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A Systematic Literature Review of Computer Science MOOCs for K-12 education

L. M. van der Lubbe, S. P van Borkulo, J. T. Jeuring

TL;DR

This systematic review analyzes how CS MOOCs have been used in K-12 education by synthesizing 19 peer-reviewed papers (2014–2024) describing 13 MOOCs. It evaluates course organization, content, pedagogical frameworks, and the teacher's role, revealing a pattern of short, partially covering curricula delivered often in blended classroom settings with teacher facilitation. Key findings show that most MOOCs focus on programming and CT, rely on diverse research methods, and report generally positive outcomes, though completion rates and inclusivity vary. The study highlights the need for broader CS curriculum coverage, teacher training, and standardized evaluation methods to maximize the impact of MOOCs in K-12 CS education.

Abstract

Computer science (CS) is increasingly becoming part of the curricula of K-12 education in different countries. However, there are few K-12 CS teachers, and tools to offer K-12 CS education are often limited. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) might help to temporarily address these challenges, and enable more schools to offer CS education. The goal of this systematic review is to give an overview of how CS MOOCs have been used in K-12 education. Nineteen papers from 2014 to May 2024 were included, describing thirteen different MOOCs. This review summarizes the research performed with these MOOCs and discusses directions for future research. Our findings show that most CS MOOCs target only part of the CS curriculum. When using a MOOC, a classroom teacher has an important role in supporting and managing students as they work in the MOOC. Research evaluating MOOCs is diverse, both in aims and in methods. In conclusion, MOOCs can play a valuable role in K-12 CS education, although additional teacher training to support students might be required. Moreover, additional learning material is needed to cover the full curriculum, as most MOOCs focus on programming and computational thinking.

A Systematic Literature Review of Computer Science MOOCs for K-12 education

TL;DR

This systematic review analyzes how CS MOOCs have been used in K-12 education by synthesizing 19 peer-reviewed papers (2014–2024) describing 13 MOOCs. It evaluates course organization, content, pedagogical frameworks, and the teacher's role, revealing a pattern of short, partially covering curricula delivered often in blended classroom settings with teacher facilitation. Key findings show that most MOOCs focus on programming and CT, rely on diverse research methods, and report generally positive outcomes, though completion rates and inclusivity vary. The study highlights the need for broader CS curriculum coverage, teacher training, and standardized evaluation methods to maximize the impact of MOOCs in K-12 CS education.

Abstract

Computer science (CS) is increasingly becoming part of the curricula of K-12 education in different countries. However, there are few K-12 CS teachers, and tools to offer K-12 CS education are often limited. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) might help to temporarily address these challenges, and enable more schools to offer CS education. The goal of this systematic review is to give an overview of how CS MOOCs have been used in K-12 education. Nineteen papers from 2014 to May 2024 were included, describing thirteen different MOOCs. This review summarizes the research performed with these MOOCs and discusses directions for future research. Our findings show that most CS MOOCs target only part of the CS curriculum. When using a MOOC, a classroom teacher has an important role in supporting and managing students as they work in the MOOC. Research evaluating MOOCs is diverse, both in aims and in methods. In conclusion, MOOCs can play a valuable role in K-12 CS education, although additional teacher training to support students might be required. Moreover, additional learning material is needed to cover the full curriculum, as most MOOCs focus on programming and computational thinking.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 21 sections, 2 figures, 2 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Background
  3. K-12 Computer Science Education
  4. MOOCs
  5. MOOCs for K-12 Education
  6. Materials and Methods
  7. Paper selection
  8. Data analysis
  9. Results
  10. Course organisation and content
  11. RQ1: In what educational and technical settings are K-12 CS MOOCs implemented?
  12. RQ2: What is the content of K-12 CS MOOCs?
  13. RQ3. What are the pedagogical frameworks used for these MOOCs?
  14. RQ4: What role does the classroom teacher play in facilitating the MOOC?
  15. MOOC research
  16. ...and 6 more sections

Figures (2)

  • Figure 1: Number of papers included per year
  • Figure :