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      e-learning (Free Online Courses)

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      Diego LFC
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      e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Sep 04, 2012 05:19:44 pm
      I have no idea of where I should create a thread about this, ultimately decided for the Media forum but please move if necessary.

      Well, what's Coursera?

      We are a social entrepreneurship company that partners with the top universities in the world to offer courses online for anyone to take, for free.

      https://www.coursera.org/about

      They are offering various courses on varied subjects in partnership with top universities. Some of them give certificates of completion that can even be used as university credits. I don't have much interest in the certificates but I love learning and couldn't resist such opportunity.

      I'm currently doing two completely different courses. One of them is Introduction to Finance, basically just out of curiosity to see how it's taught in the University of Michigan, but I'm already familiar with the subject since I'm graduated in Economics. It's good to remember some stuff too.

      The other is called Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World (also by the University of Michigan), about fantasy and sci-fi literature. I'm loving it. It's difficult to read all the suggested material in time for the assignments but it's worth it. So far I've read classics such as Alice in Wonderland, Dracula, Frankenstein, Edgar Allan Poe, H. G. Wells etc, and there is more to come in the next few weeks. The certificate won't be worth much in my profession but it's the learning experience that I like. Call me nerd if you want.

      I'm also just getting started in courses like Model Thinking (University of Michigan), Gamification (University of Pennsylvania) and Statistics (Princeton University). Looking forward to others such as A History of the World since 1300 (Princeton University), Learn to Program: The Fundamentals (University of Toronto), Introduction to Philosophy (University of Edinburgh) and others.

      In all the courses, you can just read the material / view videos etc or you can be an active student, doing all the requested assignments, that are mandatory only if you intend to win a certificate.

      Well... I thought I would share it, just in case anyone might also be interested.

      https://www.coursera.org/
      « Last Edit: Oct 25, 2012 11:24:21 am by MsGerrard »
      Reprobate
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #1: Sep 04, 2012 05:25:16 pm
      Fantastic, I'll definitely be looking into it.
      The Lark
      • Forum Geoff Strong
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #2: Sep 04, 2012 08:09:47 pm
      Just signed up for 3 courses - I'm such a geek.

      Cheers to Diego for the OP.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #3: Sep 04, 2012 09:46:48 pm
      Just signed up for 3 courses - I'm such a geek.

      Cheers to Diego for the OP.

      No problem mate. Which courses are you going to do?
      Roddenberry
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #4: Sep 04, 2012 09:59:01 pm
      Bookmarked it, will have a look later.  Thanks Diego.
      The Lark
      • Forum Geoff Strong
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #5: Sep 04, 2012 10:05:50 pm
      I increased it to 5 - although they aren't all at same time.

      I'm doing:
      History of the World since 1300 - always loved history.
      Introduction to operations management - I'm looking for management work at the minute.
      Planet Earth & Energy 101 - love this stuff.
      Introduction to astronomy - another favourite topic of mine.

      Some start this month, some later in the year or at a date yet to be arranged.
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #6: Sep 04, 2012 10:11:49 pm
      That's awesome. Can you join courses after they started? That Fantasy and Science Fiction one looks really cool. Gamification too. Some of the computer programming ones look interesting too. So do the astronomy and cosmology ones, but entry level is a bit steep there for a non native english speaker, I think. In january the Artificial Intelligence Planning, and E-learning and Digital Cultures look cool too.

      I'm certainly going to try some, thanks! We should update each other on our progress here, share experiences with the courses.
      Dadorious
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #7: Sep 04, 2012 11:40:42 pm
      That's great cheers Diego.
      unwashedmasses
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #8: Sep 05, 2012 12:39:44 am
      Thanks for this, I've signed up for a few courses and we'll see how it goes. If some of us do the same courses perhaps we could discuss them here too?
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #9: Sep 05, 2012 01:13:55 am
      I signed up for Networked Life, and Social Network Analysis. The first starting in a few days, the other in a few weeks.

      I should be a network expert after this. :P
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #10: Sep 05, 2012 01:22:58 am
      That's awesome. Can you join courses after they started? That Fantasy and Science Fiction one looks really cool. Gamification too. Some of the computer programming ones look interesting too. So do the astronomy and cosmology ones, but entry level is a bit steep there for a non native english speaker, I think. In january the Artificial Intelligence Planning, and E-learning and Digital Cultures look cool too.

      I'm certainly going to try some, thanks! We should update each other on our progress here, share experiences with the courses.

      Yes mate, you can start them at any time you want. However, depending of each situation, you might not be eligible for a certificate anymore. It's the case for the Fantasy and Sci-Fi course, because you need a certain number of assignments done before the deadlines and there aren't enough assignments left till the end of the course to grant you a certificate. Nothing stops you from joining, reading the materials, watching the videos, reading the discussion forums etc.

