As a course creator or an instructor, one of your primary objectives is to ensure that learners remain motivated and engaged throughout their learning journey. Learners' motivation and engagement are critical factors that influence their success in a course and their overall learning outcomes. In this article, we will explore the significance of learners' motivation, the role of engagement in the learning process, and how course creators can utilize Open edX® Milestone features to keep learners motivated and actively participating in the course.

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The Importance of Learners' Motivation and Engagement

Motivation is the driving force behind learners' willingness to engage in the learning process actively. When learners are motivated, they exhibit a genuine interest in the course material, are more likely to persist through challenges, and are more inclined to achieve their learning goals. As a course creator, it is essential to understand the various factors that can impact learners' motivation, such as personal goals and milestones, notifications and learning reminder, prior knowledge, relevance of the content as well as their perceived competence in the subject.

Engagement complements motivation and plays a vital role in the learning experience. Engaged learners are actively involved in the course, interact with the content, participate in discussions, and collaborate with peers. When learners are engaged, they are more likely to retain information, apply knowledge effectively, and develop critical thinking skills. It is the responsibility of course creators to design learning experiences that foster engagement and keep learners invested in the course.

Leveraging Open edX® Milestone Features

The Open edX® platform is a powerful and flexible online learning solution that offers various features to support learners' motivation and engagement. Among these features, Open edX® Milestones stand out as valuable tools that can be used strategically to boost your learners' motivation throughout self-paced learning. Here are the features available:

Celebrating the completion of a course

Sending congratulatory messages to students when they reach significant milestones, like the completion of a whole course, is an effective way to acknowledge their progress, boost their motivation. Recognizing and appreciating their achievements can help students stay engaged, feel valued, and encourage them to continue pushing forward.

When activating the feature flag 'courseware.microfrontend_course_exit_page' in your Open edX® platform, a pop-up window will appear to your students showing a congratulation message once they have successfully completed a course. 

Here is how such a congratulatory message in Open edX® platform looks like:

Celebrating the completion of the first section

Celebrating milestones is not only about recognizing the big achievements but also acknowledging the small steps taken by students along their learning journey, like the completion of a section. By celebrating their efforts and progress, you create a positive and supportive learning environment that nurtures their motivation and passion for learning.

When activating the feature flag 'courseware.mfe_progress_milestones' in your Open edX® platform, a pop-up window will appear to your students showing a gratulating message once they have successfully completed a course.

Here is how such a congratulatory message in Open edX® platform looks like:

Course goals and email reminder

Boosting learners' motivation in self-paced online learning courses requires a thoughtful approach that keeps them engaged and focused on achieving their learning goals. To provide the opportunity to set individual course learning goals and to send regular email reminders can be powerful tools in this endeavor.

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Unlike the previous two features, this feature is based on an individual time specification. In addition, it can be manually turned on and off by learners. It is up to the learner whether he/she wants to receive email reminders or not. This feature comes in 3 different modes:

• The goal, to complete 1 activity per week (Casual)
• The goal, to complete 3 activities per week (Regular)
• The goal, to complete 5 activities per week (Intense)
• Default: No preference

Here is what the interface in Open edX® platform looks like for students who want to set up individual learning goals: 

When a learner is about to miss their set learning goal due to inactivity or insufficient activity, email reminders are automatically sent. Depending on the goal, these are sent at a time that realistically allows the learner to still reach the set learning goal:

• When a learner sets a goal to complete one activity per week, an email reminder will be sent on Sunday mornings.

• When a learner sets a goal to complete three activities per week, an email reminder will be sent on Fridays.
• When a learner sets a goal to complete five activities per week, an email reminder will be sent on Wednesdays.

Here is how a default email reminder in Open edX® platform looks like: 

Learner Celebration/Streak

Celebrating the regular activity of a learner on the online learning platform is a fantastic way to acknowledge their dedication, foster a positive learning environment, and boost their motivation to continue engaging with the course. Recognizing and appreciating their efforts in a visible and meaningful manner can have a profound impact on their learning journey. Unlike the "Course goals and email reminder" feature, this feature is not selectable per course, but platform-wide. Means that this function counts every interaction and activity in the courses in which a learner is enrolled. 

When activating the feature flag 'courseware.mfe_progress_milestones_streak_celebration' in your Open edX® platform, a pop-up window will appear to your students showing a congratulation message once they have been actively learning on your platform 3 days in a row.

Here is how such a congratulatory message in Open edX® platform looks like: 

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Want to use these features?

Learn how to activate these Open edX^® features on your platform with our how-to-guide!

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Takeaways

Motivated and engaged learners are more likely to succeed in their learning endeavors. As a course creator and instructor, you have the power to cultivate these essential qualities in your learners by leveraging Open edX® Milestone features effectively. By celebrating milestones and course completions, letting them set clear learning objectives, reminding them regularly via email notification, you can create a dynamic and positive learning environment that keeps learners motivated and engaged throughout the course, leading to more positive learning outcomes.