From Start to Finish: How Early Course Design Can Drive Online Learner Completion

The first week of an online course is critical. It establishes the tone, sets expectations, and can determine a learner’s commitment to completing the course. At Coursera, we have been analyzing data to understand which elements are most impactful during that first week, and how best to design Gateway Professional Certificate courses to boost completion rates.

Our Data Science and Teaching & Learning teams recently collaborated to investigate data from Coursera’s global platform. We developed a prediction model to identify design factors in the first week of learning that drive persistence through the course and entire certificate program on Coursera. Our objective was to uncover which content design decisions lead to full course and specialization completion.

In our research, we found:

1. Practice promotes persistence: The volume and duration of practice assessment items are significant drivers of completion. More practice items are generally positive; however, there is an ideal range. Aim for practice items that take between 8-10 minutes to complete. It is also worth noting that toward the end of the first week, practice becomes less impactful, while a graded assignment becomes more beneficial.

2. Graded assessments boost grit: Integrating at least one graded item in the first week significantly increases the likelihood of completion. Furthermore, assignments that require more time (on average) tend to improve completion rates. This correlation may exist because these assignments help learners make substantial progress early and establish realistic time expectations for the remaining coursework.

3. Short videos are vital: When presenting video content, segmenting information is key. Maintaining concise videos (less than 10 minutes) keeps learners engaged and encourages completion at a higher rate. We observed that four to thirteen video items in the first week is optimal for sustained persistence, with each video ideally ranging from three to six minutes in length.

These findings have major implications for course designers and instructors. By thoughtfully structuring the first week of learning, we can mitigate unnecessary dropout and position learners for success throughout the duration of their online course.

Want to put these insights into action? Here are a few tips:

• Front-load your course with engaging, bite-sized practice items.
• Include at least one graded assignment in the first week.
• Keep your videos short and sweet, aiming for six to ten videos in total during the first week with each approximately five minutes or less in length.
• Design your graded assignments to be substantial enough to give learners a sense of accomplishment.
• Remember, the goal is to create an engaging, manageable, and rewarding first-week experience that motivates learners to stick with the course.

At Coursera, we are committed to continually improving the online learning experience. By sharing these research-backed insights, we hope to empower educators and instructional designers to create courses that engage learners from the start and encourage them to continue learning.

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