Free Education....from Stanford?

[TSGames]

About Coursera
We are a social entrepreneurship company that partners with the top universities in the world to offer courses online for anyone to take, for free. We envision a future where the top universities are educating not only thousands of students, but millions. Our technology enables the best professors to teach tens or hundreds of thousands of students.

Through this, we hope to give everyone access to the world-class education that has so far been available only to a select few. We want to empower people with education that will improve their lives, the lives of their families, and the communities they live in.
https://www.coursera.org/
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This is pretty awesome. Free access to higher learning in everything from guitar playing to quantum mechanics. No pressure, no money, just sign up for what you want and get ready to learn. It's about time someone thought of this. I figure I'll probably brush up on my Python (https://www.coursera.org/course/interactivepython) and learn a little bit about the market (https://www.coursera.org/course/compinvesting1).

What about you Playgrounders? Any interest in free higher education?

[GnomeFighter]

It is a really good idea. It will never replace a proper university education, but it is good to see people wanting to use the Internet for the good it can do. I plan to do:

https://www.coursera.org/course/introastro
then
https://www.coursera.org/course/cosmo

When I get some time.

I work for a major UK university and am hoping they get involved at some point, as I think it is a really worthwhile thing to do.

[Rawhide]

It is a really good idea. It will never replace a proper university education

What are you talking about? If they include a way to do a formal/verified assessment and issue a degree at the end of it, it is a proper and recognised university education.

[Anarion]

There are a couple of these going on. I'm actually going to be involved with teaching a copyright course through edX (https://www.edx.org/) this spring, which is run by Harvard, Berkeley, and MIT.

[Rockphed]

It is a really good idea. It will never replace a proper university education, but it is good to see people wanting to use the Internet for the good it can do.

See, as soon as I finish formal schooling, I will be expected to continue to accrue education to keep up with the current advances in my field. I can either get these through my employer, who will probably hold seminars on things, or through a local college, who will have a limited selection, or through my professional society, who typically holds these sorts of things in far off places (good for taking the wife on a vacation to, not so good on the pocketbook). If major universities start offering these sorts of classes online, even if they charge the same going rate as a university or a professional society to verify it, it becomes much, much easier to prove continual education. If you don't bother to verify it, it becomes both easier and cheaper.

I would not recommend replacing current university education with this, but it is a very nice supplement to it.

Edit: Looking in my field, I see 2 classes I have taken, 1 I am teaching as a TA, and a couple that look really, really interesting.

[The Extinguisher]

I wish my school was a part of this. I love learning about stuff.

[Morbis Meh]

What are you talking about? If they include a way to do a formal/verified assessment and issue a degree at the end of it, it is a proper and recognised university education.

For some studies I would agree, but for any science degree I would say no unless it was mathematics. For chemistry and biology labs are essential to the learning process and to some degree physics. So for any soft science/humanities course it would be fine but for a hard science I would say that you shouldn't be able to earn a degree.

[Anarion]

For some studies I would agree, but for any science degree I would say no unless it was mathematics. For chemistry and biology labs are essential to the learning process and to some degree physics. So for any soft science/humanities course it would be fine but for a hard science I would say that you shouldn't be able to earn a degree.

I think you could earn course credit though. Nothing wrong with a certificate saying you've studied multivariable calculus and theoretical quantum physics and passed the same exam given to the students at MIT. Then you could go take a couple labs at whatever university is geographically closest to you and complete the degree in a year or two instead of taking 4 years or more.

[Morbis Meh]

I think you could earn course credit though. Nothing wrong with a certificate saying you've studied multivariable calculus and theoretical quantum physics and passed the same exam given to the students at MIT. Then you could go take a couple labs at whatever university is geographically closest to you and complete the degree in a year or two instead of taking 4 years or more.

Your examples don't really argue against my point, you could legitimately take these course for a math/theoretical physic degree because it wouldn't require an actually lab. As for your suggestion regarding doing the courses first then taking said labs... most institutions wouldn't like that, labs are only set aside for people in the course and added people would throw numbers out and may prevent paying students from getting into the labs for their course. Secondly it is a bad idea to take all the courses then try to do the labs. First of all there is usually a reason for most schools limiting the number of labs/semester for a good reason: They eat up a lot of time and have as much course work as the course itself. Second it is often better and simpler to do the course and the lab at the same time so you can apply what you are learning about in the course to what you're doing in the lab. This wouldn't be a problem if you could do both at the same time; however, the problem comes back to the first point I made regarding institutions probably not allowing it unless of course the students pays for the entire course which makes this online course pointless.

