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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
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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
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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
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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
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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)  ;)
      RedPuppy
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #23: Sep 09, 2012 05:39:06 pm
      May take the plunge.

      Registered so I probably give it a go.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #24: Sep 10, 2012 01:27:35 am
      I'm starting on week 2 tomorrow myself.

      Have you done the Gamification written assignment, Bier? If yes, would you mind to share it with me? :D Just so I can take inspiration from somewhere. I was going to do it today but was busy all day, have only a few hours left till deadline, will see what I can do.
      AlwaysTheKop
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #25: Sep 10, 2012 08:08:48 pm
      Website not working :(
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #26: Sep 15, 2012 02:14:03 am
      Sorry for the late response Diego. I'm not on here alot anymore. I am still doing the course though. Did you get your assignment done?
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #27: Sep 15, 2012 08:22:26 pm
      Sorry for the late response Diego. I'm not on here alot anymore. I am still doing the course though. Did you get your assignment done?

      No problem! And yes, I did. I think it was ok, no feedback yet though.

      Also did Quiz 3 already, got maximum score after a 2nd try. Need to do assignment 2 now...
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #28: Sep 17, 2012 10:13:56 pm
      I quite like the Gamification course, you enjoying it so far Diego? 2nd assignment went ok I think, got a 10 for the 1st one. So I'm not bothered by the peer grading so far. Only 3 weeks left.

      Dropped out of the Networked Life course because it was boring as F**k in the first week already, will be doing Human-Computer Interaction(building interfaces) instead, starting next week.

      Also signed up for an Android app course later on. That in combination with the gamification and interfaces courses will hopefully inspire me to make a cool app. :)
      Reprobate
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #29: Sep 19, 2012 09:25:38 am
      Dear Courserians,

      Today, we are thrilled to welcome 17 more universities — including four international schools — onto Coursera:

      Berklee College of Music
      Brown University
      Columbia University
      Emory University
      Hebrew University of Jerusalem
      Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
      Mount Sinai School of Medicine
      Ohio State University
      University of British Columbia
      University of California
      Irvine University of Florida
      University of London
      University of Maryland
      University of Melbourne
      University of Pittsburgh
      Vanderbilt University
      Wesleyan University

      These 17 universities will expand the course offerings even further, adding new classes in the fields of music, medicine, and humanities (among other disciplines) from renowned professors like Arnold Weinstein of Brown University and Grammy award winning Gary Burton from Berklee College of Music. We are proud of the diversity of the course offerings —from "The Science of Gastronomy" from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology to " Financial Engineering and Risk Management" from Columbia University. Many of these courses are pushing the boundaries of what was thought to be possible to teach online.

      Working with schools, professors, and students over the past six months has taught us that online education has an incredible power to bring people together and open up doors that might otherwise remain shut.
      « Last Edit: Sep 19, 2012 09:48:29 am by Reprobate »
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #30: Sep 19, 2012 04:15:30 pm
      I quite like the Gamification course, you enjoying it so far Diego? 2nd assignment went ok I think, got a 10 for the 1st one. So I'm not bothered by the peer grading so far. Only 3 weeks left.

      Dropped out of the Networked Life course because it was boring as f**k in the first week already, will be doing Human-Computer Interaction(building interfaces) instead, starting next week.

      Also signed up for an Android app course later on. That in combination with the gamification and interfaces courses will hopefully inspire me to make a cool app. :)

      Yeah, I'm enjoying the Gamification course very much. Got a 10 from my first assignment too, and think I did quite well in the 2nd one - hopefully another 10. Have you seen the 3rd assignment though? It's huge! 1.500 words. We'll have 2 weeks for it but as usual I'm sure I'll leave it to the last day haha.

      And I can see why you think Networked Life is boring, I thought it was going to focus more on the social aspects of it, but I actually liked it a bit. The quizzes were pretty easy as well, so I decided to stay with this one.

