Reflection prompts are not promising: a randomised controlled trial in a short MOOC shows no positive effects

Open Learning. 2026. Vol. 41. No. 2. P. 228–244.

Kapuza A., Andriasian Lilit

This study investigates the effectiveness of brief reflection interventions designed to support self-regulated learning in a short, Massive Open Online Course for in-service teachers. Two types of text-based reflection prompts were tested in a randomised controlled trial with over 5,000 participants. Learners were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) directed prompts focused on specific self-regulated learning strategies, (2) generic prompts promoting general reflection, and (3) a control group with no prompts. The study examined four outcome variables: pages completed, course completion rate, test attempts, and highest test score. No statistically significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups across any of the outcomes. Additionally, small negative effects were observed among learners with initially high self-regulated learning skills, contrary to expectations of a ‘Matthew effect’. These findings suggest that brief, one-time text-based reflection prompts may be insufficient to improve engagement or performance in short online courses, highlighting the need for more sustained, adaptive, and interactive SRL interventions in MOOC settings.

Keywords: reflection, experimental design, MOOCs, online education, self-regulated learning, RCT

Publication based on the results of: Using digital traces to study learners' behavioral strategies (2025)