Tadakhul – An online platform for integrating learning analytics with MOOC to enhance learning ability of HEI students in the sultanate of Oman

The Sultanate of Oman has invested heavily in the Education sector in the recent years. The pressing problem of youth unemployment has put the country in a state of pressure to refurbish the educational system and to bridge the gap betweenthe students studying in the Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) and their employability. With the aim of enabling accessibility of education to all, this research will focus on creation of a completely indigenous online platform called ‘Tadakhul’ (meaning intersection in Arabic) which uses education technology (Edtech) and would be bilingual in nature catering to Arabic and English-speaking learners. Using this platform, the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and the networking site will be hosted on a relational database service like that of Amazon Web Services. A learning analytics server is used in measuring the learning outcomes of learners. The resultant learning analytics is utilized to assess student engagementfor each of the courses. The design and delivery of the course material can be improvised with the help of the data collected from such analytics. To understand and sequence courses according to the most viewed, related, similar courses, or even samecourses taught by different tutors, data profiling and predictive analysis is used. The online platform also includes a social media platform to maximize collaborative learning with peers and interaction with tutors. To maintain a continuum of family and community-based care, the platform also hosts a psychosocial helpline that would serve as a support platform for young learners.