Takeaways from my first ever completed MOOC course
THE CONTRARIAN VIEW
A few hours ago, I completed my first ever 'Massive Open Online Course' (MOOC) spanning over nearly six weeks.
Offered via edX in partnership with 'The Hong Kong Polytechnic University', this course on 'Industry 4.0: How to revolutionize your business' unravels the hype and substance around all the 'smart' things around us - devices, factories and even cities!
Personally, it was a moment to cherish. All those self-doubts that arose, especially after a history of starting and then discontinuing similar / other programs mid-way through, were now firmly banished!
Given below are my three key takeaways from such courses:
Choose wisely
With a plethora of options available online, take your time to research before settling down on a particular program.
Your choice should reflect the trade-offs that you would be happy to live with, considering the various factors at play. For example:
Title of the course vis-a-vis the underlying content. A quick glance through the contents might make you aware that your initial perceptions of a topic are in fact poles apart from reality. A bit of a check in this direction helped me identify (and avoid) courses where my interest levels significantly outmatch my technical competencies :-)
Desired benefits of the course vis-à-vis the nature & quantum of assignments. If one expects that the program completion certificate results in a ticket to a successful career transition, then the program has to offer a lot of rigour via graded tests, assignments and projects.
Stay disciplined
While this quality is required pretty much every time to achieve something of value, it assumes an even higher significance when it comes to MOOC programs.
Typically pursued for a few hours a week outside of work timings, MOOC programs demand that extra bit of discipline to stay true to the chosen path.
It means giving up on that favourite TV program / web series or the quality time reserved for idling or goofing around :-)
In an age of instant gratification, staying focussed on studies and not giving in to that urge of updating / checking your social media accounts is harder than it seems!
Furthermore, focus on leveraging upon peer-to-peer learning experiences offered by these programs as well as go through all the recommended reading material as well.
MOOC is here to stay
For a vast majority of working population, taking a break from work for full time studies may not be an option, given their financial and / or social commitments.
While classroom lessons at big name institutes are still at the top of the pecking order, MOOC programs do a great job in general of packaging learning content and bundling it with enablers that mirror these classroom experiences.
The growth potential for MOOC programs is being further fuelled by factors such as increasing internet penetration, genuine dearth of teaching talent / expertise vis-à-vis the exploding demand and lopsided ratio of applicants vis-à-vis available college seats.
The need for continuous learning is here to stay.
Quoting from one of Bob Dylan's famous songs: ...The order is rapidly fadin', And the first one now will later be last, for the times they are a-changin'