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Article History

Received: 15 May 2017

Accepted: 9 February 2018

First Online: 20 February 2018

Authors information

: All authors were involved in the delivery of the Dying2Learn MOOC as course facilitators.

: Ethics approval for the study was granted by the Social and Behavioral Ethics Committee, Flinders University on 12 May 2016 (Project Number 7247). An amendment specifically enabling the analysis of de-identified comments during the course of the MOOC was approved on 22 September 2016. The study enrolment and activity data were collected by OpenLearning and extracted for the course facilitators at the conclusion of the MOOC. OpenLearning users are informed that data collected on the platform may be used for research and educational purposes. Participants were aware their responses in the MOOC would be used for research purposes, and therefore their consent was implied by their choice to enrol in the course and complete educational activities. This study was conducted in accordance with the OpenLearning Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Confidentiality of all information was maintained, and was fully de-identified prior to analysis. As a consequence of working in a virtual online environment with global reach, a small percentage of participants in the MOOC resided in countries outside Australia. This approach to ethics and consent is in line with current recommendations and that typically used for research conducted in virtual learning environments [CitationRef removed–CitationRef removed].

: Not applicable.

: JT, DR and LM-L are employed by the CareSearch Project which receives grant funding from the Australian Government Department of Health. CS has been previously employed by the CareSearch Project. DP has no competing interests.

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