A few issues ago, we did extensive research and spoke to several experts to bring you an article on e-learning and how online learning is becoming very popular among college students. We had especially delved into MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)) that offer online education to anyone across the globe. Some of the popular MOOCs on offer today have been started by the world’s top universities, offering courses from their institutes: platforms/initiatives like Udacity and Coursera (Stanford University) and EdX (Harvard and MIT). These e-learning websites allow top universities and professors to share their knowledge with the world and give everyone a chance to study something they are passionate about or interested in. And the best of these courses? They are usually free, although there is sometimes a charge to obtain certifications.
The time required to complete a course depends on the subject and complexity, but generally takes between four and 12 weeks. A course usually involves a professor and his team of teaching assistants (who are often students from the university itself). This team uploads about five instructional videos a week and registered students are required to complete a weekly assignment based on these videos. The course also incorporates a discussion forum in which all the students who have enrolled participate, which allows everyone to discuss the subject, their work and clear up their doubts. In general, e-learning courses award students with a Certificate of Mastery upon successful completion of the course.
MOOCs are generally intended for college students so that they can supplement what they are learning in college or take a course that they are not formally following in college. But we recommend that high school students also consider enrolling in some of these MOOCs, as they could offer a variety of benefits for the motivated student who wants to advance academics and learning.
And coincidentally, EdX has just announced the launch of a high school initiative: a set of 27 new MOOCs on a wide variety of topics, specifically aimed at high school students around the world. EdX high school MOOCs are developed by many of the world’s top universities, including UC Berkeley, Rice, MIT, Georgetown, and Davidson, among others. The goal is to offer high-quality, engaging, interactive courses to prepare high school students for post-secondary study.
The 27 MOOCs cover subject areas ranging from math to science, English and history, and even college counseling, and are intended to give students around the world the opportunity to pursue advanced and challenging courses. Students will be able to enroll in all 27 EdX high school courses for free. EdX will also offer students a verified certificate option for a fee that will vary by course. Currently, 22 high school courses are open for enrollment and all 27 will launch within a few months. For more details, you can visit https://www.edx.org/school/high-school-initiative
I would like to reiterate some of the benefits a student can expect by enrolling in a MOOC, be it an EdX one or any other:
You can supplement your high school knowledge by taking college-level courses in the subjects of your choice.
Students have the option to select the courses that interest them and study them in depth, even if they are not studying these subjects in school. You may be studying science in high school, but you can always take an online English poetry course from Wordsworth to Eliot!
These courses allow a person to study something they are passionate about but may not pursue in the future, so you ‘can have your cake and eat it too’!
Discussion forum and group chats are beneficial: they lead to interactive learning and are also useful for getting more information on a particular topic.
There are a variety of activities and tasks to complete within the courses that can enhance learning, so it’s not just a textbook.
You can test your competence and interest in a certain area to see if you want to pursue it at university.
Most importantly, it prepares you for what college will be like in terms of rigor and structure.
So, what are you waiting for? View the MOOCs now and sign up for one now!