A typology of students’ online engagement: Analysing participation patterns and learning styles in an English MOOC discussion forum

This mixed-methods study investigates students’ online engagement in a university-level English MOOC discussion forum through analysis of 58,597 posts. Seven participation patterns emerged: information-oriented (77.59%), social-relational (14.56%), self-directed learning (4.89%), affective-expressive (0.62%), procedural-managerial (0.62%), minimal response (1.65%), and technical-operational (0.06%). Nearly 98% of interactions were meaningful, indicating productive engagement. Three engagement levels were identified—peripheral (77.68%), contributory (14.83%), and initiatory (7.49%)—based on interaction patterns and initiative. The study further explores the relationship between participation levels and learning styles, offering implications for designing language MOOCs that support diverse engagement and enhance educational outcomes.