      Dear Courserians,

      Today, we are thrilled to welcome 17 more universities — including four international schools — onto Coursera:

      Berklee College of Music
      Brown University
      Columbia University
      Emory University
      Hebrew University of Jerusalem
      Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
      Mount Sinai School of Medicine
      Ohio State University
      University of British Columbia
      University of California
      Irvine University of Florida
      University of London
      University of Maryland
      University of Melbourne
      University of Pittsburgh
      Vanderbilt University
      Wesleyan University

      These 17 universities will expand the course offerings even further, adding new classes in the fields of music, medicine, and humanities (among other disciplines) from renowned professors like Arnold Weinstein of Brown University and Grammy award winning Gary Burton from Berklee College of Music. We are proud of the diversity of the course offerings —from "The Science of Gastronomy" from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology to " Financial Engineering and Risk Management" from Columbia University. Many of these courses are pushing the boundaries of what was thought to be possible to teach online.

      Working with schools, professors, and students over the past six months has taught us that online education has an incredible power to bring people together and open up doors that might otherwise remain shut.

      Was coming to post that! Lots of new courses available, feels like Christmas for a nerd like me. I'm already enrolled in way too many courses, it'll only get worse now :D
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #31: Sep 19, 2012 04:20:07 pm
      There's now even a course on Film History! I like this website more every day.

      https://www.coursera.org/course/hollywood
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #32: Sep 19, 2012 10:38:44 pm
      Yeah, I'm enjoying the Gamification course very much. Got a 10 from my first assignment too, and think I did quite well in the 2nd one - hopefully another 10. Have you seen the 3rd assignment though? It's huge! 1.500 words. We'll have 2 weeks for it but as usual I'm sure I'll leave it to the last day haha.

      And I can see why you think Networked Life is boring, I thought it was going to focus more on the social aspects of it, but I actually liked it a bit. The quizzes were pretty easy as well, so I decided to stay with this one.

      Was coming to post that! Lots of new courses available, feels like Christmas for a nerd like me. I'm already enrolled in way too many courses, it'll only get worse now :D

      Yeah, I'm leaving assignment 3 to next week too. :P

      I knew Networked Life would be about the similarities between networks and such, biological and technological. But I hoped it would be presented in a bit more fun way. I like Gamification because it's nice short videos, and they're edited in an enjoyable way, making them pleasant to watch. And the Networked Life lecture videos, sometimes 25 minutes or more, really reminded me of those boring lectures when I was still at university and would doze off. And I can handle boring if I think it's of any practical use for me, but that it wasn't either so I dropped it.

      And it's awesome so many new universities joined now. I'm worried about january and february especially, so many courses I want to do!

      There are also other sites by the way, though none as expansive as coursera. edX.com is by Harvard, MIT and Berkeley. Udacity.com is another one, they seem really focussed on revolutionising teaching methods online. And khanacademy.org, which is for middleschool and highschool. I think massive online open courses are very interesting development that will revolutionise the school system. Kind of in the same way that old media like newspapers are fading, the same will happen to many schools and universities worldwide. Probably only the best will survive. Because why would you go to an average school when you can get education from the best schools online?
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #33: Sep 20, 2012 08:54:42 pm
      There are also other sites by the way, though none as expansive as coursera. edX.com is by Harvard, MIT and Berkeley. Udacity.com is another one, they seem really focussed on revolutionising teaching methods online. And khanacademy.org, which is for middleschool and highschool. I think massive online open courses are very interesting development that will revolutionise the school system. Kind of in the same way that old media like newspapers are fading, the same will happen to many schools and universities worldwide. Probably only the best will survive. Because why would you go to an average school when you can get education from the best schools online?

      Yeah that's an interesting thought, I see it very positively despite its limitations, I mean, there's still a lot to improve in online education. I think for graduate studies online education is already a very important field, but schools and undergraduates have a social aspect that is very important for personal development, and I think it cannot be underestimated - especially high school. Obviously there is social interaction online but it's not the same.