      As for the Gamification course (which looks awesome), it has only recently started, you should sign up for this one. The first assignment is only due in Sept 9, so there's still time left for you to begin it properly.
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #11: Sep 05, 2012 01:34:28 am
      I just joined the Gamification course. Will look into catching up tomorrow. At the risk of having too many courses now in a few weeks, but we'll see how it goes. Gamification just looked too interesting. Aren't we a curious bunch!
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #12: Sep 05, 2012 05:00:29 am
      Already caught up on the first week Diego, just finished the first quiz. Very interesting course that really aligns with my gaming and internet interests, and he's good at explaining it. Apparently 75000+ people are taking the course from 150+ countries all over the world, pretty cool! Had a peek at the written assignment that's due the 9th, very doable.
      « Last Edit: Sep 05, 2012 05:20:09 am by Bier »
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #13: Sep 05, 2012 01:36:42 pm
      Gonna do it tonight - watch all the videos of the Model Thinking and Gamification courses. Also need to do Intro to Finance's assignment for this week.
      racerx34
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #14: Sep 05, 2012 02:03:10 pm
      Think Again: How to Reason and Argue

      Critical Thinking in Global Challenges

      Introduction to Philosophy



      Might give some of them a look.
      The Lark
      • Forum Geoff Strong
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #15: Sep 05, 2012 04:06:08 pm
      Think Again: How to Reason and Argue

      That was nearly one I chose too - but I think 5 is enough for now.
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #16: Sep 05, 2012 05:21:47 pm
      Everybody on this forum should do that Think Again course. Directly applies to this forum, the debates would get even worse. :P
      I was contemplating doing it too, maybe.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #17: Sep 06, 2012 04:14:25 pm
      Gonna do it tonight - watch all the videos of the Model Thinking and Gamification courses. Also need to do Intro to Finance's assignment for this week.

      Wasted too much time doing the Finance's assignments and ended up doing nothing of the rest. Don't want to miss the deadlines though, need to do some work during the weekend.

      Bier, what is the Gamification written assignment about? In the sci-fi course, you have to write something about the books you're reading, and it's evaluated by your peers. Is it the same in the Gamification course?
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #18: Sep 06, 2012 04:26:23 pm
      Bier, what is the Gamification written assignment about? In the sci-fi course, you have to write something about the books you're reading, and it's evaluated by your peers. Is it the same in the Gamification course?

      Yeah, although in this course it's based on the lectures. There's an example given of a situation, and you need to give reasons and explanations why gamification would be useful in that situation. Some stuff been mentioned in the first 2 parts of week 1, although might be more mentioned in 3 and 4 of week 2 also. Probably smart to check the written assignment first before you start, so you can take some notes for the assignment while watching the lectures, wish I did in hindsight. Don't forget though, you need to do 2 quizes too, 1 for each week.

      The first quiz was pretty easy. Did you do any quiz yet? Because I read that with upto 2 tries you get 100% of your highest score, then from 3 and on you get 75% of your highest score. Now I got 4.5 out of 5 in the first try, so that's good. But now I'm wondering, if I do another try will the questions be the same or do I get new ones?

      I'm starting on week 2 tomorrow myself.
      TheRedMosquito
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #19: Sep 07, 2012 05:11:45 pm
      I'm bookmarking this thread for when I done with my own classes. Seems pretty awesome.
      Reprobate
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #20: Sep 07, 2012 05:43:02 pm
      I'm bookmarking this thread for when I done with my own classes.

      Wish I'd done that instead of rummaging around for it again!

      Signed up for:
      • An Introduction to Operations Management - Starting towards the end of this month and;
      • Chemistry : Concepts, Develpment and Application - Starting in January

      My problem is not starting these things but sticking with them so I'll see how I go with them before signing up for anything else!
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #21: Sep 07, 2012 05:49:30 pm
      Yeah, although in this course it's based on the lectures. There's an example given of a situation, and you need to give reasons and explanations why gamification would be useful in that situation. Some stuff been mentioned in the first 2 parts of week 1, although might be more mentioned in 3 and 4 of week 2 also. Probably smart to check the written assignment first before you start, so you can take some notes for the assignment while watching the lectures, wish I did in hindsight. Don't forget though, you need to do 2 quizes too, 1 for each week.

      The first quiz was pretty easy. Did you do any quiz yet? Because I read that with upto 2 tries you get 100% of your highest score, then from 3 and on you get 75% of your highest score. Now I got 4.5 out of 5 in the first try, so that's good. But now I'm wondering, if I do another try will the questions be the same or do I get new ones?

      I'm starting on week 2 tomorrow myself.

      Just did both quizzes, got the highest score on them. For the Quiz 2 I needed a second attempt, and I can now tell you that the questions do change, although not very significantly, just a few different options to pick from.

      Now I'm taking a bit of time to do the written assignment, it requires far more effort...
      The Lark
      • Forum Geoff Strong
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #22: Sep 09, 2012 10:44:01 am
      If anyone is doing History of the World since 1300 there is a free download of the book they recommend in the forum.

      102MB and no virus (I downloaded it this morning)  ;)

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