on data collection methods and the nature of the study, meta-synthesis and content analysis of interview texts. The statistical population consisted of two parts: scientific documents and academic and organizational experts. A non-probability purposive sampling method was employed based on the inclusion criteria for selecting the sample size. Data were collected through a systematic review of the literature and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis in the qualitative part was performed using thematic analysis with MaxQDA-V18 software. The findings revealed that interactive MOOCs in Iranian higher education with an emphasis on the humanities consist of the following elements: a central phenomenon with the dimensions of educational content (content quality, diversity of teaching methods), learner interaction (peer interaction, interaction with the instructor and the online learning environment), and assessment (learner progress assessment and course effectiveness evaluation); causal conditions with the dimensions of technological infrastructures (access to the internet and educational platforms), learning content (diversity of course materials and compliance with standards), and social interactions (group collaboration, communication with instructors, and creation of learning networks); strategies with the dimensions of content design and development (diversity of educational content, structured organization, interaction, and participation) and development of learning skills (self-directed learning, critical thinking and analysis, and communication skills); consequences with the dimensions of academic achievement (improvement in learning and access to educational resources) and professional development (increased job opportunities, enhancement of professional skills, and advancement of professional identity); context with the dimensions of learning environment (physical and virtual design, learning culture, and cultural diversity) and quality of education (faculty competence, teaching and assessment methods, and quality assurance of learning); and barriers with the dimensions of technological barriers (system incompatibility, security and privacy issues), social barriers (lack of social interaction, social pressures and cultural biases, and limited family support), and economic barriers (restricted financial access, higher educational costs, and economic pressure on families).