The courses available seem geared towards current trends, which is perfect for getting an up-to-date education. There is even a course on Epidemics – though I’m sure we can thank “The Walking Dead” for much of its attendance. What’s more, by continuously taking these courses you can learn the basics of all the latest market, engineering, and tech trends without even spending a dime.
The MOOC that really caught my eye, “Energy, the Environment, and Our Future,” taught by award winning Professor of Geosciences, Richard B. Alley, has yet to begin. To say the environment is a hot topic nowadays would certainly be an understatement. I have always had an interest in the environment, though, so clearly this is the MOOC for me. I will look around some more, however, before I make a final decision.
The world of online learning is certainly vast. You can choose from a seemingly infinite number of subjects, and you don’t necessarily need a background in the topic you are studying. If you are an engineer that wants to learn about 18th century art, there is a MOOC out there for you. Just type it into Google, I checked.
In the growing competitiveness of the modern economy, it is also best to keep one’s mind sharp and knowledge up to date. This is especially true for licence-holding engineers in regions that require education updates to retain licensure. They’re an affordable and convenient way to achieve this goal, and they have even inspired a new LinkedIn MOOC recording feature.
Returning to the PRWeb article, Jablokow also cites the difficulties of MOOCs, including the challenges in giving proper student feedback. Though she balances that out by praising the quick feedback offered by discussion forums. With so many different aspects to weight, it seems that I will have to play the journalist and judge MOOCs for myself. Perhaps a series of reviews will be in order?