I'll add debating to your list of strategies as it can help students to understand a course topic by engaging them in a real-life issue related to the course. I have used this online debate successfully in teaching online and found that students "love it." Please see my attached paper on how to set up the online debate and the positive results from using it. I hope this can be useful to your topic.

Conference Paper Debating: A Dynamic Teaching Strategy for Motivating Student...

I have been wondering this myself.  I am not sure if Gamification would work - I am guessing adults, unlikely children, are rarely fooled by this tactic. From personal experience, I see a buffet of amazing courses and want to take them all, but when it comes time to take the course I am swamped.  Four things might affect my completion though - Paying for the course, not a huge fee, but something that will cause me to think before I sign up.  And a pre-course video on keeping up with the course and strategies to do so on a busy schedule - a sort of how to succeed in this course video.  Third, a realistic assessment of how much time the course requires.  I look at some of the courses and when I start, the workload is pretty high.  Finally, much shorter video - who has time to watch a 30 to 60 min video - I'm not sure it is even possible anymore ;-)

@Hamideh - So after reading your posted link, it appears that you don't think completion rate is a problem.  I see your point and it has occurred to me that a better questions might be, how do people get more out of MOOCs. OR what do they learn from MOOCs.  Because if they don't learn, MOOCs become irrelevant.   It might not be a problem for you personally, but I suspect it is a problem for those people creating the courses.  There has to be a financial gain at some point. 

 @Hamideh : Thank you for your post, I read your text, which allowed me to understand I had not made myself understood. What I meant is how do you make sure your students do complete the course when you send them out to a MOOC or SPOC, as part of the required syllabus? Some of the courses I make (online) are for students to do alone, without meeting with me (or any other professor) at all. The material in them must be covered before in-class sessions. But some students start lagging behind... and gradually drop out. Then, when we meet, an enormous amount of required knowledge is missing.

I am not worried about people who enroll in MOOCs for a personal interest, but rather in those who do as part of the required syllabus for whatever course they're following.

Thank you for your insight anyhow.

@Robin, I agree with you: I am more persistent when I pay for a course on Udemy than when I simply enroll on a free MOOC on Coursera. A small fee may help. I also agree on the duration of the videos. Beyond 10 minutes, it's hard to keep concentrating. In the lastes edition of our online Maritime English Basics course, the videos last 2 to 11 minutes, with an average at 6:30 minutes. Students appreciate the short videos because they can watch them (and re-watch them) in the ferry, bus, during lunch break... Speaking of the realistic assessment, I also wrote a document that summarizes the time devoted to watching videos, to doing online quizzes, and to completing the paper-based word in the course's handbook (which is downloaded from the course's webpage).

From my own experience, a message of congratulations that names the student with the best score each week, and badges are the most effective incentives. Even with adults (my students are navy midshipmen). Oh, and I forgot to mention downloadable goodies (a free maritime English program I made, or a platform game depicting the students and their professors) available to those students who achieve completion goals...

@ Debra I had not thought of debating. Do you do that in forums?

Hello 

Kindly I would recommend to see in my profile some of my papers. You may find some interesting ideas.

Kind regards

NP

Thank you Nikolaos.

Very interesting indeed. I think I'll be reading several of your papers.

As a learner completed three MOOCs, I think that a self-regulating learning habit is essential for individuals to complete any task, whether job at work or courses for academic accomplishment or personal interests. Learners have different orientations for MOOCs. Certificate earners can persist to go through various tasks and learn through the activities. However, not every learner has a plan to finish a course, particularly when it is free. This is why some organizations will require participants to pay a course, but they can redeem the payment if they have completed it. Perhaps, this may boost the completion rate. Nevertheless, recognition by employers may encourage employees making extra time and efforts to learn through a job-related course. Second, recognition by institute is equally important. MIT announced that 'Learners worldwide with access to edX can take any of the first semester’s worth of courses online. Those who do well in each course, and then score well on a subsequent comprehensive proctored examination, can earn an MITx MicroMaster’s, and their performance will significantly enhance their chances of being accepted to the full master’s program, which they can then complete in a single semester on campus.' on October 7, 2015. Moreover, if institutions have a policy on having a certification with distinction of online learning through MOOCs as a requirement for graduation, it will increase the level of motivation for completion for individuals, whether they are under full-time employment, unemployed, having formal or informal education.

Personally, I enjoy MOOCs because they extend my scope of view through reflective on practices and learning through actions and inquiry. Hope this may give us thoughts on the purpose of learning through MOOCs.

BEST regards,

Paula

@Paula  first of all, congratulations for finishing 3 MOOC courses - I plan to complete one in the summer.  I start so many, then I drift off to a busier world.  You make several excellent points about intentions of the students - that is critical of course.  I wonder if folks know their full intentions before they start though?   Recognition for completing these course is a VERY interesting point - they take a lot of work and I am not sure how seriously  organizations looks at MOOCs.  Thanks for your insights.

Adjusting the designed formats, based on the advanced technology and using strict deadlines and grades, while applying several different learning theories

that assist students to understand new concepts quickly and effectively ensuring their engagement and improve long-term retention.

The learning process (Learning Centricity/Personalisation), additional preparatory or enrichment materials should be available, to engage the individual.

Collaborative learning - as a way of getting students to support each other (this giving them a chance to feel if there are in a learning environment)

Visibility and prestige of MOOCs by attracting students world-wide, even thou you might have low turnover, in return advertises the University in a every competing world.

Adjusting the designed formats, based on the advanced technology and using strict deadlines and grades, while applying several different learning theories

that assist students to understand new concepts quickly and effectively ensuring their engagement and improve long-term retention.

The learning process (Learning Centricity/Personalisation), additional preparatory or enrichment materials should be available, to engage the individual.

Collaborative learning - as a way of getting students to support each other (this giving them a chance to feel if there are in a learning environment)

Visibility and prestige of MOOCs by attracting students world-wide, even thou you might have low turnover, in return advertises the University in a every competing world.

There are several very helpful suggestions in this thread.  This is just one - if at all ,possible start your MOOC with one face to face group session.  See the paper F'ACE TO FACE TEACHING IN DISTANCE EDUCATION ' on www,ormondsimpson.com  

Hello,

Maybe this paper will help you :

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329268177_Questionner_les_traces_d'activites_en_ligne_pour_mieux_comprendre_l'experience_d'apprentissage_des_etudiants

K.B.