MOOC-based Research, edX and Human Research Ethics

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The University recognises the increasing interest in conducting research using education data gathered from MOOCs. While the edX Terms of Service supports the carrying out of such research by explicitly making the availability of MOOC data a condition of course enrolment, the conduct of the research itself remains subject to the ANU Code of Research Conduct (https://policies.anu.edu.au/ppl/document/ANUP_007403) and the NHMRC's National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines-publications/e72). The ANU Human Research Ethics Committee has considered research of this type and considers the main types of research to be of two broad types:

  1. Low/Negligible risk: research using data analytics that involves no "intervention" but rather involves analysis of de-identified learning analytics data would - ordinarily - involve no risk to participants. Such research can be carried out under the existing terms-of-service arrangements without formal ethics approval. However, assessments of risk to participants should be carried out on individual research projects and ethics clearance sought if specific risks to participants are identified.
  2. Greater than negligible risk: research that involves "interventions" (e.g. A/B testing where students are randomly assigned to different groups given different methods of instruction), in order to comply with the National Statement, must have provision for (a) informing students that they are participants in an experiment; (b) have arrangements for voluntary participation (i.e. the right to NOT participate in the experiment without giving up the ability to remain in the course); (c) a record should be kept of consent and withdrawal; (d) use of data and feedback on results should be made available to participants. Such research requires ethics approval from the HREC PRIOR TO DATA COLLECTION.