Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have recently gained worldwide attention from educational institutes. MOOCs provide a new option for learning, yet measurable learning benefits of MOOCs still need to be investigated. Collecting data of three MOOCs at Yuan Ze University (YZU), this paper intended to classify learning behaviors among 1489 students on the MOOC platform at YZU. This study further examined learning outcomes in MOOCs by different types of learners. The Ward's hierarchical and k-means non-hierarchical clustering methods were employed to classify types of learners' behavior while they engaged in learning activities on the MOOC platform. Three types of MOOC learners were classified-active learner, passive learner, and bystander. Active learners who submitted assignments on time and frequently watched lecture videos showed a higher completion rate and a better grade in the course. MOOC learners who participated in online discussion forum reported a higher rate of passing the course and a better score than those inactive classmates. The finding of this study suggested that the first 2 weeks was a critical point of time to retain students in MOOCs. MOOC instructors need to carefully design course and detect risk behaviors of students in early of the classes to prevent students from dropping out of the course. The feature design of discussion forum is to provide peer interaction and facilitate online learning. Our results suggested that timely feedback by instructors or facilitators on discussion forum could enhance students' engagement in MOOCs.

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Building on previous research on worker extra-role effort, the authors focus their analysis on the correlates of one subset of behaviors that they call active effort. The authors argue for an exchange model, with organizations offering intrinsic, social, and material inducements in exchange for active effort by workers. Using data from a telephone survey of 270 employed adults in a large midwestern metropolitan area, the authors test a model that measures a variety of structural variables to see how they affect the level of active effort. The authors find that active effort is related to the extent to which a worker is allowed to participate and to recognition. After controlling for other variables, they found that satisfaction has little independent effect on active effort. Relations to supervisors, seniority, and wages have no net effects on active effort, although they are associated with increased satisfaction. Also, high white-collar employees report significantly higher active effort and satisfaction.