Role of MOOCs in Developing Critical Thinking Skills among Secondary School Students: A Systematic Review
Authors-Leju Vidosh, Dr. Reni Francis
Keyword-MOOCs, critical thinking, secondary education, SWAYAM, digital learning, school education, India, systematic review, online learning.
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have emerged as an important component of digital education because they provide learners with flexible access to structured learning resources, multimedia content, discussion activities, formative assessment and opportunities for self-directed learning. In India, the development of SWAYAM and the broader digital-education ecosystem has increased the policy relevance of MOOCs, although much of the empirical literature has focused on higher education rather than secondary schooling. This systematic review examines the potential and documented role of MOOCs in developing critical thinking skills among secondary school students, with particular attention to Indian educational contexts and literature published between 2020 and 2025. The review adopts a PRISMA-informed systematic literature-review approach and synthesises evidence concerning digital learning, MOOCs, critical thinking, learner autonomy, interaction, problem solving and reflective learning. The reviewed Indian literature indicates that MOOCs can support critical thinking when courses incorporate inquiry-oriented activities, problem solving, discussion, reflection, formative assessment and opportunities for learners to evaluate information rather than merely consume instructional content. However, the evidence specific to secondary school students remains limited compared with evidence from higher education. Major barriers include unequal digital access, teacher preparedness, learner motivation, language issues, limited interaction and the risk of passive video-based learning. The review concludes that MOOCs should be regarded not as a replacement for teachers but as a technology-supported pedagogical environment that 1 can strengthen critical thinking when appropriately designed and integrated with classroom instruction. The paper proposes a MOOC-based critical-thinking framework for Indian secondary education and identifies priorities for experimental, longitudinal and school-level research.