TRACKING, A NECESSITY TO IMPROVE ONLINE LEARNING

Abstract

At this moment, pandemic situation due to COVID-19 implies some changes, there is a considerable transformation for the digital system, not only work has moved to online when possible but also education had to move fast to online learning in the majority of developed countries. ASTRE project is focused in improving the quality of offered online learning opportunities for adults which is directly related with the requirements from the pandemic. This paper is the preliminary result from ASTRE project, a project based on Online Learning for adults and its impact. The aim of this paper is to study different MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) providers in order to analyse existing tracking systems. MOOC providers have been mapped at international level. A survey has been created and launched and in depth interviews have been conducted. Despite finding some universities with no tracking system, results show many organisations or universities with online learning, implement somehow a tracking system to monitor the students. What is really surprising, is the fact that, once the student is not enrolled in the organisation, there is not any further contact. Consequently, there is no information on the impact online learning had on the learner’s personal and professional competences. A common response from every survey was the importance given to track the student.