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:
Practice promotes persistence: The volume ecuador cell phone number list 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.
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.