@Article{info:doi/10.2196/21681,
author="Claflin, Suzi B
and Campbell, Julie A
and Doherty, Kathleen
and Farrow, Maree
and Bessing, Barnabas
and Taylor, Bruce V",
title="Evaluating Course Completion, Appropriateness, and Burden in the Understanding Multiple Sclerosis Massive Open Online Course: Cohort Study",
journal="J Med Internet Res",
year="2021",
month="Dec",
day="7",
volume="23",
number="12",
pages="e21681",
keywords="multiple sclerosis; massive open online course; health promotion; eHealth education; mobile phone",
abstract="Background: Massive open online course (MOOC) research is an emerging field; to date, most research in this area has focused on participant engagement. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate both participant engagement and measures of satisfaction, appropriateness, and burden for a MOOC entitled Understanding Multiple Sclerosis (MS) among a cohort of 3518 international course participants. Methods: We assessed the association of key outcomes with participant education level, MS status, caregiver status, sex, and age using summary statistics, and 2-tailed t tests, and chi-square tests. Results: Of the 3518 study participants, 928 (26.37{\%}) were people living with MS. Among the 2590 participants not living with MS, 862 (33.28{\%}) identified as formal or informal caregivers. Our key findings were as follows: the course completion rate among study participants was 67.17{\%} (2363/3518); the course was well received, with 96.97{\%} (1502/1549) of participants satisfied, with an appropriate pitch and low burden (a mean of 2.2 hours engagement per week); people living with MS were less likely than those not living with MS to complete the course; and people with a recent diagnosis of MS, caregivers, and participants without a university education were more likely to apply the material by course completion. Conclusions: The Understanding MS MOOC is fit for purpose; it presents information in a way that is readily understood by course participants and is applicable in their lives. ",
issn="1438-8871",
doi="10.2196/21681",
url="https://www.jmir.org/2021/12/e21681",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/21681",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34878985"
}