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Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 4:05 pm
by Gin Master
We talked about it a few months ago.
http://irongarmx.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.p ... ra&start=0

I started Greek and Roman Mythology yesterday. Peter Struck (Penn) is the lecturer. There are video lectures and quizzes each week. There is also a discussion forum and two essay assignments, which will be discussed among assigned peer groups (you write one and "grade" five). The presentation is interesting so far, and there were no technical glitches. I'm taking this class partly because of interest and partly because a couple high schools here are introducing online learning platforms.

Any other IGXers taking a course?

Re: Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 4:26 pm
by CrapSammich
These courses are free, right? Heard an NPR story talking about the value/drawbacks/revenue stream.

I'm interested to see how/if these online offerings will have any impact on "traditional" universities, especially with things like transfer credit implications.

Re: Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 4:41 pm
by Sassenach
I was waiting for something good (read: non computer geekery) to show up on edX. I just signed up for Greek and Roman Mythology.

Re: Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 4:43 pm
by syaigh
I teach College Math for an online college. Its kind of fun and helps the students who can't be flexible with their time, ie, people with families and deployed military.

Re: Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 4:58 pm
by CrapSammich
College math = nice definition of "fun," syaigh! I've been hearing the university elitists pooh-pooh online education for years, but every year, they themselves are struggling to find more ways to offer online options. Guess they're realizing the Ivory Tower has to go wireless.

Re: Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 5:25 pm
by Freki
http://blog.revolutionanalytics.com/201 ... today.html

I might take that or it's twin course when the start next as a better understanding of R would be useful to me.

Re: Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 6:56 pm
by Damien
I'm taking "Statistics 101" and "Writing in the Sciences" on Coursera right now.
Stats is very programming-heavy, but has a nice clinical focus.
I really like it thus far and the choice variety on coursera is enormous.

Re: Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:30 pm
by Pinky
I'm not sure what they're trying to accomplish, but two professors at George Mason, Cowen and Tabarrok, are starting to offer online econ courses. The first is in development economics. Info here.

FWIW, these guys have also written the best principles of microeconomics text I've ever seen. I recommend it as a supplemental text for my MBA students who need a little extra help.

Re: Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 12:10 am
by Turdacious
Freki wrote:http://blog.revolutionanalytics.com/201 ... today.html

I might take that or it's twin course when the start next as a better understanding of R would be useful to me.
That looks cool, may have to check that out. I take a lot of the Skillport courses when I have downtime-- I find it a good way to expand my skills on the various MS Office products. A lot of places have them available for free for students and employees.

Re: Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:37 pm
by tzg
Freki wrote:http://blog.revolutionanalytics.com/201 ... today.html

I might take that or it's twin course when the start next as a better understanding of R would be useful to me.
Way cool. Is there any obligation tied to it? If not, I'd do it, too. If there is, I can't sign up, because there will probably come a time when my real obligations to do R programming will interfere (time-wise) with my interest in getting another perspective on it.

Re: Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:40 pm
by tzg
Damien wrote:I'm taking "Statistics 101" and "Writing in the Sciences" on Coursera right now.
Stats is very programming-heavy, but has a nice clinical focus.
I really like it thus far and the choice variety on coursera is enormous.
What are they doing in the stats 101 class (professional curiosity)?

I did the stanford machine learning class last fall, loved it. I think the guys behind Coursera are doing great work.

Re: Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 2:35 pm
by Freki
tzg wrote:
Freki wrote:http://blog.revolutionanalytics.com/201 ... today.html

I might take that or it's twin course when the start next as a better understanding of R would be useful to me.
Way cool. Is there any obligation tied to it? If not, I'd do it, too. If there is, I can't sign up, because there will probably come a time when my real obligations to do R programming will interfere (time-wise) with my interest in getting another perspective on it.
I only skimmed it, but it sounded like it was 3-5 hours/week for something like 10 weeks.

Re: Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 2:36 pm
by Freki
tzg wrote:
Damien wrote:I'm taking "Statistics 101" and "Writing in the Sciences" on Coursera right now.
Stats is very programming-heavy, but has a nice clinical focus.
I really like it thus far and the choice variety on coursera is enormous.
What are they doing in the stats 101 class (professional curiosity)?

I did the stanford machine learning class last fall, loved it. I think the guys behind Coursera are doing great work.
How was that? I'm in a data mining master's program and a couple people have taken that on the side and raved about it. And I've heard good things elsewhere too.

Re: Coursera.org (and other online ed platforms)

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 3:33 pm
by tzg
Great stuff. I appreciated how they had two options - the "do all the programming" option and the "just watch lectures and take the quizzes" option, because I could not commit at the time to doing all the programming every week. Very good lecturer, very good problems, and it provided links to articles for further reading if you watned it. The only difference from the real course is that they had an exam and a big final project. Great stuff.