Learn Anything: Step into the light. [2]

Take the First Step towards learning anything new — Go Online.

The task of finding out where to learn your newly selected skills, admittedly, looks very daunting. But, if you organize your thoughts, it will be a lot clearer than it may seem at the start. Take notes. Do your homework on what you need to do to hone your own personal skill set. Take some time off from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to explore the resources accessible to you. The three-step process previously mentioned in article one is a good place to start. Here is a small guide to help push you on the right track.

The Internet may be brilliant and full of opportunities, but only the naive walk into it with their eyes closed. Legit online aptitude tests and educational/e-learning websites do exist. However, because money is involved, there is room for scams and spoofs. Keep your wits about you when scanning any of these websites. Keep to the well-known sites and you'll be fine or at least less likely to be scammed or cheated in any way. Do some research on Google and Quora for popular opinions regarding your personal goal as well.

Web hazards aside, you'd be surprised to know how many people out there are great teachers (shout-out to David Bombal) eager to impart their knowledge to anyone interested. From public forums like YouTube to blogs and personal websites on the back-end of the internet, there are sources all over. Give it a shot.

There are several easily accessible and mostly free avenues for you to take when it comes to learning the skills you’ve selected for yourself. There are, of course, ways to find out about offline courses in universities, like IGNOU’s unusual creative courses, but if you feel like sitting at home and learning at your own pace, here are a few ideas for you.

If you're going to turn towards the internet to start your learning journey then MOOCs are something you'll be interested in.

What is a MOOC?

A MOOC is a Massive Open Online Course. It is a course aimed to open access via the Web, leading to unlimited participation. Basically, it is a course that can be taken anywhere and by anybody. The prerequisite remains limited to subject knowledge rather than entrance tests or scores. Built on the foundation of existing online courses, it is an entirely different take on distance learning. Students and professionals can affordably learn new skills and earn degrees adding significant weight to their portfolios. MOOCs are the start of the most revolutionary phase of higher education.

The Rise of MOOCs

MOOCs came into existence when Stanford’s Computer Science Professor Sebastian Thrun made his artificial intelligence course freely available to all online. About 1,50,000 people signed up for it. Since then, with the participation of many universities, the online stated replacing the offline. Even students who are already enrolled in universities prefer to watch their lectures and submit their assignments online.

Initially, MOOCs were entirely focused on computer science and math classes since it was people with this background who were interested in getting their courses online and having access to similar courses. Now there are MOOCs on every topic from Architecture to Nutrition and Diet. Many Elite Universities like Princeton, Stanford, and MIT are embracing MOOCs in a big way. These brands seem to concrete the quality of learning associated with MOOCs. People are ensured of a rock-solid curriculum and well-explained lectures. They only need to put in the learning effort.

What does MOOC consist of?

A MOOC typically consists of a series of video tutorials, lectures, and workshops. It has a start date and an end date but usually runs every month or so allowing you to space out courses and the deadlines can be reset as well. There are practice exercises, tests, and assignments. The course material is generally extensive and the lectures are always available to recap since they are in video format. There are also forums for students to connect with each other. These forums are highly engaging and go a long way in helping the course along.

How to choose the right MOOC for you?

There are a couple of factors to consider while choosing a MOOC.

1. Are you planning to transfer to a professional College in the future?

If this is the case then find out if the college you are opting for will offer credit for completion of such courses. Select a MOOC recommended and recognized by them so as to maximize the results from the effort you put in.

2. Time Availability

How many hours in a week are you willing to put into the course? Check out the course curriculum and suggest time investment before committing to a course.

3. How much money are you willing to spend?

Most courses are available for free. But if you have a very specific course in mind chances are that the university offering it may not put it up for free. The fees are nominal but again if you don't have the time to put into a course then spending a couple of thousand rupees on it is meaningless. You can also avail yourself of the Financial Aid facility provided by Coursera.