      I love being able to watch the lectures at any time or in any way I want,  last night for example, I was on my bed, with a can of Heineken open, Brazil v Argentina on tv without sound, and at the same time watching 'Model Thinking' lectures. It was just introductory stuff and I'm fairly familiar with models so it wasn't very challenging, I could do that while watching football and still understand everything. Obviously when it gets harder it will require more attention, but the point I want to make is that it is much better to study at your own time rather than being forced to whatever time your school/uni works with (usually too early). I am worse than a zombie in the morning, but was forced from 5h grade until the end of university to watch classes at 7 AM. It was truly awful for me. And when I had a test or a exam that I really needed to study for, I would often do that very late in the night. Sometimes it would be like 11pm and I had not even started to study.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #34: Sep 24, 2012 08:46:42 pm
      Got another 10 for my 2nd Gamification assignment!

      I'm already enrolled in way too many courses and there are others starting this week, I'll have to make a decision about which ones I'll stick with and which ones I'll need to give up.
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #35: Sep 25, 2012 03:49:30 am
      Got a 10 too! Wasn't confident with the peer grading, but it's fine so far. The next 2 weeks should be easy.
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #36: Sep 27, 2012 08:02:23 pm
      Taking an edX course in 2 weeks too from Harvard, Introduction to Computer Science: https://www.edx.org/courses/HarvardX/CS50x/2012/about

      I've noticed edX courses are more extensive and in depth, and also longer than Coursera's. That Harvard course is their actual course, while in many cases at Coursera they're shortened or customised courses just for Coursera. Gamification for example has never been given as a standalone course before at that university, only as part of one. I'm taking an introduction to programming at Coursera now which only touches on Python, while those edX courses touch on most programming languages.
      Reprobate
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #37: Sep 27, 2012 10:41:36 pm
      Taking an edX course in 2 weeks too from Harvard, Introduction to Computer Science: https://www.edx.org/courses/HarvardX/CS50x/2012/about

      I've noticed edX courses are more extensive and in depth, and also longer than Coursera's. That Harvard course is their actual course, while in many cases at Coursera they're shortened or customised courses just for Coursera. Gamification for example has never been given as a standalone course before at that university, only as part of one. I'm taking an introduction to programming at Coursera now which only touches on Python, while those edX courses touch on most programming languages.

      Thanks for mentioning that. I've had a look and immediately un-enrolled in the Coursera courses ready to start one through edX in mid October.
      I'm not knocking Coursera because it has a lot of interesting subjects to choose from but as you said, edX seems a bit more intensive and one particular course, 3.091x: Introduction to Solid State Chemistry appears to be more along the lines of what I was after.

      I must admit, the possibility of getting a certificate from MIT also helped to swing it for me!  8)
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #38: Sep 28, 2012 03:45:14 pm
      Taking an edX course in 2 weeks too from Harvard, Introduction to Computer Science: https://www.edx.org/courses/HarvardX/CS50x/2012/about

      I've noticed edX courses are more extensive and in depth, and also longer than Coursera's. That Harvard course is their actual course, while in many cases at Coursera they're shortened or customised courses just for Coursera. Gamification for example has never been given as a standalone course before at that university, only as part of one. I'm taking an introduction to programming at Coursera now which only touches on Python, while those edX courses touch on most programming languages.

      Registered for that as well! No idea if I'll go through the whole of it, as I'm not very keen on computers and programming (I'm just a user, really!), but I think this kind of stuff could really help me in my work place.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #39: Sep 28, 2012 07:47:45 pm
      1st week of "Learn to Program: The Fundamentals" on Coursera was pretty basic, I found it easy but I'm glad they're going to progress slowly, as I have no experience on working with Python.

      I've worked with the likes of R and MatLab at Uni before though (basic level only as well), so I'm kinda familiar with this type of languages.
      The Lark
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #40: Oct 09, 2012 12:35:01 pm
      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!

      How are you finding the Ops Management course Rep?

      I've started doing this week's homework (at my age?!).  Are you bothering with it?
      Reprobate
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #41: Oct 09, 2012 01:08:29 pm
      How are you finding the Ops Management course Rep?

