Overcoming Challenges of Online Learning

INTRODUCTION

There are various problems with online education that have been brought up.  In particular, “onlinecollege-dot-org” (2012) has described five common challenges of online learning, and how to overcome them:

THE CHALLENGES

1)      FEELING ISOLATED

·         Students may be discouraged by feeling of being on their own.

·         Know that you are not alone!  Take the initiative to reach out to your instructor, classmates, and the many professional services available to support you. Such as:  advisors, counselors, librarians, writing centers, help desks, etc.

2)      USING NEW TECHNOLOGY

·         The need to work with new technology can be very frustrating at first.

·         Gather the contact info for your school’s tech help resources, as well as a few skilled friends for quick access when you need it.

3)      MANAGING TIME EFFECTIVELY

·         Many online students are adding more to their already busy lives by taking courses.  Time management skills are critical to getting everything done.

·         Check each class syllabus for details about “due dates” and add these to your calendar.  Also, practice Time Blocking to get the work completed in advance.  Time Blocking is a productivity “hack” that helps the student make the most of the work day by assigning very specific tasks to very specific blocks of time. This is loosely based on Parkinson’s Law, the idea is that work will simply expand to fill the time available for its completion (Rob Nightingale, philosopher, 12/4/14).

4)      TAKING ON THE STUDENT ROLE

·         Many online students are adults who  work and raise families, and pursuing academic goals after a long absence from school environment may now seems unfamiliar.

·         Look to your instructor to set the tone for the course and consider yourself part of a learning team that includes your teacher, classmates, and the available professional services mentioned in 1) above.

5)      BEATING STEREOTYPES

·         There are still some people out there who hold a stereotypical view of online education. They believe it to be cheap, second class option for higher education, reserved for those who are academically or financially weak.  Such people with distorted views on online education may, one day, ask the student discouraging questions about your online education.

·         Be ready to describe how you, (the student) chose your online program. The decision not only  based on flexibility and convenience factors, but also on criteria such as accreditation and faculty qualifications.  Be prepared to list specific ways in which the courses  play a positive role in your overall professional development.

CONCLUSION

There are  other challenges apart from the five listed above; however, learners who are passionate about what they are studying should be able to find ways to address them.  As they say “where there is a will, there is a way.”

To find an online program suitable for you, please click here.

To find an appropriate free online course or MOOC for you, please click here.

REFERENCES

“onlinecollege-dot-org” (2012): How to Overcome the Common Challenges of Online Learning

http://www.onlinecollege.org/2012/12/04/how-overcome-common-challenges-online-learning/

Rob Nightingale (2014): Time Blocking

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/time-blocking-secret-weapon-better-focus/

Posted by: Dr. Nat Tuivavalagi

WHO SHOULD BE TAKING A MOOC?

INTRODUCTION

Ruchira Kitsiri a graduate in the medical field , had a clinical practice, then worked across diverse sectors including marketing, sociology, education, mental health, psychology, and cardiology.  His current interest is in genetics and neuroscience, where MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) have been very helpful.  In his commentary published in “MOOC News & Reviews” (Kitsiri, 2013), he describes the various groups of people (listed below) who should take a MOOC.  If you, a friend, or family member belong to one of these groups, please kindly advise them to consider enrolling in a MOOC.  In this posting, a “traditional” school refers to the pre-MOOC type that has been dominant over the last hundreds of years, where the main components have been the teacher, the classroom, the school facilities and resources (mostly physical), and the students.

WHO SHOULD TAKE A MOOC?

1)      Current Students

All students 13 years old and older taking classes in a traditional setting (including those being home-schooled) up to undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels could benefit from a MOOC:

·         Students can use MOOCs to support their work for the courses they take in their traditional school. MOOCs have Discussion Forums where students can interact with and exchange information, knowledge and experiences with other students.  These interactions could provide inspiration and support for all involved;

·         Some teachers in traditional schools now direct their students to specific MOOCs either to fill in the gaps in the student's’ preparation or to enhance concepts from classes that the teachers are currently teaching.  Even brilliant students sometimes have a weak spot – perhaps Mathematics or Language – that could be  very easily fixed by appropriate MOOCs;

·         Via MOOCs, students can easily gain access to courses not taught in their traditional school.  For example, a law student interested in  a debate regarding whether genes should be patented or not. The student will find a host of biology and genetics MOOCs that could provide essential basic biology and genetics principles that wouldn't be taught in law schools.

