A bibliometric and meta-analytic review of the impact of MOOCs in higher education

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have gained increasing attention in higher education. This study presents a systematic review using bibliometric analysis and meta-analysis to examine the impact of MOOCs on learning outcomes. Bibliometric analysis identifies key themes, while meta-analysis synthesizes findings for a comprehensive understanding. A total of 116 publications from the Scopus database were analyzed to visualize the conceptual structure and emerging themes. Twelve experimental studies were further examined to assess MOOCs' effects on Actual Learning, Perceived Learning, and Satisfaction. Data analysis using OpenMEE calculated aggregate mean differences, forest plots, and publication bias. Results show that MOOCs significantly impact learning outcomes, with an overall effect size of 0.683 (strong). Specifically, Actual Learning had a strong effect (0.847), while Perceived Learning (0.354) and Satisfaction (0.284) had moderate effects. These findings confirm that MOOCs can significantly improve learning outcomes in higher education. The study concludes that both the theoretical development and practical implementation of MOOCs should consider these differentiated impacts across learning dimensions. The findings of this study are expected to offer meaningful pedagogical contributions to curriculum development, instructional practices, and institutional policies aimed at enhancing the effective integration of MOOCs in higher education settings