Estimation of sustainability aspects of MOOC platforms in higher education in India using the PLS-SEM approach

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have been introduced in India since 2015 with the primary objective to make its younger workforce skilled and capable citizens by 2022 and the research evidence indicates a positive effect of the integration of online learning platforms (massive open online courses (MOOCs)) in higher education. In the present study, a theoretical framework was proposed to explore the influence of online platform features on the sustainability of online platforms in India by taking a survey of young people in the age group 17–30 years. To conduct this study, 305 participants enrolled in different online learning platforms for courses from multiple domains were selected. The participant's perception of various aspects of the online learning platform was collected using a structured questionnaire and statistically analysed. The partial least squares technique of structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the reliability and validity of the data, and the study's hypothesised relationships. Pedagogy, content, and usability features of online platforms showed a significant influence on the sustainability of online learning platforms. The findings can be used as a reference to fine-tune the existing online learning platform features on pedagogy, content, and usability to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of online learning platforms, with special reference to India.