2)      Prospective Students

  MOOC is a great place to take a sneak peek into a subject that a prospective student may want to  study.  MOOCs can play a vital role in helping prospective students decide which course or program to take.  This applies to:

·         Current students in high school who have to decide what to study in college or the university;

·         Current students who have to pick one or more electives with little or no understanding of the contents of the elective courses;

·         Current students who are finishing their undergraduate program and have to start thinking of which academic area to focus on for their graduate/postgraduate program;

·         Mothers who want to go back to school after their children have left home.

3)      Research Students

Students pursuing advanced studies sometimes need to refine their focus, identify a specific research topic to work on, select a potential supervisor, and develop a proposal to get funding for a graduate/postgraduate scholarship.  This applies to:

·         High school and undergraduate students working on a student research project;

·         Graduate/postgraduate students working on a research project/paper;

·         Thesis research by undergraduate and graduate/postgraduate students.

4)      Teachers

Teachers can benefit from a MOOC by brushing up and updating their knowledge on the subject and to learn new ways of delivering material to their students.  This applies to:

·         High school or college teachers who have been forced by circumstances to teach a subject at which they are not particularly familiar with  or for which they don’t have a great passion for;

·         High school teachers, college, or university professors who need to strenghten a critical weakness – e.g., a university professor who was hired for his excellence in research but with weakness in his ability to communicate and teach effectively.

5)      Parents

Parents can greatly benefit from MOOCs if they are homeschooling their children or if they are interested in helping out their children – even if the children are attending traditional schools:

·         There are MOOCs that can easily teach parents the subject matters that is needed to help their children;

·         MOOCs can help parents to effectively assist their children's decision on subjects to study.

6)      People Personally Affected By The Issue Covered In A MOOC

People who are  interested in or personally affected by an issue should find out if there is a MOOC on the subject and study the subject if it is available.  Examples include:

·         The MOOC on “Genetics and Evolution” could be useful for those planning to or have obtained genetic services such as: diagnostic tests, risk assessment tests, or legal services that involve genetics; or for those with a concern about a diagnosed genetic disorder;

·         Parents considering vaccination for their children could benefit from one or more of Coursera’s courses dealing with various aspects of vaccination. For Example, “Vaccines” offered by the University of Pennsylvania, and “Vaccine Trials: Methods and Best Practices” by John Hopkins University;

·         Those with aging parents could benefit from “Understanding Dementia” from the University of Tasmania, and “Growing Old Around the Globe” from the University of Pennsylvania;

·         People interested in or personally affected by diabetes could benefit from “Diabetes – A Global Challenge” from the University of Copenhagen.

7)      People Seeking Personal Enrichment At Different Life Stages

People benefitting from MOOCs include those wanting to learn subjects about the world around us, as they were not able to study these things before, due to difficulties with time, money, or access to information.  In some cases, this interest developed recently when people wanted to learn simply for personal satisfaction and fulfilment.  Examples include:

·         A retired psychologist developed an interest in evolution and was inspired to take MOOCs in genetics and biology;

·         A career nutritionist who has always been fascinated by robotics could benefit from “Artificial Intelligence for Robotics,” the MOOC offered on Udacity; and

·         Imagine you want to befriend someone who is heavily into science fiction , an area in which you have very limited if any knowledge about. A possible solution is to take “Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World,” the MOOC from the University of Michigan.

8)      Professionals

MOOCs could be the answer for those busy professionals who either want to refresh their subject knowledge or who find themselves requiring knowledge in a subject area different from their own original background qualifications.  Examples include:

·         You may be a member of an interdisciplinary team in evolutionary biology research but you come from a statistic background with no primary qualification in biology.  The MOOC “Introduction to Genetics and Evolution” would help you get a basic introduction to the core principles so you can better relate to your colleagues and to the team’s work;

·         A marketing professional taking up a management role needs to inform herself about finance and could benefit from one or more of available MOOCs.  These include “Introduction to Finance” offered on Coursera by University of Michigan, and “Corporate Finance” also on Coursera by University of Pennsylvania;

·         Consider a practicing lawyer who would like to specialize in the specific area of Environmental Law.  The Coursera MOOC “Introduction to Environmental Law and Policy” from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill  may help give a basic idea of the content that may have to be learnt;

·         You may be primarily qualified in the humanities and now work in public health and may want to learn about wider issues that you come across in your day-to-day work.  You would find many MOOCs helpful, including: “Principles of Public Health” from University of California, Irvine, and “Introduction to Global Health” from University of Copenhagen.

