Exploring MOOCs: A Scientist's Perspective on Coursera and Online Education

[Fantini]

Hello all. :) I've recently enrolled in coursera courses and I must say I'm loving it! Hence, I decided to ask if any of you ever tried one MOOC (massive open online course) before? I think it's an interesting take on education. Professors (in general) seem more motivated to present the course and students are more willing since they enroll out of interest.

What are your opinions? Have you ever done any? :D

Best wishes,

Fantini

 

[Sudharaka]

Hello all. :) I've recently enrolled in coursera courses and I must say I'm loving it! Hence, I decided to ask if any of you ever tried one MOOC (massive open online course) before? I think it's an interesting take on education. Professors (in general) seem more motivated to present the course and students are more willing since they enroll out of interest.

What are your opinions? Have you ever done any? :D

Best wishes,

Fantini

Hi Fantini, :)

I have done parts of courses in Coursera and other similar websites. However apart from listening to the fist few lectures, I couldn't finish them completely. The only course that I completely finished (with every single lecture, discussion, assignment and exam) was CS50x offered by edX. I think that is the best course I have ever done in my whole life. I have never seen a passionate and enthusiastic prof as David Malan and after that course my interest towards learning computer science sky rocketed.

 

[Fantini]

MOOCs are a great way to show how teacher motivation can affect students. They are entirely voluntarily, so whoever signs up is willing to take part in the activities and discussions (to some extent). If the instructor does not maintain enthusiasm then it dies stronger than usual courses, as they are not compulsory.

I'm already considering leaving one of the many I'm enrolled, and not because of the work. The instructor is very uninteresting, even reading slides during the video. Seriously? And worst: it's the first of a series, called "Foundations of Teaching for Learning". So much for it...

 

[ModusPonens]

MOOCs are a great way to show how teacher motivation can affect students. They are entirely voluntarily, so whoever signs up is willing to take part in the activities and discussions (to some extent). If the instructor does not maintain enthusiasm then it dies stronger than usual courses, as they are not compulsory.

I'm already considering leaving one of the many I'm enrolled, and not because of the work. The instructor is very uninteresting, even reading slides during the video. Seriously? And worst: it's the first of a series, called "Foundations of Teaching for Learning". So much for it...

lol! Sorry for the slight detour but one of my teachers this semester described how they had to go through pedagogical training to make classes interesting. Guess what? These classes themselves were not interesting. ;)

I have been trying to find a course in category theory, but can't find it. I guess it's asking too much, but hey...

 

[Fantini]

Not a detour at all. This is a common complaint: every pedagogy student I've ever met has said that their worst classes were the ones related to didactics and pedagogical training. It's completely paradoxical how the training professionals don't have a clue what they're doing (or rather don't care at any level).

No category theory so far, but I saw a functional analysis course from École Polytechnique if I'm not wrong.

On the upside, the course "History and Future of (Mostly) Education" is DELIGHTFUL! The professor, Cathy Davidson, is from Duke University and she's amazing, she brings so much energy and discussion to the videos and the forums contain lengthy and healthy discussion from many perspectives. It really makes you work.

 

[Jameson]

Hi Fantini, :)

I have done parts of courses in Coursera and other similar websites. However apart from listening to the fist few lectures, I couldn't finish them completely. The only course that I completely finished (with every single lecture, discussion, assignment and exam) was CS50x offered by edX. I think that is the best course I have ever done in my whole life. I have never seen a passionate and enthusiastic prof as David Malan and after that course my interest towards learning computer science sky rocketed.

I've watched some of the lectures from CS50 and Malan is awesome. He has some other courses online too which are very informative. It's very exciting to have these kinds of resources available and I hope more spring up.

 

[ModusPonens]

No category theory so far, but I saw a functional analysis course from École Polytechnique if I'm not wrong.

Só agora reparei que você é brasileiro, Fantini. Você, como Clint Eastwood, deu uma lição à polícia nas manifestações recentes? ;)

Moderator Edit (Translation): "Only now I noticed that you are Brazilian, Fantini. You like Clint Eastwood, gave a lesson to the police in recent demonstrations?"

Anyway, youtube has a channel called catsters, just for category theory. The only problem is that I think it wasn't done thinking about a specific order.