“Learning how to Learn” – the course they never taught us in school is free online and now most popular

THE MOST POPULAR FREE, ONLINE COURSE

“Online Course Report” have provided a brief description of the 50 free, most popular MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) of all time (see list below). Topping the list is “Learning How To Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects” taught by Dr. Barbara Oakley, University of Oakland and Dr. Terrence Sejnowski, Salk Institute for Biological Studies.  This is one of two courses that have attracted more than a million enrollees.

WHAT TO EXPECT

This course should take four weeks to complete—about 2 hours or more each week. By the time you complete the course, you’ll have gained valuable learning techniques used by experts in the subjects such as:  art, music, literature, math, science, sports, etc. Using these approaches, you can learn to master any topic. If you’ve ever wanted to become better at anything, this course will be helpful in achieving that goal.

IS IT REALLY FREE?

·         You may take this course for free,  have access to all course materials, but will not receive certification

·         If you want to earn a Certificate, you will have to purchase the course for $49 USD

SUPPLEMENTARY COURSE TEXTS

To be extra prepared, the book “A Mind for Numbers” should help, but it is not required.  The book is available in many different languages, editions, and locations worldwide. It’s a New York Times science best-seller and should give you the foundations you need to learn in any discipline.

COURSE CONTENT

·         Week 1: What is Learning? The two different modes of operation of our brain, etc. 14 videos, 4 readings, 1 quiz;

·         Week 2: Chunking (Chunks are compact packages of information that our mind can easily access). How to form chunks; how to use chunks to improve our understanding and creativity; how chunks can help us do better on tests; etc. 12 videos, 1 reading, 2 quizzes;

·         Week 3: Procrastination and Memory. Memory & chunking, short-term memory, long term memory, handling procrastination, best ways to access our brain’s most powerful long-term memory systems, etc. 15 videos, 1 reading, 3 quizzes;

·         Week 4: Renaissance Learning and Unlocking Your Potential. Important ideas and techniques that will enhance our ability to learn, etc. 16 videos, 2 readings, 2 quizzes.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO STUDY THIS COURSE

·         You will be more effective within your studies in any course

·         You will be able to teach your students and family members to be more effective learners

·         You should be able to pass courses that you previously considered too difficult

TO ACCESS THE COURSE

·         English version

·         Portuguese version

·         Spanish version

·         Chinese version

MOST POPULAR, FREE, ONLINE COURSES - THE TOP FIFTY

1.       Learning How To Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects (All-time, total enrollment number: 1 192 697; Platform through which course offered: Coursera; Institution homepage: UC San Diego)

2.       Machine Learning (1 122 031, Coursera, Stanford University)

3.       R Programming (952 414, Coursera, John Hopkins University)

4.       Introduction to Finance (846 654, Coursera, University of Michigan)

5.       The Data Scientist’s Toolbox (828 837, Coursera, Johns Hopkins University)

6.       Think Again: How to Reason and Argue (775 717, Coursera, Duke University)

7.       Algorithms: Part 1 (751 089, Coursera, Princeton University)

8.       Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies: The First Step in Entrepreneurship (736 347, Coursera, University of Maryland)