9)      Institutional Users

Apart from individuals, institutions can benefit from MOOCs.  Examples include:

·         A small study group from one company that signed up for a public speaking MOOC and meets weekly to work/study  together;

·         Employers can structure the MOOC experience in a way that the certification is recognized within their organization as a valid measure of continuous professional development; and

·         A university department can use some MOOCs in its teaching and training if they do not have the exact expertise on their own faculty.

10)   Other Miscellaneous Categories Of Lifelong Learners

MOOCs could be the best way to move forward for other learners as well, particularly those facing challenges.  Examples include those facing financial, physical, psychological, or social challenges:

·         The poor now have less excuses to receive a good education, as MOOCs offer , high quality courses from top universities at no cost;

·         People with physical disabilities can access quality education from the comfort of their own homes; and

·          Slow learners just have to press the “Replay” button.

CONCLUSION

In summary, this posting seems to suggest that practically anyone 13 years old or older can benefit from a MOOC. As Kitsiri (2013) pointed out, those who can benefit from a MOOC are limited only by our interest, enthusiasm, and imagination.

WHAT NEXT

To find a MOOC that could benefit you, please click here.

REFERENCE

Kitsiri, Ruchira. 2013. Who should take a MOOC?:  9 Types of Lifelong Learners Who Can Benefit. Available online at: http://moocnewsandreviews.com/who-should-take-a-mooc-9-types-of-lifelong-learners-who-can-benefit/

Posted by: Dr. Nat Tuivavalagi

ADDRESSING HIGH DROP-OUT RATES IN MOOCS: Have we been monitoring the wrong numbers?

THE ISSUE

·         Millions of people sign up for free online higher education courses offered by top-tier institutions, but only a small percentage of registrants earn a completion certificate.

WHAT MAKES STUDENTS STICK WITH A MOOC

·        There was a study done (Brasher, 2016) that examined a unique dataset of 44 MOOCs on the Coursera platform, comprised mostly of Stanford courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).  The researchers evaluated 2.1 million student observations across 2,900 lectures to determine critical patterns of enrollment, engagement, persistence, and completion;

·         The researchers reported some surprising findings, including the following:

o   The early birds - students who signed up for courses a month or more in advance were actually far less likely to participate than those who signed up just before the course began.  Those who signed up 1-3 weeks before the course began were the most likely to succeed;

o   The students with the highest probability of completion, were those who agreed to take a pre-course survey;

o   When asked in the survey what their motivation was for taking the course, the majority of respondents cited relevance to their job or a substantial interest in the subject matter.  However, those who said the prestige of the university (offering the course) was their highest motivating factor watched the highest percentage of lectures;

o   With regard to engagement in the course material, lecture titles using the words “intro,” “overview” and “welcome” had a much higher rate of being watched than those that included summative words like “review” or “conclusion.”  Videos labeled “exercise” had the largest negative association;

o   The length of a lecture seemed to have no impact on whether students chose to watch it.  The prevailing thought has been that breaking up lectures into shorter videos was more attractive to students, but the researchers did not find that to be the case;

o   Video lectures posted early in the week were more likely to be watched than those posted later in the week. And, emails from the instructor to notify students of a new lecture did not induce them to watch.

COMPLETION IS THE WRONG MEASURE OF SUCCESS FOR MOOCs

According to Clark (2016), it is a mistake to describe people who stop at some point in a MOOC as “dropouts.”  He argued that “dropouts” is the language used by institutions.Clark says we can have university dropouts but MOOCs are open, free and online experiences. With MOOCs the amazing numbers that we should be talking about are the millions that “dropped in”. Including many that dropped in to simply have a look, often just curious, others want a brief taster, just an introduction to the subject, or just some familiarity with the topic.  Further into the MOOC, some find the level inappropriate or (because many MOOCs students are adults and not 18 year old undergraduates), find that everyday life (job, kids, etc) makes them too busy to continue.  Clark described a survey taken at the beginning of the University of Derby’s “Dementia” MOOC. Of the 775 learners asked whether they expected to fully engage with the course, 477 (58%) said “yes” but 258 (33% or one third) stated that they “[did] not intend to complete the course.”  Clark pointed out that for these reasons, he and others, have long argued that course completion is not the way to judge a MOOC.  As such, some (e.g., Hadi & Gagen, 2016) have come up with new models for assessing MOOCs.

