Can MOOCs be interesting to students? An experimental investigation from regulatory focus perspective

This study examines how we can better encourage students to learn from a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), which is one of the most significant supplementary ways of learning (in-class learning being primary). Drawing on the regulatory focus theory, I propose that, to students with a different regulatory-focus (promotion-focus or prevention-focus), different types of advocates (promotion-oriented or prevention-oriented advocates) yield different levels of motivation in students engaged in MOOC learning. The experimental results suggest that proper matching-such that promotion-oriented advocates match with promotion-focused students, and prevention-oriented advocates match with prevention-focused students-significantly increases students' motivation to learn from an MOOC and their evaluation of the MOOC as helpful, but they typically do not yield positive evaluations from students regarding the enjoyment of MOOC learning. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed.