Beginner's Guide To MOOC Courses

You've probably heard the term MOOC courses thrown around by your peers here and there, and you've likely pondered what they are. Where do you go to apply for them? And how does it help you? If you have thought of something along these lines, this beginner's guide to MOOC will greatly help. We'll go through practically everything there is to know about MOOC courses in this guide. So let us not waste any time and get started!

What are MOOCs?

MOOC is an abbreviation for Massive Open Online Course. It is a free web-based distance learning programme for big student groups worldwide. A MOOC online course may be structured similarly to a college or university course or less structured. Although these courses do not often provide academic credit, they may provide a certification, improve work possibilities, or lead to additional studies. MOOC courses are primarily utilised for higher education and job advancement. However, due to the coronavirus outbreak, several public school districts and undergraduate degree programmes have made these massive open online courses the new standard.

How do MOOC courses work?

MOOCs are online courses that students can attend using the internet. Generally, these courses consist of typical classroom materials made online in various formats for students, including the following:

1. Lectures that have been recorded.
2. Readings
3. Test sets
4. Online quizzes and examinations
5. Interactive learning modules
6. Interacting with other students via forums

By the end of your MOOC online course, you generally get a certificate of completion that you can add to your resume! If you are unsure how to make your first resume or have never made one, let us help you!

Types of MOOC courses

Massive open online courses are classified into six types, which are as follows:

Free

‍These courses are free, although they are usually only available for auditing. Students can, however, pay for an official completion certificate after the course.

Certificate

‍Certificates are provided for finishing particular courses. These courses vary from $20 to $300, averaging between $50 and $100.

Micro-Credential

Micro-credential programmes usually include three to six courses. They are focused on a specific skill or aptitude and cost roughly $946.

University Credit

‍Courses in this category are university-accredited and equivalent to online courses at degree-granting institutions. Individual courses of this calibre might cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. 

Online Degree

‍In terms of the number and depth of the curriculum, online degree programmes are comparable to master's or continuing education degree programmes at universities. They frequently follow a standard admissions method. They cost between a few thousand and tens of thousands of dollars.

Corporate Training

‍MOOC courses for corporate training are being used at the company level. This payment option is often set up as a per-user access fee.

MOOC platforms

A course provider and a course platform are often included in each MOOC course. A course provider is typically an institution, college, or university that supplies course materials and lecturers. The MOOC platform is the technology underpinning course modules, user access, and other learning tools. The best MOOC platforms are EdX, Canvas, Coursera, and Udacity.

Popular MOOC Courses

There is a wide range of courses available online. One may need clarification when deciding on the type of field to pursue. As a result, we've compiled a list of the most popular MOOC courses available.

1. The Science of Well-Being: The Science of Well-Being is a free MOOC course from Yale University on Coursera. You can get a certificate, but you will have to purchase it. It will take you around approximately 20 hours to complete.
2. Introduction to Computer Science: The introduction to computer science is a free massive open online course provided by Harvard University on edX, and it will last around 12 weeks.
3. Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python): This MOOC online course is free and provided by the University of Michigan on Coursera and lasts approximately 19 hours. 
4. English for Career Development: This massive open online course is free from the University of Pennsylvania on Coursera and lasts approximately 40 hours.
5. Introduction to Computer Science and Programming using Python: This free MOOC course is provided by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and lasts approximately nine weeks, and you can find it on edX.

Why Should You Apply for MOOC Courses

MOOC courses have many uses; a few are stated below.

1. MOOC courses can deliver knowledge to students who wouldn't otherwise have it and aid students who cannot afford higher education. 
2. With MOOC online courses, you may also gain a head start on your classmates in your profession by increasing your knowledge or brushing up on current information well before the start of the semester.
3. You can also use massive open online courses to study anything; whether it's biotechnology, poetry, or even Google, you'll almost certainly be able to locate a relevant MOOC. 
4. Some free online courses are introductory, offering materials studied as part of real university courses at the undergraduate and master's levels.  

If you still need to figure out why you should start a MOOC course. To assist you in making that decision, we have a blog explaining why you should enrol in additional courses.

Benefits of MOOC courses 

There are many benefits to MOOC courses that you can take full advantage of like:

1. You can choose from a variety of subjects: There are a variety of subjects that you can choose from, ranging from a hobby to professional subjects. There is a MOOC course for everyone!
2. Learn from people around the world: Through massive open online courses, you will be able to learn from people around the world that are interested in the same subject as you and broaden your perspective by networking.
3. Boost your college and career resumes: By adding MOOC courses to your resume, you boost your chances of getting accepted to your dream college or dream job, as it makes you stand out from other candidates.
4. They are open and free: Another great benefit of MOOC courses is that they are open to the general public and are free for you to learn from them.

What should you consider before enrolling?

Before enrolling in any courses, remember the following points to help you understand why you want to apply for this course.

1. Do you want to change careers?
2. Do you want to obtain a raise?
3. Improve your job performance?
4. Do you want to boost your work prospects?
5. Do you solely want to learn?
6. Do you want to participate in the entire MOOC or just a portion?
7. How much time per week can you devote to the course?
8. Do you want a beginner, intermediate, or advanced course?
9. Is the course you are choosing self-paced or not, which means that you can do the course in your time, or will you have to attend the lecture like a college lecture

The MOOC listing includes possible prerequisites, course material, difficulty, and estimated time commitment to help you decide if the course suits your goals.

MOOCs vs Online College Courses

There are a few major differences between MOOC courses and online college courses. Massive open online courses and online college courses are both done online. Still, the main difference is that MOOC online courses are made to run without a professor or teacher's involvement, as they use quizzes and videos to teach. Online college courses require a professor with live attendance, and you need to make a schedule to match the online course, whereas, in MOOC courses, you can do them on your own time! 

That is all for this blog. We hope you've learned something about MOOCs and are excited to expand your knowledge with these courses. If you need help paying attention while studying online, this guide on how to be productive while studying online can be of great assistance.

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