      I've started doing this week's homework (at my age?!).  Are you bothering with it?

      I'm not doing it, mate. I signed up for that plus the chemistry course but then Bier mentioned edX, which had a much more involved and relevant chemistry course. That starts on Oct 15th and clashed with Operations Management so I dropped it and went with edX.
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #42: Oct 13, 2012 03:49:36 pm
      Finished the gamification course, passed it with a 9+. Doing the Introduction to genetics and evolution course that started earlier this week, and I'm loving it so far. Introducting to computer science starting this monday at edX.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #43: Oct 14, 2012 09:05:09 pm
      Finished Gamification as well, got 98.50 out of 100
      Reprobate
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #44: Oct 17, 2012 05:41:37 pm


      Desk = £25
      Antique laptop = Free from girlfriend
      Wireless network adapter = Free from girlfriend
      Mouse = £4
      Pens = "Free" from work
      Cup holding them = Free from previous employer

      Being able to get away from computer game obsessed house mate... priceless!
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #45: Oct 22, 2012 04:51:01 pm
      Nice one Reprobate, your place to study? You need your own quiet space, roommates can drive you crazy.

      Did you start on the edX course yet? Mine started, but I haven't really got into it yet, just been looking around and made sure sure I understand the system there, completely different platform from coursera and takes a bit to get used to. What I do like though is that my computer science course at edX can be taken at my own pace, I just have to finish it before april. I like that because I'm already taking some more strict deadline courses at coursera, and this adds a bit of flexibility for me.

      The introduction to genetics and evolution course I'm taking at Coursera is such a great and interesting course so far. It's only 2 weeks in but has changed my view on how evolution works  so much already. And Mohamed Noor is a very good and enthusiastic teacher aswell.
      Reprobate
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #46: Oct 22, 2012 05:21:47 pm
      Did you start on the edX course yet? Mine started, but I haven't really got into it yet, just been looking around and made sure sure I understand the system there, completely different platform from coursera and takes a bit to get used to.

      I started it but I'm struggling to get my head around it at the minute. Although I posted that pic on the 17th (Wed), I didn't get chance to sit down properly until Thursday. On Friday my housemate invited a load of mutual friends around and then the rest of the weekend was spent at my parents house with my kids. I was working last night as well. The irony is that I had next to nothing to do at work but the edX site doesn't function properly there! I want to crack on with it today before my next shift but my girlfriend just sent a text saying she's finished work and wants to pop in for a couple of hours!
      I think if I just dip in and out of the course then I will struggle to understand it so I need to really sit down and have a go at it and that's proving difficult. The temptation is to think, "ah well, it's only a free course" but it's something I want to do and if I can't even manage this then surely a "proper" course will be too much.
      My first assignment has to be in by Sunday so considering I'll probably be away from home again next weekend, I need to hit this properly!
      In a sense, I suppose it's good that I'm finding this out now before starting a paid for qualification.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #47: Oct 23, 2012 02:31:04 am
      Just finished Networked Life, with a score of 138 out of 142, or 97% :)

      I have also signed up for Computer Science on edX but haven't even started it yet.
      Reprobate
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #48: Oct 23, 2012 02:38:26 am
      I see they've added the course CS184.1x: Foundations of Computer Graphics

      Could be of interest to a few people on here if they check it out. It requires a level of computer programming already so that rules me out but it does look interesting. Only runs from Nov 5th - Dec 12th with 12 hrs per week as well so no huge commitment:

      https://www.edx.org/courses/BerkeleyX/CS184.1x/2012_Fall/about
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #49: Oct 23, 2012 02:34:43 pm
      So far I've earned certificates for 3 Coursera courses, they are: Fantasy and Science Fiction, Gamification and Networked Life. I'll probably get one for Model Thinking as well.

      I have not received any certificates yet though.
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #50: Oct 23, 2012 07:10:09 pm
      Looks good Reprobate, might give it a try if I I'm not full already around that time, already in 2 courses right now.

