If you have ever started an online course and abandoned it mid-way, then this post is for you. Let’s have some talk.
We live in a time when education is being democratized. This has resulted in more people having access to Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).
Apart from wide coverage, online courses have been credited for their flexibility, self-paced learning, and relevance to the needs of society. These are great benefits, yet, people sometimes find it difficult to complete the courses they enrol for.
One is tempted to think that self-discipline is the primary reason behind this situation; but, there are more complicated reasons people drop out of these courses.
First, the self-directed learning creates no sense of urgency especially when people can reset deadlines. Secondly, sometimes, people are not sure what their motivations are before enrolment.
For instance, a person taking an online course to make up for a skill-gap at work is more likely to complete a course than someone taking it for fun. Lastly, people underestimate the time needed to complete the course they enrol for and get distracted by other commitments.
Are there other reasons you think people do not complete online courses?
Please share your thoughts.
Written by: Anifat Ibrahim
