Massive Online Open Course (MOOC)

[JansenDowel]

What do you think about MOOC? Do you think earning certificates will improve your employability?

Here are a few:

Coursera
edX
Saylor Foundation
MIT OpenCourseware
Khan Academy

 

[Cognisant]

Khan Academy sounds too awesome to be true.

 

[Ex-User (9086)]

Khan Academy sounds too awesome to be true.

What do you think about MOOC?

I used them for some basic electronics / physics, they offer simple explanations of basic concepts. I didn't see any advanced material but they are/were in the process of adding new subjects and topics.

They also offer education for elementary schools and there are some places that rely on services such as khan academy for elementary education.

Do you think earning certificates will improve your employability?

It may depending on certificates in question and the knowledge/ability resulting from preparing for these certificates.

 

[Analyzer]

Good educational supplement, but I prefer learning primarily from books.

As far as becoming employed, really depends on who is doing the hiring. I could see some thinking the certificates are a gimmick.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

Around 6 years ago I learned linear algebra using a mooc because I was too lazy to turn up to uni for the course i enrolled in. ^_^

 

[Vrecknidj]

Whenever I teach rudimentary-level college math courses (which is just about all the time these days), I send my students to the Khan Academy website and encourage them to spend as much time there as they can.

There is some good stuff there; I've learned a few things myself from some of the other courses.

I have no experience with the bigger places, and don't know much about how accepted the certificates are in business or in education. I would suspect that most of the universities will still circle the wagons in defense against MOOC certificates as a substitute for course credit for as long as they can (though eventually someone will relent, that someone will be big enough, and there will be a shift).

 

[Pyropyro]

If their certificates are recognized by most institutions then I'll try them. Otherwise I'll just stick with the old-fashioned academic courses.

 

[JansenDowel]

I have no experience with the bigger places, and don't know much about how accepted the certificates are in business or in education. I would suspect that most of the universities will still circle the wagons in defense against MOOC certificates as a substitute for course credit for as long as they can (though eventually someone will relent, that someone will be big enough, and there will be a shift).

Agreed!

Has anyone tried Coursera, edX or Saylor Foundation? They are my personal favourites!