Identifying influences of the quality of interaction on dropout rates of MOOC: preliminary results

MOOC have emerged as innovation to improve education through the provision of free online courses. However, there is a high drop-out rate for its students. This research is analyzing, from the technological point of view, as possible causes of abandonment. In order to investigate the communication problems of the interface between students on abandonment and withdrawal in MOOC courses, the Semiotic Inspection Method (SIM) was applied, correlating its results with potential causes found in the literature. It was concluded that the ruptures of communication are associated with some of the general causes that lead to abandonment or withdrawal.