The moderating effects of discipline on the relationship between asynchronous discussion and satisfaction with MOOCs

This study explores the relationship between asynchronous discussion and satisfaction with massive open online courses (MOOCs). We collected data from a large MOOC community in China (https://mooc.guokr.com/), which included 11 platforms, 321 courses, and over 13,000 ratings. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to analyze the relationship among the number of asynchronous discussion postings, disciplines, and satisfaction levels. The results indicated that asynchronous discussion significantly predicted learners’ satisfaction with MOOCs and that discipline moderated the relationship between asynchronous discussion and satisfaction. Specifically, science and technology courses showed a significantly different slope when compared with humanities courses. These results imply that asynchronous discussion plays an important role in predicting satisfaction with MOOCs in China. Asynchronous discussion may have diverse effects on course satisfaction in different disciplines. Therefore, instructors should pay attention to the characteristics of their specific disciplines when organizing and monitoring asynchronous discussions.