9.       Understanding IELTS: Techniques for English Language Tests (690 567, FutureLearn, British Council)

10.   Programming Mobile Applications for Android Handheld Systems – Part 1 (678 451, Coursera, University of Maryland)

11.   Cryptography I (674 404, Coursera, Stanford)

12.   Programming for Everybody / Getting Started with Python (657 068, Coursera, Michigan University)

13.   Social Psychology (645 568, Coursera, Wesleyan University)

14.   Introduction to Public Speaking (616 208, Coursera, University of Washington)

15.   Model Thinking (582 200, Coursera, University of Michigan)

16.   An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python (581 043, Coursera, Rice University)

17.   Introduction to Philosophy (550 000+, Coursera, University of Edinburgh)

18.   Algorithms: Design and Analysis, Part 1 (548 631, Coursera, Stanford University)

19.   Introduction to Computer Science (515 476, Udacity, n/a)

20.   Inspiring Leadership through Emotional Intelligence (494 369, Coursera, Case Western Reserve)

21.   Game Theory (474 148, Coursera, Stanford University/ University of British Columbia)

22.   Calculus 1 (454 410, Coursera, Ohio State University)

23.   Competitive Strategy (430 582, Coursera, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen (LMU))

24.   Write101x: English Grammar and Style (414 432, Edx, University of Queensland)

25.   IELTSx: IELTS Academic Test Preparation (355 026, Edx, University of Queensland)

26.   Introduction to Computer Science (348 476, edX, Harvard University)

27.   Exploring English: Language and Culture (326 093, FutureLearn, British Council)

28.   Think101x: The Science of Everyday Thinking (304 694, Edx, University of Queensland)

29.   Data Analysis and Statistical Inference (291 703, Coursera, Duke University)

30.   Gamification (approx. 286 000, Coursera, University of Pennsylvania/ Wharton)

31.   Circuits and Electronics (229 813, edX, MIT)

32.   Creativity, Innovation and Change (approx. 220 000, Coursera, Penn State)

33.   A Beginner’s Guide to Irrational Behavior (217 322, Udacity, n/a)

34.   Web Development: How to Build a Blog (217 322, Udacity, n/a)

35.   Learn to Program: The Fundamentals (198 566, Coursera, University of Toronto)

36.   Greek and Roman Mythology (approx. 180 000, Coursera, University of Pennsylvania)

37.   Startup Engineering (170 305, Coursera, Stanford University)

38.   Computational Investing, Part I (approx. 170 000, Coursera, Georgia Institute of Technology)

39.   Financial Markets (161 959, Coursera, Yale University)

40.   Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (approx. 160,000, Udacity, Stanford University)

41.   Introduction to Computer Science and Programming (157 431, edX, MIT)

42.   Introduction to Financial Accounting (155 516, Coursera, University of Pennsylvania / Wharton)

43.   Modern & Contemporary American Poetry (approx. 140 000, Coursera, University of Pennsylvania)

44.   Data Analysis (approx. 102 000, Coursera, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School)

45.   Introduction to Computer Science and Programming Using Python (98 688, edX, MIT)

46.   The Future of Storytelling (92 957, iversity, University of Applied Sciences Potsdam)

47.   Science and Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science (92 045, edX, Harvard University)

48.   Introduction to Philosophy: God, Knowledge, and Consciousness (89 183, edX, MIT)

49.   Introduction to Operations Management (approx. 87 000, Coursera, University of Pennsylvania / Wharton)

50.   Introduction to Mathematical Thinking (86 230, Coursera, Stanford University)

REFERENCE

http://www.onlinecoursereport.com/the-50-most-popular-moocs-of-all-time/

Posted by Dr. Nat Tuivavalagi

What Else is New?

FREE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IN THE U.S.

A recent report headline read: “You can now go to college for free in two of the most expensive places in the US” – referring to California (San Francisco city in particular) and New York.  Our response was, “What else is new?”  Free university and college studies have been  in the news a lot in recent years but have also been followed by one sort of problem or another.  For those thinking of relocating to take advantage of the announced free education, you should be reminded that your yearly income has to be at least $86,000 or $100,000 to live comfortably in New York or San Francisco.

Last year, a BBC report questioned whether free university tuition would work in the U.S.  The report pointed out that other countries use taxes to fund free university education  and have far fewer students than the US. For example, 2013 statistics showed that Germany had 2.7 million students in higher education and Norway had 255,000 compared to the US’s 20 million.

In response to the recent report headline above, some potential students may find it more appropriate to ask, “Wouldn’t it be better to explore free online courses or programs?”

THE PROS AND CONS OF AN ONLINE EDUCATION

Pros of an Online Education

·         Flexible schedule, as students can log onto the course material at their convenience, making it possible for them to keep up with other responsibilities;

·         Increased availability of programs, as more schools are offering online programs, increasing the available options for studies and allowing students to search until they find one that meets their needs;

·         Access to courses 24/7, as online courses are available round-the-clock to any student with a computer and Internet access, unlike on-campus courses that require students to be in class at certain times;

·         No need for relocation or travelling, as online students can study right from their homes, saving time, gas, and vehicle wear and tear. It also eliminates having to drive in inclement weather;

·         Multi-media format allows online students to learn through a variety of ways, including Web cams, CD/DVDs, animation and virtual classrooms.  This can make courses more interesting and easier to understand;

·         A wide variety of courses/programs available and students can choose to study almost any program online;

·         Students can log into their programs at their convenience and learn at their own pace; and

·         Reputation of online education compared to on-campus programs has continually improved.

Cons of an Online Education

·         Lack of social interaction among students;

·         Less student/Instructor interaction and students may have to wait for hours for a reply to questions;

·         Technology problems can interfere with students’ progress;

·         Without a teacher’s push, online students, may have low motivation and may procrastinate;

·         Transferring credits can be problematic as some schools still do not acknowledge online schools in the same light as on-campus schools; and

·         Financial aid is not available for some online schools.

