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In the past few years MOOCs (Massive Online Open Courses) have become one of the most popular trends in education and corporate training. Numerous students from across the globe are now pursuing MOOCs offered by various colleges and universities. For the uninitiated, MOOCs free online courses which can be pursued by large number of learners. Most of these courses are free and are offered by reputed universities and institutions worldwide.
There is no doubt that these educational courses have acted as a boon for learners who are interested to gain knowledge in a particular topic. But you need to be cautious about some challenges that you will encounter while studying a massive online open course. Here we will dissect some of the highs and lows of pursuing MOOCs. Read on....
Benefits That Can Change Your Life
Wide Range Of World-Class Courses
You can find an array of high quality education courses via MOOCs that are offered by recognized and reputed colleges, universities and institutions. You can choose to learn about different topics like yoga, neuroscience, entrepreneurship, computer coding or anything you are interested in. With MOOCs there are no limitations.
Free Of Charge
Most of the courses offered through MOOCs are entirely free as the key objective of these courses is to make education available and accessible widely. Considering the rising cost of college education and corporate training, MOOCs are certainly an advantage for individuals as well as businesses.
Flexibility
MOOCs are designed to be highly flexible. If you wish to attend college or corporate training, it is imperative that you take time off from your current employment. But with these online courses, you can study at any time you want and fit your studies around your daily routine. As you can access the course material on the internet, you can study as per your convenience and stay committed to your day job.
No Specific Requirements
You do not need to possess any specific qualifications to pursue a Massive Online Open Course. As these courses do not have a limit on the volume of applicants, the process is not selective. You can get started easily just by providing some general details.
And Here Comes The Challenges
Lack Of Accreditation
One of the biggest drawbacks of MOOCs is that most of the courses are not accredited. As a result, these are usually not considered valuable by employers. Although adding an online course qualification on your resume will not damage your reputation, but it will not have the same effect on your employers as an accredited qualifications.
Not At Par With Traditional Courses
Generally the online courses are simplified versions of college programs and often are not at par with traditional courses. As MOOCs aim to make learning more accessible by reaching a wide group of students, these tend to be very basic.
Student Retention Issues
Another major downside of MOOCs that has gained considerable attention is substantial inclination to abandon the course. The flexibility of MOOCs, which can be a great advantage for many, offers learners the freedom to such degrees that their professional and personal commitments take more priority than studies.
Lack Of Teacher Interaction
As thousands of learners enrol for MOOCs, it becomes impractical for the educators to track progress of every student and offer them the support they would require. Although MOOCs offer online forums for student support, but the queries and posts on these forums are usually answered by fellow learners. Moreover grading is also done either by peers or automatically.
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What Should You Do?
Now the question that comes to mind is “Are MOOCs useful for your career”? Well, the answer depends on what you expect to gain from these courses. If you wish to enrich your knowledge and understanding by pursuing an affordable and accessible course that offers quality education, then MOOCs are for you.
However, if you are looking for a substitute for college education, then you might need to think again. These courses can certainly be helpful for your career development, provided you invest adequate time and effort and steer your own progress.
What do you think about MOOCs? Who do you think a MOOC can help your career goals? Let us know your opinions and thoughts by commenting below. We would love to hear from you.
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