It should have been an educational game changer. The world’s top universities were offering courses online, free to anyone with an Internet connection. Enthusiasm was high, as was enrollment. But surprisingly few participants ended up completing their courses. Associated researcher Anna Hansch sought to understand why. In her dissertation, she examined how users respond to some of the new approaches that online learning platforms use to spark engagement, such as gamification. The result of her empirical analysis is the development of a user typology, and several recommendations for designing online courses that truly foster meaningful engagement.