      Diego, you should have certificates here https://www.coursera.org/account/records
      My gamification one already is anyway.
      Reprobate
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #51: Oct 23, 2012 07:13:32 pm
      Perhaps we should ask for this thread to be renamed something like Free Distance Learning or Free Online Courses ?
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #52: Oct 23, 2012 07:18:28 pm
      Probably a good idea. The technical term for these sites is MOOC, Massive Open Online Courses. Though just E-learning could work as a title too.
      Bier
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #53: Oct 23, 2012 07:25:27 pm
      https://www.edx.org/press/edX-announces-proctored-exam-testing

      EDX ANNOUNCES OPTION OF PROCTORED EXAM TESTING THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH PEARSON VUE

      Online learning venture edX continues to transform higher education by announcing today its agreement with Pearson VUE to offer learners the option of taking a proctored final exam.
      "Our online learners who want the flexibility to provide potential employers with an independently validated certificate may now choose to take the course exam at a proctored test site," said Anant Agarwal, president of edX. "This option enhances the value of our courses in the real world, helps us maintain our goal of making high-quality education both accessible and practical and thus is a natural evolution of ed's core philosophy of transforming lives through education."
      Pearson VUE, a Pearson business, is the global leader in computer-based testing. Due to this new agreement, edX learners now have the option of taking a course final exam at one of over 450 Pearson VUE test centers in more than 110 countries. Proctors at the centers will verify the identity of the examinee and administer the tests. Examinees using the Pearson VUE centers will take the same rigorous exam as online learners and will be charged a modest fee for the proctoring service. EdX will offer the option to test takers for one of its online courses this Fall.
      Robert Whelan, president and chief executive officer of Pearson VUE said, "We are thrilled to collaborate with edX and help its learners improve their employability and career prospects. Pearson VUE is also pleased to help edX protect the integrity of their courses by providing the option of proctored exams."

      This will really increase validity to these courses, especially further down the line as this develops. Udacity is doing the same thing, also with Pearson Vue: http://blog.udacity.com/2012/06/udacity-in-partnership-with-pearson-vue.html

      Is that the future of education? Learning online, and being tested locally at testing centers.
      « Last Edit: Oct 23, 2012 07:35:51 pm by Bier »
      Diego LFC
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      Re: Coursera (free online courses)
      Reply #54: Oct 23, 2012 09:01:05 pm
      Diego, you should have certificates here https://www.coursera.org/account/records
      My gamification one already is anyway.

      Yeah thanks, I found that when reading the discussion forums, my Gamification certificate is there too. However I (and none of the people I know that also did this course) have received anything related to the Fantasy and Sci-Fi course.

      Perhaps we should ask for this thread to be renamed something like Free Distance Learning or Free Online Courses ?

      That's a good idea!
      Reprobate
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #55: Oct 27, 2012 07:46:11 pm
      I'll be honest, I'm wayyy out of my depth with this Chemistry course. I'm not being defeatist, just realistic. I have no grounding in chemistry or physics and even though it say that you don't NEED any high school experience, to be able to solve the equations given, you need to have a sound knowledge of maths and the symbols used. Even when I can get my head around the concepts shown in the videos, expressing what I've learned in a mathematical equation or solving the equations given is impossible when I haven't come across the symbols before  :( In fact, when the formulas have been in a format I can 'read', I've managed to calculate the correct answers.
      It may well be possible for me to learn these things but it would take far too long for me to be able to complete the assignments on time (1 every 2 weeks).
      Going to have to look for something else  :-\
      Diego LFC
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #56: Dec 04, 2012 01:17:24 pm
      I've got so many certificates already :D

      Anyone doing Think Again: How to Reason and Argue? I watched the first few lectures last night and it seems to be a great course, with the ideas presented in a funny way. It's not late to enroll if anyone is interested, the first quiz isn't up yet, only ungraded exercises.
      Reprobate
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #57: Dec 06, 2012 05:25:53 pm
      Signed up for Nutrition for Health Promotion and Disease on Coursera, starting next month.
      It recommends prior knowledge so I'm not expecting to do particularly well but I'm doing it more out of personal interest than to get a certificate.