MOOC vs On Campus / Carey vs Muth

In his recent book, “The End of College,” Kevin Carey explained how he had taken Prof. Eric Lander’s MOOC (see in REFERENCES below) and earned a certificate for completing the same work as that of a first year students at MIT. Carey did all the online class activities, also took the time to visit the class in real time – and came away convinced that online  courses is better because it allows him to:

·         Hit the pause button during the lecture to write notes in a more complete way than trying to write down words as they stream out in real time;

·         Concentrate on the class in a quiet place, such as the comfort of their home, instead of being distracted by the student next to him who is focused far more on their phone than what is going on in class;

·         Hear Prof.  Lander clearer; and

·         Clearly see what Prof. Lander does through multiple camera angles, instead of a far away view of him from the back of a lecture hall.

Carey showed that this particular MOOC class teaches students the material in ways that are even better than if the students were on campus taking the class in person. In addition, Carey also underscores how the new technology, combined with the discoveries in the fields of neuroscience and education science about learning, can help to individualize the experience of taking MOOCs.

Carey tries to convince his readers that colleges and universities will be falling by the hundreds (or even thousands) in the next several decades.  Some research results seem to support Carey’s prediction. According to a 2010 Sloan Survey of Online Learning says there has been a 21% growth rate in online enrollment, compared to a 2% growth with higher education student population overall. However, Parke Muth points out that Carey has left out at least 5 things that will undercut any relatively fast transformation of the education landscape:

·         Despite what research data shows, many people still believe that on campus experiences make for a much deeper and fuller preparation for what will happen after graduation;

·         The schools will fight off their competitors and will not just wait around while being overtaken by MOOCs;

·         Some course activities are difficult to accomplish online, e.g. conducting labs, and other hands-on activities;

·         In the U.S., testing companies (e.g., Educational Testing Service (ETS)) also have a vested interest in trying to keep things as is and will fight off completion by MOOCs; and

·         Security is still a big challenge as it is still difficult to totally control online cheating.

Conclusion

·         First it should be noted that cheating also occurs in on-campus classes and improved technology will make it more difficult to cheat; and

·         The rate at which online/MOOC classes expand in comparison to on-campus classes can be debated. However, it seems obvious that we cannot deny the fact that online/MOOC classes will become more recognized and play a key role in future U.S. and international education.

WHAT NEXT?

·         Check out a free or low cost online/ MOOC course or program that could start the ball rolling for you;

·         For the U.S., the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) allows students to find/ filter programs based on distance learning options, education fields and geographic location.  To check them out, please click here;

·         To explore free online courses available from the “Open Education Consortium,” a worldwide community of 280+ higher education institutions and associated organizations, please click here.

REFERENCES

FREE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IN THE U.S.

·         http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/12/college-is-free-now-in-two-of-the-most-expensive-places-in-america.html

·         http://www.bbc.com/news/business-36751075

THE PROS AND CONS OF AN ONLINE EDUCATION

·         http://www.topeducationdegrees.org/faq/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-an-online-education/

·         https://www.quora.com/Are-MOOCs-destroying-education

·         https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/biology/7-012-introduction-to-biology-fall-2004/ (Prof. Eric Lander’s MOOC)

Posted by Dr. Nat Tuivavalagi 

Why you should be checking out free online courses on cloud computing?

What is cloud computing?

·         If you use an online service to send email, edit documents, watch movies or TV, listen to music, play games, or store pictures and other files, it’s likely that cloud computing is making it all possible behind the scenes. Simply put, cloud computing is the delivery of computing services—servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and more—over the Internet (“the cloud”). Companies offering these computing services are called cloud providers. They typically charge for cloud computing services based on usage, similar to how you’re billed for water or electricity at home.

·         Below are a few  things you can do with the cloud:

o   Create new apps and services;

o   Store, backup, and recover data;

o   Host websites and blogs;

o   Stream audio and video;

o   Deliver software on demand;

o   Analyze data for patterns and make predictions.

·         Top benefits of cloud computing include:

o   1) lower cost –  as it is cheaper and more convenient to pay monthly electricity bills than making your own electricity,

o   2) greater speed,

o   3) global scale – system is flexible and can deliver the right amount of computing power needed,

o   4)  high productivity,

o   5) high performance, and 

o   6) reliability – robust data backup.

HOW THE CLOUD HAS CHANGED THE CLASSROOM:

·         With cloud computing, collaboration between students and teacher can happen from anywhere from any device - tablet, laptop, or phone;

·         Teachers are no longer going home with a bag-full of papers to mark;

·         Via the cloud, and with no need for USB flash drives, students can easily share their essays with their peers and teachers. The peers and teachers may then provide comments so the students may  make the necessary changes;

·         Teachers are more fluent in their curriculum design. E.g., a teacher might see a great example from first period, snap a picture of it and upload it into his/her presentation for  the second period's benefit. 

