Usability of massive open online courses for professional development: A mixed methods research in special education

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) open the way for professional development of teachers who are considered to be the best representatives of life-long learning. However, the use of MOOCs in the context of teacher professional development is a recent phenomenon and studies regarding the usability of MOOC platforms are limited. Furthermore, in relevant literature, there has been an ongoing discussion on whether learning takes place on MOOCs and how to evaluate it. More researches are required to have a firm understanding. With this in mind, the main aim of this study which was designed within the scope of mixed methods explanatory sequential design was to investigate the perceived usability of MOOC platform (Akadema) for professional development of primary school teachers responsible for inclusion. The needs of those teachers interested in a professional development course which would be delivered through MOOCs (a) were analyzed by means of needs analysis survey. Following the MOOC course which was developed on the basis of needs analysis, quantitative research was conducted to find out (b) the perceived usability of platform, (c) the opinions of participants regarding the course and the learning environment, (d) and the degree of learning. Depending on the findings of quantitative research, a qualitative research was carried out to figure out the learning experience and opinions of the participants. The results revealed that primary school teachers responsible for inclusion are in need of "individualized education program" for the professional development course which would be delivered through MOOCs. Besides, it was concluded that the MOOC course should be designed on the basis of traditional MOOC called as xMOOC. The perceived usability level of MOOC platform (Akadema) was found to be high when aimed for teacher professional development. However, the findings revealed that teacher professional development MOOC platform should differ from others in terms of usability to sustain motivation and self-regulated learning. Furthermore, it was concluded that learning in intended subject took place, the retention was maintained and the acquired knowledge could be transferred into practice with the participants following the course through the end. This current study contributes to the relevant literature to clarify the aspects of the usability of MOOC platform and determine whether the learning took place by the teachers aiming for professional development. What's more, suggestions are put forward for researchers, practitioners and senior executives with respect to MOOCs designed for teacher professional development. Keywords: Massive Open Online Courses, MOOCs, Inclusion, Teacher Professional Development