A double-loop evaluation process for MOOC design and its pilot application in the University domain

The diffusion of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is significantly changing the way people learn and update their knowledge and competencies. Although the benefits characterizing MOOCs, which leverage on free and open access to know-how and digitized materials, there are some challenges which call for improving and enhancing the existing methods and approaches for MOOCs design. By combining theory and practice, this paper presents a process of MOOCs design based on a double-loop phase of evaluation. Specifically, the paper provides evidences on how to take advantage of the learners’ and teachers’ feedback to redesign or rethink the course’s architecture, and especially the storyboard and blueprint. A pilot application of the proposed approach has been made to design a course dealing with entrepreneurship domain, and in particular with crowdfunding. The results of the application are presented to validate the approach and provide teachers and course’s designers with some recommendations.