Enhancing Engagement and Skill Acquisition in MOOCs: A Flipped Project-Based Learning Approach

Abstract

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have transformed access to education by reaching a global audience, yet they frequently struggle to promote active learning and long-term student engagement. To overcome these problems, this research proposes incorporating Flipped Project-Based Learning (FPBL) into MOOC environments. FPBL blends project-based learning ideas with flipped classroom tactics, allowing students to first engage with individual course content before collaborating on long-term, planned projects. The study involved 30 respondents at Universitas Indraprasta PGRI Jakarta who participated in multiple MOOC iterations. Data were collected through surveys, assessments, and project evaluations. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted to assess the impact of FPBL on student engagement, critical thinking, and project performance. Results show that FPBL significantly improves student involvement, retention, and mastery of complex content compared to traditional MOOC models. These findings emphasize the potential of FPBL to improve the engagement and educational impact of MOOCs, providing new solutions for online learning environments.