      JD
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #58: Dec 06, 2012 05:34:50 pm
      Anyone doing Think Again: How to Reason and Argue?

      A few people on here could probably run parts of the course.
      Reprobate
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #59: Jan 22, 2013 12:55:13 pm
      The Open University has put together it's own, free eLearning initiative called Futurelearn.

      Some may see it as jumping on the bandwagon but I can only see it being a good thing, as long as they keep it free.

      Read more here:

      http://www.open.ac.uk/platform/news-and-features/futurelearnannouncement?ONEML=pf2021&MEDIA=pf0910os_1269

      I noticed Coursera are trying to encourage people to sign up to a verification system at $69 a shot. Hmmm.
      Bier
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #60: Jan 29, 2013 05:27:18 pm
      Not really a bad thing Reprobate about coursera doing that. All these sites are looking for a sustainable model, I think coursera just wants to break even. But so far they're keeping the actual courses free and not limiting them in any way, they're just making you pay if you want to add more credibility to your certificate in some way, verification of your identity or doing exams at actual test centers and things like that. And I agree about Futurelearn, the more the better!

      I took a small break during the holidays, but started again. Yesterday I started with Introduction to Philosophy,  and Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life. Next week The Language of Hollywood, and The Modern and the Postmodern are starting. All at coursera. So I'll be busy enough for a while.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #61: Jan 29, 2013 07:04:40 pm
      I took a small break during the holidays, but started again. Yesterday I started with Introduction to Philosophy,  and Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life. Next week The Language of Hollywood, and The Modern and the Postmodern are starting. All at coursera. So I'll be busy enough for a while.

      I'm doing all of these as well, except for Astrobiology. As usual I am enrolled in way too many courses, so I'll invariably have to drop some of them, but I always try to take as many as I can.
      Reprobate
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #62: Jan 29, 2013 07:15:37 pm
      All these sites are looking for a sustainable model, I think coursera just wants to break even.

      Yeah, it's fair enough really. It just struck my as a slightly underhanded way of going about it, making out that they're offering you extra for your money when the extra administration costs for the new certificates is probably very little. If they were upfront and said they were now charging for the courses then they'd lose "customers" to other schemes, I suppose.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #63: Feb 01, 2013 11:20:26 pm
      For anyone with some interest on Economics, I would highly recommend that you take Microeconomics Principles.

      I've only watched a couple of lectures so far but I'm impressed. The videos are nicely produced and a lot of effort has been put to doing the lectures, apparently. Much better than the usual guy simply standing in front of a camera type of videos.

      I think one of the benefits of giving a class through videos is that you can explore a lot of different possibilities, give the student an experience he wouldn't be able to get in a classroom - and so far, I haven't seen it being much exploited. This is the 1st course I see that tries to make better use of its options.
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #64: Feb 01, 2013 11:24:13 pm
      Free online courses are a great opcion to learn. I wanted to join one about Android but I hadn't the required previously knowledge, so I'll have to wait :(
      Reprobate
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #65: May 01, 2013 08:04:25 pm
      I haven't signed up for any Coursera or edX courses but for good reason. I've often thought about trying my hand at degree level studies but there's no way I could afford Open University fees and when I last looked, a year or two ago, you couldn't apply for a student loan whilst in full time employment (and earning over x amount).
      Well I mentioned this to somebody a few months back and they explained that things had changed and you can in fact now get a student loan of up to £5000 in total, which you begin to pay back as and when your earnings reach a certain level. I checked on the OU website and it was true.

      So, I am now officially studying my first module of a Business degree!

      £5000 will only cover 4 modules but on top of work, it may take me up to two years to complete them anyway. I initially signed up for two to run concurrently but a tutor advised me to defer one until October and see how I coped with one first so that's what I've done.
      I sent in my first TMA (assignment) today and although I was fine with the concepts, I have no experience of writing these reports so it took me a while and the word limits were a killer! There was so much I had to say but I had to keep editing back to remove unnecessary words in order to stay under the limit.

