Perception of Secondary-level Prospective Teachers toward MOOCs: A Comparative Study by Gender and Academic Stream

Abstract

With the rapid expansion of digital learning in education, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have emerged as valuable platforms for enhancing access and quality in teacher education. This study investigates the perception of secondary grade prospective teachers towards MOOCs, with a focus on how gender and academic stream influence these perceptions. The study employed a quantitative cross-sectional survey research design. A total of 259 B.Ed. students from Mysore were selected using a stratified random sampling technique and surveyed using a validated 30-item perception scale covering five domains: study habits, learning outcomes, benefits and accessibility, usability and experience, and multimedia and resource sharing. The instrument demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.843). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests followed by Cohen’s d for effect size. Results indicated that a majority of participants (79.9%) held a moderate perception of MOOCs. While gender differences in overall perception were not statistically significant, female participants rated higher in benefits and multimedia-related domains. Science stream students exhibited significantly more positive perceptions across multiple dimensions compared to their humanities counterparts. The findings suggest integrating structured MOOC orientation within B.Ed. programs, curricular integration of platforms such as SWAYAM for supplementary learning, and institutional initiatives to strengthen the digital competencies of prospective teachers for effective engagement with online learning environments.