TARGETING COURSE COMPLETION AMONG COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY VS MOOC STUDENTS

Course completion makes sense when you have paid upfront for your University course and made a huge investment in terms of money, effort, relocation, and so on.  In open, free, and online courses, there is no such commitment, risks, and investments.  Clark (2016) argues a different approach to the measurement of the impact of MOOCs – one based not on “completion” but “meaningful learning.”  This acknowledges that MOOCs’ diverse audience wants and achieves different things and that this should be recognized.  The bottom line is that people who do MOOCs really want to learn; they are not largely motivated by pieces of paper or even completion.  College/University programs are more like single, long-haul flights while MOOCs are more like train journeys, where some passengers want to travel the whole line but most get on and off along the way.

WHAT NEXT

To explore available MOOCs and find one suitable for you, whether for the long haul or just a short journey, please click here.

REFERENCES

·         Brasher, Joan. Feb. 26, 2016. What makes students stick with a MOOC?  Available online at: https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2016/02/26/what-makes-students-stick-with-a-mooc/

·         Clark, Donald. April 11, 2016. MOOCs: Completion is the wrong measure of course success and a better way has already been suggested.  Available online at: https://www.class-central.com/report/moocs-course-completion-wrong-measure/

·         Hadi, Syed Munib and Gagen, Phillip. Feb., 2016. New model for measuring MOOCs completion rates. Available online at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/296705001_New_model_for_measuring_MOOCs_completion_rates

Posted by Dr. Nat Tuivavalagi 

THE INTERNET OF THINGS: The upcoming biggest tech trend in history explained in free, online courses

OVERVIEW

Encouraging students to study subjects they enjoy is always good advice.  Nevertheless, there are subjects that are so important in life that, despite whether we enjoy them or not, we simply should try and study them.  One such subject is the “Internet of Things” (IoT) – its potential is extraordinary, it will be a basic key ingredient of life and work in the 21^st century, and is touted to become the biggest tech trend ever.  Previous tech trends were generated by the introduction of personal computers and later, the internet.  IoT – is generating  a similar trend but at an incredibly far greater scale. It’s the new megatrend unfolding right now and is likely to reshape the world as we know it.

WHAT IS THE INTERNET OF THINGS

The Internet we use today is actually an “Internet of Computers (IoC)” which links up and allows communication between people, between computers, and between people and computers. The coming “Internet of Things” has an additional group of players linked to the system – i.e., “things”. This includes practically anything with an on/off switch.  In this new scenario, there will also be communication between “things” themselves, between “things” and computers,” and between “things” and people. By 2020, it is  estimated that the number of devices connected range from 26 to 100 billion.  It has been stated that the new rule of the future is going to be, “Anything that can be connected, will be connected.”

LIVING AND WORKING SMARTER

Connecting equipment, tools, and machines to the IoT network will make them smart.They will be able to respond to or be directed remotely by another “thing,” a computer, or a person.  Some examples of communication under the IoT scenario include:

·         Your alarm clock wakes you up at 6 a.m. and then notifies your coffee maker to start brewing your coffee ;

·         Your car figures out the best route to your meeting venue and takes it;

·         Knowing that traffic is heavy, your car realizes that you will arrive late and texts the other party notifying them of your late arrival;

·         Your office equipment knows it is running low on supplies and reorders more.

SO WHAT NOW?

Discussions on IoT have been taking place all over the world as people try to understand how it will impact their lives.  People are also trying to identify and understand the many opportunities and challenges that will come up as more and more devices start to join the IoT network.

For now, the best thing we can do is educate ourselves about what IoT is and its potential impacts on how we work and live.

“How the Internet of Things and Smart Services Will Change Society” and other FREE ONLINE IoT COURSES

“How the Internet of Things and Smart Services Will Change Society” is a free, online, introductory course that is aimed at anyone interested in learning about the “Internet of Things”.  It does not require the user to have any technical knowledge as everything is explained easily and informally.

Syllabus:

Part One: Societal Perspective

1.       Key Trends and Terms – IoT and Industry 4.0

2.       Smart Services

3.       Effects on Society

4.       Challenges and Opportunities for Society

Part Two: Business Perspective

5.       Key Trends and Terms – Digital Transformation & Business

6.       Smart Software for Smart Services

7.       Enabling Technologies

8.       Challenges and Opportunities for Business

·         To explore and/or enroll for this IoT course, please click here.

·         To explore this and other IoT courses, please click here.

