The Challenges of Online Teacher Education - Sentiment Analysis of Course Reviews

Abstract

online course in higher education has gained widespread acceptance and experienced notable development in recent years, particularly in the post-pandemic era. To explore the opportunities and challenges from learners’ perspectives when developing an online course, two main research questions guide the study: (1) What factors influence learners’ perceptions of their learning experience as either positive or negative? (2) What dominant themes can be identified from a word frequency analysis of course reviews that indicate areas for potential improvement? In this study, 1,763 reviews related to online teaching from seven distinct courses on Coursera were analyzed by using R. Results show predominantly positive reviews (average score of 2.37), with a minor portion reflecting slightly negative sentiment (average score of -1.1). However, some learners pinpointed inconsistencies and errors within the course materials, underscoring the necessity for regular content audits and updates. This study provides valuable insights for educators and course designers aiming to enhance online education quality.