The best massive open online courses (MOOCs)

In the last few years, online learning platforms and massive open online courses have grown in popularity.

The demand for distance learning has prompted universities and colleges from around the world to partner with learning platforms to offer their courses, trainings, and degrees to online learners.

What are MOOCs?

MOOCs are courses delivered online and accessible to all for free.

MOOC stands for massive open online course:

• Massive because enrollments are unlimited and can run into hundreds of thousands.
• Open because anyone can enroll — that is, there is no admission process.
• Online because they are delivered via the internet.
• Course because their goal is to teach a specific subject.

MOOCs typically comprise video lessons, readings, assessments, and discussion forums.

Who makes MOOCs?

Most MOOCs are made by universities. Some of the first and most active MOOC makers are Stanford, MIT, Harvard and Berkeley.

Some MOOCs are made by companies, such as  Microsoft or Google, or by various organizations, such as IEEE or the Linux.

Where can I take MOOCs?

Although MOOCs are created by universities, universities rarely distribute MOOCs themselves. Instead, they rely on course providers such as:

• Coursera
• edX
• FutureLearn
• Udacity
• Canvas

So it’s on those platforms and others that students actually take MOOCs.

When do MOOCs start?

Some MOOCs can be started at any time. Others start at regular intervals — every few weeks or months. Some are seldom offered — sometimes reappearing after a year of absence. Finally, some stop being offered entirely.

Do MOOCs have deadlines?

Some MOOCs are self-paced — you progress through them as quickly or slowly as you want — while others run on a schedule:

• All the course material may not be available from day one. Instead, it’s released in fragments week after week, forcing students to pace themselves.
• Assessments may have deadlines, preventing students from lagging behind.

But even when they involve a schedule, MOOCs remain flexible: you study when it suits you best, day or night.

How long to complete a MOOC?

MOOCs range in length from 1 to 16 weeks. Most provide an estimate of the weekly time commitment, although this may vary significantly from one student to another.

How are students tested in MOOCs?

MOOCs can include:

• Auto-graded quizzes — that is, quizzes that are automatically graded upon submission, such as multiple choice questions.
• Peer-feedback assignments — that is, assignments that are graded by other students according to a specific rubric.

Your performance on these assignments then determines your overall course grade.

Note that instructors don’t grade students’ work in MOOCs.

1. EdX

EdX offers interactive online classes and MOOCs from the world’s best universities. Online courses from MITx, HarvardX, BerkeleyX, UTx and many other universities. Topics include biology, business, chemistry, computer science, economics, finance, electronics, engineering, food and nutrition, history, humanities, law, literature, math, medicine, music, philosophy, physics, science, statistics and more. EdX is a non-profit online initiative created by founding partners Harvard and MIT.

2. Coursera

Coursera is an educational service platform that offers massive open online courses (MOOCs) in a wide array of topics. It aims to provide high-quality education to practically everyone.

To achieve this, Coursera partners with over 150 distinguished universities and colleges from around the world. It has more than 2,500 courses, hundreds of specializations, and four academic degrees offered to its 40 million learners (and counting).

The courses are 100% online. There is also a Coursera app for your smartphone. Once you enroll in your course of choice, the learning materials and other resources are accessible to you anytime, anywhere.

3. CanvasCanvas Network offers open, online courses taught by educators everywhere. Powered by the Canvas learning management system, Canvas Network provides a place and platform where teachers, students, and institutions worldwide can connect and chart their own course for personal growth, professional development, and academic inquiry.

Canvas Network is developed and supported by Instructure, an education technology company that partners with educators, institutions, and technologists to build open educational resources and break down barriers to learning.