Interactions entre utilisateurs de MOOC : appréhender la partie immergée de l’iceberg

In this exploratory research, we analyze through semi-structured interviews some of the interactions that take place between MOOC users outside of the course discussion forums. These interactions may contribute to the sense of community at a distance, the lack thereof is likely to impact the social integration of learners, and therefore, their retention in the course. We propose a typology of interactions on the basis of the nature of the relationship between these users, on the modalities and the role of these interactions. We show that MOOCs can be used within the family circle and the friends’ circle, and not only in the academics or on the workplace. Finally, interactions between course users may continue outside of the boundaries of the course, and sometimes in other MOOCs. These various interactions encompass collaborative tasks, but also tasks that are supposed to be used individually, such as automatized evaluation or viewing video