Motivating Students in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) Using the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction (ARCS) Model

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) often have low persistence rates, which may be attributed to a learners' lack of motivation. In this design-based research study, Keller's Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction (ARCS) motivational design model was integrated into two MOOCs as an initial exploration of how to design effective motivational interventions in MOOC environment. The Instructional Motivation Materials Scale (IMMS) was used to measure learners' perceptions and reactions to the course components, in terms of the ARCS model, in both MOOCs. The whole design, implementation, and evaluation process was documented and reflected upon to provide practical guidance on designing motivational-enhanced materials in MOOC environments. The results revealed patterns of learners selectively paying attention, drawing relevance for self-determined reasons, having high confidence, and deriving satisfaction from multiple sources.