      It's a long, long road but I've started on my way and hopefully it will hold my interest and become more of a hobby than a chore.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #66: May 03, 2013 03:29:40 pm
      I haven't signed up for any Coursera or edX courses but for good reason. I've often thought about trying my hand at degree level studies but there's no way I could afford Open University fees and when I last looked, a year or two ago, you couldn't apply for a student loan whilst in full time employment (and earning over x amount).
      Well I mentioned this to somebody a few months back and they explained that things had changed and you can in fact now get a student loan of up to £5000 in total, which you begin to pay back as and when your earnings reach a certain level. I checked on the OU website and it was true.

      So, I am now officially studying my first module of a Business degree!

      £5000 will only cover 4 modules but on top of work, it may take me up to two years to complete them anyway. I initially signed up for two to run concurrently but a tutor advised me to defer one until October and see how I coped with one first so that's what I've done.
      I sent in my first TMA (assignment) today and although I was fine with the concepts, I have no experience of writing these reports so it took me a while and the word limits were a killer! There was so much I had to say but I had to keep editing back to remove unnecessary words in order to stay under the limit.

      It's a long, long road but I've started on my way and hopefully it will hold my interest and become more of a hobby than a chore.

      Sounds great mate, I'm happy for you. I've heard of the Open University before, but I'm not exactly sure of how they work. Are their courses online as well?
      Reprobate
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #67: May 03, 2013 06:45:09 pm
      Sounds great mate, I'm happy for you. I've heard of the Open University before, but I'm not exactly sure of how they work. Are their courses online as well?
      Yes mate, they're a major university over here but set up for distance learning. They offer full qualifications such as diplomas and degrees, same as any other university so they aren't cheap.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #68: May 03, 2013 07:03:15 pm
      Yes mate, they're a major university over here but set up for distance learning. They offer full qualifications such as diplomas and degrees, same as any other university so they aren't cheap.

      Hmm, I see. I might keep an eye on them in the future. I'm a total nerd and when I think of myself in the future, I hope to have a CV full of different diplomas and degrees - even if they aren't really directly relevant to what I do. I just really appreciate learning.

      Online learning helps this idea a lot, but prices are the major block. That's why I love coursera, but obviously it only offers a limited learning experience, and does not substitute a university degree.

      By the way, if anyone is interested, there's a Coursera course that started this week called "Sports and Society". It looks great and it's not too late to enroll either - the quizzes are only due in June.
      Bier
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #69: May 03, 2013 08:10:18 pm
      Great to hear Reprobate! I'd love to just study full time my whole life if that would've been possible. Beats work! 5k for 4 modules sounds really expensive though? But you don't have to pay back if you don't reach a certain level of earnings? How many modules are there in total? We have an open university too, and here it's like  € 238 per module, 42 in total to get a bachelor. Actually been considering really studying again for a while too, but my life is a bit too chaotic at the moment, I might start when it settles down a bit.

      I'm taking that one too Diego. Also taking TechniCity that starts tomorrow and History of Rock that starts next week. Still really enjoying coursera, finished about 10 courses now, dropped some due to time restraints or pure boredom too.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #70: May 03, 2013 08:35:23 pm
      Great to hear Reprobate! I'd love to just study full time my whole life if that would've been possible. Beats work!

      I feel exactly the same. I wish I could do that.

      Bier, have you ever head of Cruyff's Institute? They have a Sports Management course, with both in class or online options. I was wondering what's their reputation like over there.
      Reprobate
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #71: May 03, 2013 08:40:47 pm
      That might explain the price difference then, bier. Off the top of my head, I think it's 12 modules for the degree or 16 for a masters degree so nowhere near 42.
      Bier
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #72: May 03, 2013 08:46:40 pm

      Bier, have you ever head of Cruyff's Institute? They have a Sports Management course, with both in class or online options. I was wondering what's their reputation like over there.