[Anarion]

That's not what I was suggesting. I meant to say that most science degrees consist of a combination of theoretical and experimental courses. You could take all the theoretical stuff online and then, if other universities accept those courses, you could just take experimental courses (that include labs) and complete a degree in half the time. This might be very attractive for people who are already working, since it's way more realistic to get an employer to give you a year or two to study than to take off for a 4 year degree, and it would also help people who are trying to save costs or don't want to move far from home.

[Morbis Meh]

That's not what I was suggesting. I meant to say that most science degrees consist of a combination of theoretical and experimental courses. You could take all the theoretical stuff online and then, if other universities accept those courses, you could just take experimental courses (that include labs) and complete a degree in half the time. This might be very attractive for people who are already working, since it's way more realistic to get an employer to give you a year or two to study than to take off for a 4 year degree, and it would also help people who are trying to save costs or don't want to move far from home.

I see, well that is a viable solution too bad this site doesn't have any chemistry course :smallfrown: but that makes sense since every and I do mean every chem course I have been in requires a lab.

[Coidzor]

I think it's a pretty cool idea. I've been interested in this stuff ever since I first heard about MIT's Open Courseware.

[THAC0]

So... who pays for it?

[scurv]

Itunes has quite a bit of opencourseware , As well as many collages, I take alot of them as a hobby,
But If you do not mind paying some coin, TTC The Teaching Company. Has some excellent ones.
Most people Tend to take them for enrichment. As in all things you get out of it what you put in to it, You may not acquire a degree with open courses, But it is still a tool to add depth and scope to your reasoning.

[Coidzor]

I have to wonder how they'd help with CLEP tests and the like for those young enough for them to be relevant.

[scurv]

They can actually, I find open coursewere to be more useful as introduction material in the harder sciences and maths. But in regards to History, Lit, Psych,philosophy and theology. They can become quite in-depth.

IF you are wishing to get into the harder sciences/maths ...Well they would be a good introduction. But still expect to spend significant amounts of your own time doing research. It is the same as you would in a regular school.

Although in regards to maths, When I tutor I tend to recommend http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/ They are well written and truthfully better than most of the text books I have seen.

[SDF]

I see, well that is a viable solution too bad this site doesn't have any chemistry course :smallfrown: but that makes sense since every and I do mean every chem course I have been in requires a lab.

University of Oregon offers virtual chem labs. (http://ecampus.oregonstate.edu/online-degrees/undergraduate/online-chemistry-lab-course/)

[snoopy13a]

I'm a cynic about these things. First, the lecture is only one part of an educational process. Research, study, writing, small group sections, and laboratory work (in sciences course) are all important aspects that this will not address. In order to get the full benefit of a lecture, one should do preparatory reading and take notes for review. My hunch is that most people will watch for entertainment reasons. For classes in which learning the information is important (such as science courses) lecture alone won't be sufficient for most people.

Second, liberal arts classes are designed not necessarily to teach you the subject but rather how to think critically and write. With little feedback or small group sessions, on-line learning is not going to accomplish this. An employer doesn't care if you know 16th century English history; instead, they want you to be able to learn how to perform your job quickly.

Third, an elite college education is, in many ways, simply a credential that demostrates your intelligence. A history major from Harvard may get hired by an investment bank because she has a credential that demostrates she is highly intelligent. Her knowledge in history is irrelevant to her hire. Someone who watches free, on-line lectures of a Harvard history class is not getting the all-important credential.

Finally, professors at elite colleges are not necessarily excellent teachers. Publication quality is more important than teaching ability in hiring and tenure decisions. There are professors at medicore colleges and community colleges who are better teachers than those at the elite colleges. So, a Stanford introductory chemistry lecture may be inferior to a community college introductory chemistry lecture.

[SDF]

Knowing 16th century English history may not impress a prospective employer, but if you are taking 16th century English history to impress a prospective employer you are doing it wrong. An elite college education isn't about employment ability in most cases. I don't study political philosophy to get a job, I study it to better myself. I may take a lot of accounting classes on the side so I can get a CPA, and thus a job. Many classes aren't a means to an end, but an end in themselves.

[Rawhide]

For some studies I would agree, but for any science degree I would say no unless it was mathematics. For chemistry and biology labs are essential to the learning process and to some degree physics. So for any soft science/humanities course it would be fine but for a hard science I would say that you shouldn't be able to earn a degree.

They already have degrees that are offered 100% by distance. If you can get assessed in the same way, this is absolutely no different. This is merely distance education, nothing more, nothing less.

You can't teach, say, surgery via distance with today's technology (but to say never would be pushing it), but there are many degrees that can be delivered/completed entirely by distance, and they are no different from "a proper university education", because they are a proper university education.

