Uncovering factors predicting the effectiveness of MOOC-based academic leadership training

The recent trend of utilizing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in higher education and the drastic changes caused by COVID-19 exacerbated the adoption of online professional development (PD) addressed for academic leaders. Unfortunately, there is a lack of empirical studies investigating perceived effectiveness of academic leadership development MOOCs and its predicting factors. Based on the statistical findings derived from a survey for learners in a series of MOOC-based leadership development programs, the current study aimed at identifying contributors to the effectiveness of online leadership training in higher education contexts. The participants (N = 185) were academic leaders and staff who participated in the MOOC-based leadership development programs. Hierarchical regression analyses were employed to answer the research questions. The results showed that course content was the strongest predictor of perceived learning effectiveness, followed by interaction quality. The four scales of motivation have different effects on perceived learning outcomes. The study extended previous research by demonstrating the potentials of using MOOCs as an online platform for leadership development. In addition, the study filled in the gaps in the literature to measure predictors that associate perceived learning outcomes of MOOC-based leadership development programs. Implications for both practice and theory were implied.