      Very good reputation, many Dutch athletes study there too. For instance, Van der Sar got his masters in Sport Management there last year, he's now marketing director at Ajax and is supposed to become their general director for them in a few years.

      That might explain the price difference then, bier. Off the top of my head, I think it's 12 modules for the degree or 16 for a masters degree so nowhere near 42.

      Yeah, makes sense!
      Bier
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #73: May 03, 2013 08:51:41 pm
      Diego LFC
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #74: May 03, 2013 09:36:32 pm
      Very good reputation, many Dutch athletes study there too. For instance, Van der Sar got his masters in Sport Management there last year, he's now marketing director at Ajax and is supposed to become their general director for them in a few years.


      Sounds good. Thanks Bier!

      I don't want to get ahead of myself here if anything goes wrong but there's a decent chance I'll be going to Europe next year to do a Masters or MBA course, probably in the Sports area. My favorite option is still the MBA Football Industries in Liverpool, but I'm keeping an open mind so far.
      Bahrosa-LFC
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #75: May 06, 2013 01:18:14 pm
      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.
      I'm doing an economics degree at the moment. Struggling though...

      Saw someone mention KhanAcademy as being for school kids. It's actually broadened now and could be used for uni students too.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #76: May 08, 2013 06:05:19 pm
      I'm doing an economics degree at the moment. Struggling though...

      Good luck with it! Economics are difficult and ever changing, but a beautiful subject nonetheless. I actually appreciate it more now, years after finishing my studies, than I did when I was still in uni.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #77: May 14, 2013 08:26:24 pm
      Has anyone ever head of the University of the People? http://www.uopeople.org/

      "The world's first tuition-free online university"
      Diego LFC
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #78: Jun 11, 2013 11:27:35 pm
      Doing some courses on Signature Track: Sports and Society (Duke University), Latin American Culture (Tecnológico de Monterrey) and Model Thinking (University of Michigan). They're not too expensive and it forces me to stick to them while otherwise I might not have made the effort. They'll look good on my CV too ;D

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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #79: Jun 11, 2013 11:48:04 pm
      I'm considering doing Biology A Level this summer, possibly followed by Environmental Studies.

      Bier
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #80: Aug 05, 2013 03:57:37 pm
      Diego, you doing the Global Business of Sports course on Coursera too? Seems right up your alley, and could be interesting. it's the first course I'm doing in a while, planning to pick up some more courses again soon. Almost a year now since I started doing these courses, and I have 10 certificates, pretty cool. Favourite course so far has been Astrobiology, very interesting.
      Diego LFC
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #81: Aug 05, 2013 04:07:17 pm
      Diego, you doing the Global Business of Sports course on Coursera too? Seems right up your alley, and could be interesting. it's the first course I'm doing in a while, planning to pick up some more courses again soon. Almost a year now since I started doing these courses, and I have 10 certificates, pretty cool. Favourite course so far has been Astrobiology, very interesting.

      Yeah, definitely doing this one! Wish it was on Signature Track as well, so I could have a proper certificate. Wouldn't hurt it trying to get a job in the sports market.

      Last night I was watching a couple of lectures of "Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy" just out of curiosity and actually quite liked it. Not sure if I'll stick with the course but I'll try to give it a chance...

      I also noticed that "The Modern and the Postmodern" has recently started a new session. I tried to do this one the last time, and thought it was very interesting and the professor was great, but the pace of the readings was too fast and I just didn't have the time, so I dropped it after a couple of weeks. Perhaps I'll try to give it another go, but I'm not sure... it really requires quite a lot of dedication this one.
      Bier
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      Re: e-learning (Free Online Courses)
      Reply #82: Aug 05, 2013 04:40:59 pm
      I tried the Modern and Postmodern one last time too, indeed a pretty tough course. Was doing several courses at that time and I dropped that one early on, even if it was quite interesting. Such difference in difficulty between some of these courses.

      I'm doing Social Psychology that starts next week, but in september there about 8 courses I want to do. It's just getting more and more. :D

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