Coursera

Coursera.org is a website where one can take free online classes. It partners with “top universities and organizations to offer courses online” (per their website) on many different topics, subjects and specializations. Many classes offer certificate tracks, where one can pay a fee to earn a certificate in some specialization. The online classes are open to an unlimited number of learners from all over the world, so they are Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). There are Coursera apps for Apple as well as Android, so one can keep learning on the go.

Coursera home page, browser

 

Coursera certification page, iPad app  

 



In order to enroll in a class, one must first create a free Coursera account, either the traditional email+password way or by linking one’s Facebook account to the site. Choose a class by browsing the course catalog, or use the search bar to look for a class on a specific topic.

 

Coursera catalog, browser

 



In order to enroll in a class, one must first create a free Coursera account, either the traditional email+password way or by linking one’s Facebook account to the site. Choose a class by browsing the course catalog, or use the search bar to look for a class on a specific topic.



Coursera catalog, iPad app

 

One can also go to the Institutions list to view the partnering universities and organizations around the world and what classes they offer.

 

Coursera institutions page, browser

 

We will focus on the browser-based Coursera for now. Once signed in, the Coursera dashboard displays the user’s class and account information. A tiny triangle next to the user icon, when clicked, will drop down a menu (as shown in the screengrab below, on the right). The Enrollments page shows the courses one is enrolled in. To see archived, future, or watchlisted classes, simply click on the desired heading above the currently displayed course.

The Accomplishments page shows one’s grades and earned certificates.

 

Coursera dashboard, Enrollments page

 

Coursera account menu

 

Coursera dashboard, Accomplishments page

 

 

From the dashboard, click on the green Start or Resume button below the class image in order to enter the class.

Each class is hosted on Learning Management Software that is similar to Blackboard or Moodle. One can navigate the course pages through the side menu. 

 



 

 

The Course Content section is divided by weeks. Each week includes video lectures, class handouts, quizzes, and any other course content chosen by the instructors. Once it is viewed, each item’s icon will turn into a green check mark.

 



 

 

 

The Discussions section is an online forum where students can discuss the class, course content, video lectures, and class or miscellaneous topics. The forum is divided up into different threads, with specific forums dedicated to course content. All discussion threads are moderated, and depending on class size and their availability, instructors will sometimes answer questions in the discussion forum.

 

 

 

The Coursera app looks different than the browser, of course, but all of the same content is there.  The navigation menu is at the bottom of the tablet screen.

 

Coursera dashboard, iPad app

Coursera class outline, iPad app

 

 

Happy learning!