Three lifelong learning courses

Photo credit - Luca Bravo via unsplash. com

Photo credit – Luca Bravo via unsplash. com

Have you engaged with MOOCs yet? They have been around for 5 years or so and have courses offered through leading global universities. You can engage in many of their courses for free. So if your answer to my question was “no”, my next question has to be “Why not?” They present great ways to engage in lifelong learning!

Why not?
Why not engage in an experience where you will learn something that may be useful in the future? I have engaged with MOOCs and I would encourage you to consider engaging with this style of learning. But what is a MOOC?

MOOCs are Mass Open Online Courses. They are offered through established universities across the globe. The quality of the courses that I have interacted with has been great. The cost – nil! If you don’t like it, you can always pull out – no questions asked. It is about putting yourself in the learning seat again though.

Research about MOOCs
Research shows that the typical MOOC student is older than the traditional college age. It suggests they already have a bachelor’s degree and are already employed. Is that you? A working professional? MOOCs present a way to advance in your career or prepare for career change.

Apparently about 73% of adults consider themselves lifelong learners. 63% are “professional learners.” That means they’ve taken a course or received additional training to improve job skills. Is that you?

Of them:

  • 65% say their learning has expanded their professional network
  • 47% say it helped them advance within their current company
  • 29% say it helped them find a new job

Is that evidence compelling enough?

Consider these three future-focused MOOCs

The ability to innovate and solve problems using your creativity is important no matter what field you work in. If you want to develop in this area, this is one MOOC that could help. This course was created by the University of Minnesota and delivered by Coursera. It focuses on divergent thinking and consists of creativity building exercises, lectures, and readings. It will help you recognise your limits and then overcome them by moving out of your comfort zone.

This MOOC presents the evidence you need to believe you’re capable of growing and improving, as opposed to believing your abilities and intelligence are fixed. Research shows a growth mindset encourages us to seek out new challenges and opportunities and increase our motivation to learn. This is a Udemy course. It’s designed for individuals looking to make a change and covers everything from ditching bad habits and creating new ones to developing resilience.

Time management is a valuable skill in every industry. Coursera delivers this course which could help you better understand the most effective time-management tools, methods and techniques. This course was created by the University of California, Irvine. It consists of videos, readings, and quizzes that will help you improve your ability to set goals, prioritise your time, schedule activities, and delegate in order to enhance your productivity.

Be proactive in your own learning
You can engineer your own development in a cost-effective way using MOOCs. What will it cost you? Time. Commitment. Head space. A small price for a potentially large dividend on this investment. The ROI? That depends on you!

If you have engaged in a MOOC, perhaps you would share your experience here?

Share your comments here

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