I’ve heard a lot about MOOCs lately. For those unfamiliar with the acronym, it means massive open online course. There are several outlets for these courses and many were recommended to me before I stumbled upon Coursera.
A Facebook friend mentioned that she was taking a course, so I decided to check it out. I was shocked to find that everything was free. Everything. Access to textbook readings, material that usually requires website membership to access, videos that are not usually available for viewing online, and video lectures made specifically for the course.
I took Social Psychology from Wesleyan University, taught by Professor Scott Plous. I cannot begin to tell you how engaging Professor Plous is. His lectures were never boring and he made the material easy to understand and absorb. Assignments were interesting, and most were peer reviewed for grading. I even got to participate in a discussion group with members from all over the world!
I took my final exam yesterday and hoping to pass and receive a certificate for the course. The best part is that I am already applying Social Psychology principles to my life! I updated my Linkedin profile and immediately got a new job. Coincidence? Maybe…
Anyway, Coursera has classes for everything from computer science to the arts. I highly recommend taking a free class and continuing your education.
Some of these are awfully tempting … I wonder if I can shake loose some time.