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Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) are a great way for you to learn new skills and grow your knowledge base. Without going broke.
Many of these sites also offer FREE courses. The only time you pay, is when you want a certificate to prove your expertise. And even then, it doesn’t cost that much.
In this article, we are going to take a look at why you should study at a MOOC. You’ll also discover the best MOOC sites out there, and find out how you can make the most of them.
Let’s get started!
Why MOOC?
Getting into a MOOC can be a great way to test the waters before taking a dive.
Say you are thinking about studying Business Management, but you are not sure if it’s really right for you. So, before you make the commitment to study at a college or university, you want to get a feel for it first. And a MOOC can help you do just that. Without the huge financial expenses that normal college tuition would cost you.
Even if you are finished with your studies, and have a great career already, there is always a demand for new and updated knowledge. Remember - knowledge is fresh produce, and there is no better way to upgrade your expertise than with a MOOC. Share on X
When you can demonstrate that you have a new set of skills, you may be able to take on new tasks and roles at work. And, after completing a course, you can obtain a certificate to prove your competence, which may help you get a raise or a promotion. In this way, a MOOC could boost your earning power.
But the best part about a MOOC, is that it allows you to study from anywhere, at any time. Which is great news for those who already have lots on their plate.
Now that you know why you should study at a MOOC, let’s take a look at the top 3 sites where they are offered.
EdX
EdX has over 3000 courses available, in 31 categories.
Most are taught in English, but there is also a large selection of Spanish courses available, and some in French, Chinese, Italian and Russian.
Some of these courses are credit-eligible, which means you can get real college and university credit for completing these. You can also work on your Master’s degree via EdX, or sign up for their MicroBachelors or MicroMasters program.
And as you would expect from a great MOOC site, they have courses that offer a Professional Certificate upon completion.
Coursera
Coursera is a giant in the MOOC world.
They collaborate with over 190 top universities and companies around the world to bring you the very best in online education.
How would you like to write on your CV that you have a certificate from the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania? Or Stanford?
Or that you have honed your IT skills with Google or IBM, and have the papers to prove it?
With Coursera, that can easily be done.
They even have full online Master’s & Bachelor’s degree programs, in addition to the certificates.
With thousands of courses on offer, in 30+ languages and 11 broad categories, Coursera has something for everyone. And according to the latest survey, there are great benefits to studying here.
87% of people learning for professional development report career benefits like getting a promotion, a raise, or starting a new career. - Coursera Learner Outcomes Survey (2019) Share on X
Udemy
Last, but by no means least, comes Udemy.
If you couldn’t find anything to suit you on EdX or Coursera, stop by this MOOC site and browse through their 100,000+ courses on offer!
You’ve got 13 major categories to choose from, with plenty of sub categories. The courses are offered in many different languages, even Turkish and Indonesian. Several videos are also subtitled in Polish, Portuguese and Spanish.
There is also a Udemy for Business section. And they have plenty of well known corporate clients who use the platform to educate their staff. Like Lyft, Pinterest and Adidas.
So, if you hear your boss saying something about “upgrading the skill set and knowledge base of the employees, to stay sharp and relevant”, just mention Udemy.
How To Benefit The Most From Your MOOC
Although most of these courses are free, there is one small investment you might want to make.
All three platforms that are mentioned in this article, offer professional certificates. These will come in handy when you are applying for jobs. Or, if you are hoping for a promotion or a raise at work.
Even as a freelancer, having proof of your ability to do the work, does matter. Especially for someone that is new in the game, and has a skinny portfolio.
And compared to the cost of regular tuition, the fee they charge for a certificate, is peanuts. So, it’s well worth it.
