Impact of Free-Certificate Coupons on Learner Behavior in Online Courses: Results from Two Case Studies

The relationship between pricing and learning behavior is an increasingly important topic in MOOC (massive open online course) research. We report on two case studies where cohorts of learners were offered coupons for free-certificates to explore price reductions might influence user behavior in MOOC-based online learning settings. In Case Study #1, we compare participation and certification rates between courses with and without coupons for free-certificates. In the courses with a free-certificate track, participants signed up for the verified certificate track at higher rates and completion rates among verified students were higher than in the paid-certificate track courses. In Case Study #2, we compare the behaviors of learners within the same courses based on whether they received access to a free-certificate track. Access to free-certificates was associated with somewhat lower certification rates, but overall certification rates remained high particularly among those who viewed the courses. These findings suggests that some other incentives, other than simply the sunk-cost of paying for a verified certificate-track, may motivate learners to complete MOOC courses.