Massive Open Online Courses or as people call them, MOOC’s. I was first introduced to them last year when I was setting up my new year’s resolutions. I was browsing the internet and a friend of mine shared a link to some online course on her Facebook page.
I clicked on the link to know more about it and I was blown away by the content and the endless amount of courses available from different universities and institutes like Pennsylvania State University, MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Cambridge and many others.
I use three different platforms. Future Learn, Edx and Coursera. The first one I used was FutureLearn and the first course I took was an introduction to the IELTS exam. It was a free course from Cambridge University. I learnt so many things which I did not know about the IELTS exam before and I have tested myself in it.
All of the courses are free but if you want to receive a certificate of completion, you can pay a certain amount of money. The prices of the courses vary but most of them are affordable.
Here are the reasons why I got addicted to them:
1- You can learn any subject you want.
2- Some courses provide financial aid so you can apply for one such as on Coursera.
3- They expand your knowledge and understanding in different levels.
4- Self paced learning can enhance the learning experience.
5- Making cyber connections throughout the globe.
6- Receive a credible feedback on your work even when there are hundreds of people registered.
7- No scheduling issues.
Although, I am a chemical engineering graduate I have gotten the chance to learn more about the world of teaching English, making questionnaires, leadership, success, and writing. Online courses are a great way to develop while still having fun. It is definitely worth it even if you cannot afford to buy a certificate.
Concluding, I encourage anyone who is looking for a different experience in their lives to sign up in the platforms I mentioned above. I guarantee that you will have a unique experience for sure. I am looking forward to learning more. Personally, I think that we are still work in progress and we should always develop ourselves.