Toward the Language MOOC (LMOOC’s) low dropout rate: The control-value theory of persistency in LMOOC (CVTPLMOOC)

Abstract

The high attrition rate of Language Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) is becoming an issue of concern for administrators. To remedy this problem, previous LMOOC studies applied motivational, self-regulation, and technology acceptance theories; however, for the sake of persistence in this context, the term persistence needs to be addressed. For this gap, in the current study, the researchers developed a new conceptual framework, namely, the control-value theory of persistence in LMOOC (CVTPLMOOC), which includes a serial mechanism incorporating environmental factors, cognitive appraisals, persistence, and boredom. The questionnaire was administered through the Iranian LMOOC platform, and 197 intermediate language learners completed it. The symmetrical part of the study validated the factorial structures of our conceptual theory in LMOOC and demonstrated that the higher the interaction between language learners, the more their perception of LMOOC content aligned with their objectives, the more persistence they displayed, and the lower the boredom level. Moreover, serial mediation analysis revealed that extrinsic value appraisal also mediated language learners' persistence and boredom in LMOOCs. The Necessary Conditional Analysis (NCA) revealed that at least eight conditions should be met by the presence of environmental antecedents and cognitive appraisals to shape language learners' persistence in LMOOC. The study has thus contributed to the development of a new theory within the field of LMOOC and CALL and recommended that LMOOCs should be designed based on cMOOCs since language learners' interactions were one of the necessary conditions and had the highest correlation with their persistency in this context.