Determinants of MOOC adoption: TCMM-based literature review (2004–2024)

Purpose This study aims to extend the theory, construct, method, moderator (TCMM) framework-based review approach to examine the factors influencing Massive Online Open Courses (MOOC) adoption. By systematically reviewing and synthesizing research from 2004 to 2024, this study seeks to uncover the key factors affecting learners’ decisions to adopt MOOCs. Design/methodology/approach This study aims to apply the TCMM framework–based review approach to identify the determinants of MOOC adoption. Through a systematic review and synthesis of the literature, this study seeks to disentangle the factors that influence learner decision-making regarding potentially enrolling in MOOCs between 2004 and 2024. Findings The authors followed the PRISMA protocol to identify and analyze 69 relevant studies on MOOC adoption. The synthesis reveals that adoption is shaped not only by technological beliefs but also by demographic characteristics, motivational drivers and instructor-related factors, highlighting the increasing importance of learner-centric and pedagogy-focused variables in explaining preadoption behavior. Practical implications This study emphasizes that MOOC adoption can be strengthened by improving instructor quality, increasing instructor engagement and integrating gamification elements, which have been underexplored in prior research. The findings also suggest that shorter and mobile-friendly course formats can improve accessibility and learners retention, positioning these design strategies as critical for the future state of online education to be more engaging, flexible and effective. Originality/value More specifically, this research study has made a holistic overview on the MOOC adoption variables and suggests alternative perspectives that offer valuable for practitioners and MOOC experts. It further underscores the need for future research on less studied factors, including determinants of MOOC adoption and the role of m-learning in improving MOOC adoption.