REFERENCES

http://www.vs.inf.ethz.ch/publ/papers/Internet-of-things.pdf

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-explanation-internet-things-that-anyone-can-understand/#63f69431d091

https://banyanhill.com/the-extraordinary-potential-of-the-iot/

Posted by: Dr. Nat Tuivavalagi

FREE MONEY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION: Scholarships for American and International Students

WHILE AMERICAN STUDENTS DROWN IN DEBT, FREE MONEY IS OUT THERE   

While studying at the University of Hawaii (UH), a friend told me how fortunate he was to be at UH. He did not apply for his scholarship till the very last minute, as he thought that there are so many students better than him and that he would not have a chance to get into the University.  He did not know that “everyone” was thinking the same negative thought - he was finally awarded the scholarship because he was the only one that applied.

It seems that the above incident is not an isolated case.  Christopher Gray found that each year some $100 million in scholarships go unclaimed while students drown in debt.  He confirmed that there is a lot of scholarship money out there. Through hard work and diligent searching, he landed himself a whopping $1.3 million in scholarships.

Gray came up with the idea for a mobile app to make things a lot easier for other students seeking scholarships. Later Gray teamed up with Nick Pirollo and Bryson Alef to become co-founders of what is known today as “Scholly” – a popular scholarship search platform.

THE BEST SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH PLATFORM OF 2017

“Reviews.com” recently made an assessment of 28 most popular scholarship search platforms in current use – including “Scholly”.  They found 11 sites not meeting their minimum criteria so these sites were not subjected to further assessment. They then carried out detailed evaluations of the remaining 17 sites which are listed below in descending order starting with the overall best. 

“Scholly” ranked  6th  and “Fastweb” was found to be the best site overall.  "Fastweb" is the easiest to use as it requires no registration to browse scholarship listings; it has both a searchable database and personalized matches; and is mobile-friendly.

“Fastweb” also has the most tools of any platform.  That fact, combined with a high score for scholarship availability, means “Fastweb” is the best platform for finding scholarships, managing deadlines, and tracking applications.

HIGHEST SCORING SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH PLATFORMS (WITH THEIR OVERALL SCORE)

1)      Fastweb (9.3/10)	7) Sallie Mae (6.9)	13) Peterson’s (5.1)
2)      Cappex (8.1)	8) [TIE] Big Future (6.2)	14) Broke Scholar (4.6)
3)      Unigo (7.8)	8) [TIE] GoodCall (6.2)	15) Niche (4.5)
4)      Student Scholarship Search (7.1)	10) CollegeData (5.7)	16) Career One Stop (4.2)
5)      Scholarship.com (7.1)	11) Chegg (5.5)	17) Scholarship Portal (3.6)
6)      Scholly (7.0)	12) Start Class (5.2)	- - - - -

·         To access the “Fastweb” platform, please click here.

·         To access the “Review.com” article – with details of their assessment method, information on grants, internet address of all the original 28 sites compared, etc, please click here.

·         To access the “Scholly” story, please click here.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS

“scholars4dev,” short for “Scholarships for Development,” is an updated listing of international scholarships.  This site is specifically for people from developing countries, people who would like to pursue development-related fields, and people who seek global and national development through further education.

The aim of “scholars4dev” is to help you find opportunities for higher education and become agents of development in your own countries and the rest of the world.

ONE OF THE MANY LISTS AT “SCHOLARS4DEV”

[“Scholarship” here actually refers to a “scholarship program” where a number of individual scholarships are offered.  An example is the Fullbright Scholarship - a program, where not one but approximately 1 800 individual awards are made each year to foreign students to pursue a Masters or PhD degree in the United States.  The scholarship provides full funding for the duration of study covering tuition, textbooks, airfare, living stipend, and health insurance.]

·         30 International Scholarships [scholarship programs] offered by the World’s Top Universities

·         Top 10 Prestigious Scholarships for the Best International Students

·         22 Tuition Fee Scholarships offered by Universities for International Students

·         8 Distance Learning Scholarships & Tuition Free Online Degree/Courses

·         Top 10 Scholarships in Italy for International Students

·         Top 10 Chancellor’s /Vice Chancellor’s Scholarships for International Students

·         Top 25 Foreign Government Scholarships for International Students

·         Top 10 Scholarships for Study in Any Country or Anywhere

·         Top 5 Countries Where Tuition is Free in 2017

·         Top 100 International Scholarships to Watch Out For in 2017

·         Top 10 Scholarships in Australia for International Students

·         Top 15+ UK Scholarships for International Students

·         Top 10 Scholarships in Europe for Non-EU International Students

·         Top 10 Scholarships in France for Foreign Students

·         Top 25 Scholarships in Sweden for International Students

·         Top 10 Scholarships in Belgium for International Students

To have access to all the lists at “scholars4dev,” please click here.

Posted by Dr. Nat Tuivavalagi

“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