4. Which site offers the best course for the specialization you have in mind?

Research is key here. Read reviews from students who have already taken the course, go through the curriculum, and check the kind of assignment and tests the course entails. One option is to enroll in two courses simultaneously and continue with the one you feel more comfortable with.

MOOC Programmes out there

Coursera

Coursera partners with more than 200 leading universities and companies to bring flexible, affordable, job-relevant online learning to individuals and organizations worldwide. They offer a range of learning opportunities — from hands-on projects and courses to job-ready certificates and degree programs.

82 million learners, 100+ Fortune 500 companies, and more than 6,000 campuses, businesses, and governments come to Coursera to access world-class learning — anytime, anywhere.

EdX

While the internet was enabling innovation at scale across a vast array of industries, higher education was reaching only a tiny fraction of the world’s curious minds. One afternoon in an MIT lab Professor Anant Agarwal and his colleagues from MIT and Harvard sketched out a long-shot experiment: a platform that would offer their courses online, open to any person up to the challenge, for free. In February of 2012, Professor Agarwal’s MIT Circuits and Electronics course was launched, and edX.org was born.

To explore more about how edX united with the global community of learners, addressed urgent needs in higher education, and helped businesses foster resilience and employability, review the full 2021 edX Impact Report.

Udemy

Udemy is one of the World’s largest and cost-effective Online Learning platforms. It is one place where you can get access to a plethora of courses. It is aimed at professional adults and students. Udemy has more than 30 million students and 50,000 instructors teaching courses in over 60 languages. There have been over 245 million course enrollments. The best part is that courses from various domains are available and also they are available in various languages.

In addition to that, the best part is that you can contact trainers if you have any doubts and they are happy to help you with the queries raised.

Issues and concerns with MOOCs

As with all the things MOOCs have a couple of issues that should be discussed.

The level of engagement with a MOOC as compared to a traditional classroom setting is almost non-existent. With a MOOC there is no face time with the professors. Sometimes a little guidance from a professor goes a long way and the lack of it is probably one of the biggest issues students face in these courses.

For students who are ready and willing to dive into learning and exploring new subjects, this is not a concern. They can make use of the forums on the site or look on the Web to get doubts cleared.

Most students take these courses out of curiosity. Since the courses are free, what’s the harm in enrolling, right? This, of course, is not enough to carry you through the entire five to six weeks of classes.

With MOOCs, the attrition rate is exceptionally high. The average student loses interest by about the second week of the course. These courses have a scary attrition rate of about 9%. However, since thousands of people actually enroll in these courses, the total number that complete them is substantial.

Grading is an issue with such a large number of students. While teaching assistants pitch in, these courses mostly rely on MCQ tests and peer assessments to grade students. This leads to an issue of properly gauging a MOOC student’s in-depth knowledge of a subject.

Value of MOOC Certificate vs. Traditional Degree Certificates

MOOCs can be mentioned in your resume. They will be considered as an additional factor but not necessarily a qualifying one. However, it is very likely that a recruiter will look at you as a self-starter and motivated candidate if you have a few of these on your resume. It will show that you are interested in mastering certain skills even if you have to go the extra mile to achieve them.

Statement of Accomplishment vs. Verified Certificate

Statement of accomplishment simply states that you have completed the course with a certain end score. All you have to do to get it is complete the course and sign an Honor Code which states that you will not cheat while attempting the course. The statement of Accomplishment has the stamp of the site from which you have obtained the MOOC. for example Coursera.

A verified certificate is typically one that you get when you pay for the course. It has an Emblem of the university that offered the course as well. When you pay for the course the University uses methods like tracing your typing pattern and photographs to identify you. This basically is an added measure to ensure that the student does not cheat thus making the certificate a little more valid.

Despite a lot of criticism, many people rely on MOOCs. If you are not after a certificate but rather interested in growing your knowledge on a subject these courses offer phenomenal help. After all, these days quality surpasses quantity for most things. As for the extensive discussion, are MOOCs really worth the time and money that you invest in them? Read the next article to find out more.

Learn Anything: Are online courses worth it? [3]