[Sipex]

While I don't have much to add to the current debate, I have signed up for this and signed up for two courses so far!

So many more I want to do, but not sure what sort of work load I can handle.

[scurv]

Degree and Education are two very different things, Although We do tend to hope they have alot in common.

Courses such as these tend to be for personal enrichment. I tend to take alot of them to pass the time and Although studying 16th century history may not land me a job, Having read De Principatibus and Listened to a few lectures on it from several courses, Kinda gives me a feel for world events up to that time (Although the prince is a history lesson onto its self if you look at it with an eye for history). Having also read the Five rings and some psych has given me a new perspective on office politics and the such. Does it land me a job, Meh not so much But education if you invest into it (And yes that means actually doing something resembling a course load of work) Tends to pay off in indirect ways. And quite frankly Half of my best campaigns have been based on real world history to some extent.
Although If someone finds a good Russian history for world war two, Let me know.

[Anarion]

A lot of this is still in its infant stages. The copyright course I'm involved with for the spring, for example, is going to involve small group meetings weekly, likely over Skype or similar technology. As such, it's still going to be free, but is also planning to divide up the class into smaller groups and possibly cap enrollment if interest exceeds the number of teaching assistants. But, it's also planning to offer you a certificate saying that you did the exact same thing and passed the same exam as students studying copyright at Harvard Law School.

So, there is at least some hope from the planners that it will actually reflect on the course-takers' capabilities in a positive light and provide more than just personal enrichment.

[Asta Kask]

I see, well that is a viable solution too bad this site doesn't have any chemistry course :smallfrown: but that makes sense since every and I do mean every chem course I have been in requires a lab.

You can't study chemistry without blowing **** up.

[Morbis Meh]

You can't study chemistry without blowing **** up.

That's the point :smallwink: Hence why this would not work for obtaining a degree in chemistry or biology... As for the virtual lab that doesn't really make much sense to me. The point of a lab is doing the actual work to obtain the skills necessary to function in that field. How is one supposed to complete a lab or experiment without proper access to materials and equipment. Not just anyone can buy, not to mention afford, some of the chemicals. Even if you had the money if someone not associated with a post secondary institution even tried to purchase a rotary evaporator (this is necessary for organic chem) they would automatically get a red flag and the government would more than likely start knocking on your door (Rotovaps are used commonly in high end meth labs so it's a reasonable precaution)

[Anarion]

One possibility here would be for these courses to partner with labs. That's obviously not viable everywhere, but most big cities have some chem and physics labs running around, which would be enough for basics like mixing chemicals and mucking around with electric circuits and lasers. I wonder if this is something that corporations would be willing to do as a sort of charity, essentially providing educational facilities in partnership with distance education to allow people to get a free education?

That idea only helps people that live near enough to a big city to make the commute viable, but there are universities and corporations around many places, and arguably even a high school chem or physics lab could have enough facilities to allow for some experiments.

[Blue1005]

What are you talking about? If they include a way to do a formal/verified assessment and issue a degree at the end of it, it is a proper and recognised university education.

If that counts as a real and quantifiable degree, then I will be suing for my 100k degrees that i have...

[Rawhide]

If that counts as a real and quantifiable degree, then I will be suing for my 100k degrees that i have...

From what I can gather, you can't currently get a full degree from the program. But for some you do get certificates to show that you have successfully completed it (and the online assessments).

However, that said, there is apparently talk about being able to pay a nominal fee to optionally sit examinations at the end of it. This may allow you to get credit towards a degree, or get a whole degree through the program.

[Blue1005]

From what I can gather, you can't currently get a full degree from the program. But for some you do get certificates to show that you have successfully completed it (and the online assessments).

However, that said, there is apparently talk about being able to pay a nominal fee to optionally sit examinations at the end of it. This may allow you to get credit towards a degree, or get a whole degree through the program.


I can see that causing a lot of issues if they are honored in the workforce. Including willful student loan defaults, myself included.

[Rawhide]

I can see that causing a lot of issues if they are honored in the workforce. Including willful student loan defaults, myself included.

As someone who has completed a Masters with the debt to show for it, I have no problem with it - and I see absolutely no reason why, if the same standards for assessment were followed, they shouldn't be "honored" in the workforce.

[Anarion]

If that counts as a real and quantifiable degree, then I will be suing for my 100k degrees that i have...

This is a new system. It's not something that could be supported in the past. On top of that, if people like you started defaulting on loans or people stopped attending college so that they could flock en mass to free online learning, the system would almost assuredly be monetized. Moreover, the fact that you got into a good university and stuck with it to get your degree is not going to go away.

I really think this kind of free learning is extending education to people that otherwise wouldn't be able to get it, not replacing traditional education. And that's a good thing.