·         Students can create their own TED Talk and upload it onto the cloud where the teacher can access and assess it;

·         Students who were sick or unable to attend class don’t miss out because they have immediate access to what was done that day. The cloud keeps them up to speed with their classmates;

·         Parents can see grades, check to ensure that all assigned homework has been completed, and nudge their child along if a piece is missing; and

·         Educators outside of urban and private school environments have equal access to world-class, global educational sites and teaching environments.

HOW THE CLOUD WILL CHANGE OTHER ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES

Joe Mullich, came up with 16 major ways in which the Cloud will change our lives after interviewing numerous experts in the various fields of cloud computing. Nine of them are as follows:

1)      Everyone will become a gamer:

Gaming is called the “killer app” of cloud computing, and the same gaming principles are now being extended to many other areas. E.g., the new generation of wellness and chronic disease management programs use gaming techniques to educate and coach patients in real time.

2)      Repairing objects will be easier:

You can expect to get earlier notification when things around your house or office are about to go on the fritz. E.g., a cloud-based app alerts drivers of electric cars when their batteries will run out of juice.

3)      Computers will become invisible:

You will be able to walk into a room where there may be hundreds of sensors that could respond to your gestures and movements.

4)      You’ll be able to make smarter decisions:

The cloud can turn any mobile device into a “supercomputer” meaning you can access processing power as needed from the cloud to analyze virtually any type of information wherever you are.

5)      Laptop security breaches will decline:

The cloud can eliminate concerns of security breaches by having all data securely stored on the Internet. The laptop no longer stores the data; rather, it simply becomes the instrument by which to access it.

6)      Public/private clouds will make homes healthier:

E.g., the cloud allows doctors to wirelessly monitor patients with sleep apnea, collect information and then tap into a network of experts to devise a treatment plan.

7)      Developing countries will become new markets and new competitors:

Developing countries can embrace the cloud quicker and exploit new opportunities faster, since they won’t be as delayed by tasks like integrating legacy technology.  The cloud will also provide new opportunities in these emerging countries as mobile devices will become the outlet to open up huge new markets.

8)      Everyone will bootstrap:

The cloud offers individuals exciting ways to collaborate, develop products and test ideas rapidly and cheaply, which could accelerate the rising rate of entrepreneurialism. “You see small startups using the cloud to do complex modeling of new product offers,” Hagel says. “The speed at which you can identify what people are interested in, and what they will pay, really changes the nature of innovation.”

9)      Language barriers will fade: 

Today, cloud computing already gives mobile-device users a level of speech recognition accuracy that is virtually on par with call center-based transcription services.  In the future, your mobile device will enable you to communicate with someone who speaks a different language. The words that are exchanged  are instantly translated into each other’s languages using voice recognition and translation software.

INVESTMENT & CONCLUSION

·         Major cloud technology companies invest billions of dollars per year in cloud Research and Development. For example, in 2011 Microsoft committed 90 percent of its $9.6 billion R&D budget to its cloud.  Research by investment bank Centaur Partners in late 2015 forecasted that SaaS (cloud computing) revenue would grow from $13.5 billion in 2011 to $32.8 billion in 2016.

·         Cloud computing has come of age.  The business and commercial opportunities are enormous and many companies are already enjoying significant business benefits.

FREE ONLINE COURSES ON CLOUD COMPUTING

The number and quality of free online cloud computing courses have continued to grow.  You can find some of them via the links below:

ALISON: https://alison.com > Courses > Digital Literacy & IT Skills

Cloud Academy Library: https://cloudacademy.com/courses/

Four Free Online Courses for Cloud Computing: https://solutionsreview.com/cloud-platforms/four-free-online-courses-for-cloud-computing/

IEEE Cloud Computing: http://cloudcomputing.ieee.org/education-careers/online-courses

Roundup of Cloud Computing Online Courses: https://lcolumbus.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/roundup-of-cloud-computing-courses.pdf

REFERENCES:

WHAT IS CLOUD COMPUTING?

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/overview/what-is-cloud-computing/

HOW THE CLOUD HAS CHANGED THE CLASSROOM:

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/03/cloud-computing-pushes-into-the-classroom-but-not-without-challenges/

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/03/cloud-changes-school-2/

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/03/cloud-changes-school-3/

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/03/cloud-changes-school-4/

HOW THE CLOUD WILL CHANGE OTHER ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES

http://online.wsj.com/ad/article/cloudcomputing-changelives

INVESTMENT & CONCLUSION

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing

http://www.theiet.org/factfiles/it/cloud-computing2-page.cfm?type=pdf

FREE ONLINE COURSES ON CLOUD COMPUTING

https://www.quora.com/Are-there-any-MOOCs-courses-for-cloud-computing

Posted by Dr. Nat Tuivavalagi