This article reports on a qualitative study which explored online student engagement experiences in a higher education institution. There are very few studies providing in-depth perspectives on the engagement experiences of online students. The project adopted a case study approach, following 24 online students over one academic year. The setting for the study was an undergraduate online Humanities programme at Dublin City University. The research question for the study was: What themes are central to online student engagement experiences? Data was collected from participant-generated learning portfolios and semi-structured interviews and analysed following a data-led thematic approach. The five central themes that make up the study’s findings highlight key issues of students’ sense of community, their support networks, balancing study with life, confidence, and their learning approaches. The findings of this study indicate that successful online student engagement was influenced by a number of psychosocial factors such as peer community, an engaging online teacher, and confidence and by structural factors such as lifeload and course design. One limitation of the study is that it is a relatively small, qualitative study, its findings provide insights into how online degrees can support online students to achieve successful and engaging learning experiences.

Abstract-In this study we sought to examine MOOC learners' levels of trust in the platforms, institutions, and instructors involved in MOOC design and delivery. We sought to examine what influenced learners' conceptualizations of trust in MOOCs and how this might influence their future intentions towards the related MOOC providers. To this end we examined whether an increase in perceived source credibility of the MOOC increased trusting beliefs of the MOOC learner. Furthermore, we examined whether increases in trusting beliefs of the MOOC learner would lead to an increase in their future trusting intentions. This second question has implications for whether a learner persists in their learning or decides to commit to further study pathways such as paid certificates. In addition to testing these two hypotheses we sought to determine the most significant underlying drivers that learners reported as affecting their trust in MOOCs they undertook. Drawing on concepts of trust from the literature, we adapted and developed a survey instrument and recruited MOOC learners to respond. Following analysis of 76 responses we found a positive correlation between source credibility and learner trust in MOOCs. Further there was also a positive correlation found between trust in MOOCs and learners' professed future intentions. Finally, we determined several component factors of MOOC trust drivers as reported by MOOC learners. Our work holds potential implications for MOOC platform developers, instructors, and designers in signposting areas where MOOC learners have positive and negative experiences of MOOCs, which can in turn influence their future relationship with the MOOC providers.Keywords-MOOCs, Trust, Credibility, Online Learning, Quality IntroductionThe phenomenon of the MOOC has marched steadily along, continuing to rise despite cycles of hype and hysteria. Reports show that MOOCs continue to grow both in terms of numbers of courses being offered and the total number of learners enrolled on all MOOCs For instance, the increase in the total number of courses has been estimated at 6,850 from over 700 universities in 2016 which would put the total number of people who have enrolled in at least one MOOC at 58 million [1]. The cMOOC and xMOOC classifications, and other derivatives, show that this is a contested area In spite of some uncertainty and concern about their true role in education and viable business models, MOOCs appear now to be a mainstay feature of the higher educational landscape. Indeed, the business model and case for MOOCs [4] has gained increasing attention with the arrival of MOOCs for credits, as tasters to fully online degrees, or as freemium services whereby participants pay for extras such as certificates. In this context it is important to examine how MOOC learners may or may not decide to deepen their relationships with MOOC providers. It is important to explore how learners trust or distrust MOOCs and how this might impact on their future intentions towards the providers including in contexts where t...

This paper reports on a qualitative study of the transition experiences of refugees studying through open and online higher education. Online, open education programmes have considerable potential to provide flexible access to education for refugees, who are not well represented within higher education. As part of a wider University of Sanctuary initiative, interview data from six Ireland-based refugees was analysed using a data-led, qualitative methodological framework grounded in discursive psychology. Findings indicate that participants’ transition narratives are typical in many ways as they form student identities while managing their existing identities and begin to feel, or not, that they belong. Participants constructed a stark divide between two duelling identities, between their identity as a refugee and their new identity as an online learner. Identification with the university was emphasised in contrast to disidentification with the ‘asylum world’. These findings indicate that a strategically connected approach to supporting refugees transition into higher education can impact positively on these students.

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