[Mikhailangelo]

https://www.coursera.org/
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This is pretty awesome. Free access to higher learning in everything from guitar playing to quantum mechanics. No pressure, no money, just sign up for what you want and get ready to learn. It's about time someone thought of this. I figure I'll probably brush up on my Python (https://www.coursera.org/course/interactivepython) and learn a little bit about the market (https://www.coursera.org/course/compinvesting1).

What about you Playgrounders? Any interest in free higher education?

I'm Scottish - I am already into free higher education 8)

[Blue1005]

This is a new system. It's not something that could be supported in the past. On top of that, if people like you started defaulting on loans or people stopped attending college so that they could flock en mass to free online learning, the system would almost assuredly be monetized. Moreover, the fact that you got into a good university and stuck with it to get your degree is not going to go away.

I really think this kind of free learning is extending education to people that otherwise wouldn't be able to get it, not replacing traditional education. And that's a good thing.

And I totally agree with you saying that, I was going more hypothetical. i also think if the US education system were to be more realistic, failing the morons and losers, then we could logically go to a free higher education system. Also, more free education means more jobs coming back as a result.

[TSGames]

....So......
Has anyone decided to try any courses out? I am the Lone-Nerd in the Playground?

[Coidzor]

Well, I've been meaning to expand my knowledge of programming for some time now...

[Inglenook]

I'm taking a two courses: Python (um, the programming language, not Parseltongue) and a genetics/evolution class.

[Anarion]

....So......
Has anyone decided to try any courses out? I am the Lone-Nerd in the Playground?

I'm teaching a section of copyright law in spring on the edX platform. Take my course!* :smallbiggrin:


*Can't actually guarantee I'd be teaching you though, I think which TA you get is going to be random. They're all super awesome though.

[Kaworu]

Hmm...

I think about the course „writing in sciences”. I think it will be good for me, since I am even good reader, but a poor writer. Also, I already sent an IELTS form and some training in writing-activity would be helpfully (and motivate me to refresh my grammar). Maybe during deeds of scientific writing, I even extend my vocabulary.

BUT

I am afraid I misread the aim of the course. It can be just a set of advices and I will be messing around with my creepy syntax. Even if I honesty want to learn something about scientific writing and write scientific articles, I shoudn't, because I will lower the level and bother everybody?

BUT

It's an internet course. I don't need to use my camera, microphone and worry about my pronunciation. I must only watch video, listen to instructor and write some papers – and I have whole week for that, with dictionary and other resources. Maybe I should just try to realize where my abilities lies?

BUT

I think I just do not understand the idea of internet education and it is an original source of my doubts, because I am unfamiliar with this "coursera"...

[polity4life]

I'm in a Python course as well and I'm already so far behind. I have to do three quizzes and the first mini-project to get on track to start the second mini-project this weekend.

[Starbuck_II]

....So......
Has anyone decided to try any courses out? I am the Lone-Nerd in the Playground?

I sihn up for two bio classes (Useful Genetics and Human physiology) but they start January, etc so I'll have to wait ands see if any good.

I hope they aren't too bad, if they count (for credit) when I finally get around for applying for a masters that'd be awesome.

But if they just expand my knowledge that is okay too.

[polity4life]

And now for the feedback.

I dropped out of the Python course I was taking. Based on my experience and the feedback I saw on the class boards, you can clearly see you're getting what you paid for. The assignments made no sense, there were multiple documented technical issues with the site concerning posts and assignments, and the lectures were barely tangentially related to the course work.

If you sign up for a course through here, go in with tempered expectations. I was very excited for this course and it was a monumental letdown.

[TSGames]

I'm in that python course and it's kinda funny....they're only on assignment 2 right now. There have been a couple of quizzes, but those aren't due till the end of the course (they posted that last bit of information more than a week after the start; they should have done it at the beginning). Also, in one of the videos, they almost verbatim provide instructions for completing the first assignment which was little more than a "Hello World" introduction to Python. The videos are informative, but a little too long winded (like most CS professors) and the grading 5 assignments per week is a little bit time consuming, but they do a good job breaking it down into a check list format to make it streamlined and easy. Overall, they seem to know what they are doing and now that the introduction week is over, I look forward to actually learning a bit about GUIs in Python.

[Inglenook]

I thought the assignments made sense … :smalleek: Or at least something must have sunk in, since I got a 100% on the first mini-project. The only thing that gave me trouble was that I forgot to use modulo 5 at first, so entire lines of my RPSLS would just not show up whenever I ran it.

I'm more or less enjoying it, although maybe it's because I went into it expecting to be mostly on my own and get very little feedback.