An Experiment with Massive Online Education: Coursera

Couple months ago, after listening to a segment on NBC Nightly News about free online classes (now the terms is coined as MOOC or "Massive Open Online Course") from reputable universities, I decided to explore the topic and went to the three platforms suggested by the segment: edX, Coursera, and Udacity (for a basic introduction to MOOC and its possible impact, take a look at New York Times writer Thomas Friedman's first article on this topic "Come the Revolution" from May 2012.)

I was impressed by the ease of use and navigation at Coursera and before I knew, I had explored the topics, universities (an impressive list of them, including Columbia, Princeton, Stanford, Vanderbilt which immediately increased my trust in the platform,) timelines, and signed up for a class. 

I started navigating around Coursera with universities, but the universities I mentioned above offered a limited number of classes, mostly in the very technical field (such as Computer Architecture or Algorithms) which wasn't what I was looking for especially for a first class. So I went back to the home page, and explored the website by courses, which very quickly put me in an area that was more appealing (to me).

I signed up for my first class, Nutrition for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at University of California San Francisco, after 15 minutes navigation around classes. The course home page was very helpful, I liked that it clearly explained the purpose and the topic of the class, the expectations, and  the methodology in terms of grading and logistics. I had low expectations, but was also open-minded and primarily hoped to get a baseline of Nutrition from a scientific resource as opposed to everything I had been reading and hearing through media. 

A quick note on background here: I have a master's degree from University of Maryland, and B.A. from an American College overseas. Over the years, I have taken a number of in-class courses both for advancing my business career, as well as learning languages, at well-respected institutions such as universities, government agencies, and continuing education organizations. I am by no means an expert, but I have been exposed to various methods of learning and teaching, so I believe I can distinguish between what works and what doesn't, at least for me. 

Since I started learning at Coursera, I've noticed an increasing coverage of MOOCs in the media (for more in depth information and a professional opinion see New York Times Columnist Thomas Friedman's "The Professors' Big Stage" and "Revolution Hits the Universities" articles dated January 26 and March 5 of this year, respectively), as well as a good amount of interest from people around me. Everyone seems to want to know more and asks similar questions, so I thought I'd briefly share my experience so far. The following is based on one complete class, and other three that I am currently enrolled in.

FACTS

- Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) - truly means:

• Massive: My nutrition class had 27,000 students, and my next class had 70,000 students
• Open: There is no background, certificate, diploma etc. required. Clearly one needs to be able to process English (there is a small number classes in Spanish and Chinese for now) but there is no test for it either. Everyone is responsible for making sure they have what it takes to take the class.
• Online: All you need is an internet connection and a device to connect. I would assume you could take the classes on a smartphone, but in my experience the classes are best experienced on a larger screen (easier to read the presentations) so computers, laptops, and tablets are probably best. (there are some technical limitations, for example during my first class the courses were not supported by Internet Explorer 9. I personally had no trouble on Safari or chrome Platforms)
• Course: You truly can choose from many topics and learn from an expert in the field. There are quizzes, assignments, and some reading or activities to do, like in a regular class. In my experience the more you do (or use the resources) the more you learn. 

FORMAT

- Every course is organized into weekly topics -just like a regular university course- which is clearly explained in the "Course Overview and Syllabus." 

- At the beginning of every week, a number of lectures are posted online (the ones I've seen so far ranged from 6-12 lectures per week, and from 4 to 20 minutes per lecture) together with transcripts and presentations (if available) related to each lecture. 

- Each course has its own requirements, but in general you have a certain amount of time (at least one week) to review the lectures and submit answers to a 20-question quiz, and/or complete other assignments (for example: submit a recipe with its nutritional value analysis for the Nutrition class, or post comments on online forums). Some courses have more requirements, some courses have final exams, etc. - again just like what you'd find in a university class. The nice thing is you are explained these requirements with timelines at the beginning (in general even before you sign up) so you can choose what works for you. 

- For all kinds of questions and comments, there are online forums, and from what I've seen, in general students help each other find the answers (not answers to quizzes per se, but if someone is not sure of where to find certain resources, or not clear about a requirement). Teaching assistants and instructors intervene if the topic of the discussion is an error in a document or if it needs further clarification. 

- Assignments either get graded automatically by software (such as multiple choice questions in a quiz) or by other students in the class, which in my experience has been fair. I am sure it is not the case for 100% of the students, but since the main objective is to "pass" and "learn" rather than achieve a certain GPA, I believe most students are happy with the grading system. In the end, with the format that I have seen, I would find it hard to believe that someone would fail just because of one question. In general, if you listen to the lectures and complete the assignments in good faith, you will pass, but most importantly, you will learn, and that is the most important thing about this platform.

POSITIVE IMPRESSIONS

- Introductory videos: I found these videos to be a good indication of how the class will be. Even though you may not see the instructor in person, I believe that there is a certain "energy" when someone is speaking on the screen, and some people are easier to follow than others. The introductory videos (available before you sign up for a course) are a good example of how the lectures will be conducted in terms of clarity, pace, and sense of humor. 

- Being able to take a class any time you want, in any attire, and not having to sit in traffic or look for parking. My class experience generally was around 11:30pm or midnight, in my pijamas, under a warm electric blanket, when there was nothing else to do during cold winter nights.

- Not having to take notes: The presentations, transcript, and links are posted online for your review and are available for downloads (depending on the class). Mostly what is required is to listen and absorb the information. 

- If you don't understand something you can rewind and watch it again.

- You can look up information and other sources "during class" because you can stop the lecture and go get clarification if you need to (or if you like, you can walk the dog, make dinner, or watch a movie)

- Noone makes you sit through a lecture when your head is full of other things you need to take care of, and/or you are not feeling well. You determine when the best time to learn is. And your energy is spent on the learning part, but not looking for a classroom, seat, parking spot etc. I cannot stress this enough. If you are disciplined and interested enough, other than storms that might bring down the power/cable lines, there isn't a whole lot that can stop or distract you from learning once you've decided to take a class (speaking from experience, when at 1am I got news about my aunt's passing after a long battle with cancer, one of the things I turned to was Coursera, simply to occupy my mind with something else, and to possibly prove myself life was going to go on, somehow... Coursera is there 24/7, and if you are an early bird or a night owl, it comes in very handy)

- Our instructor for the Nutrition course, Katie Ferraro, was enthusiastic, clear, and easy to follow. The format seemed more like a conversation rather than a lecture. This was extremely helpful for my learning style. In another course, I've seen an instructor constantly throw in terms and draw diagrams, which was had to follow. I would have liked to see someone explain the very technical topic at a much slower pace, and probably with clarifications rather than just going on.

- The instructor brought in guest lecturers who are experts in their field and asked questions, which I probably would have asked if we were in class. I truly enjoyed hearing another voice and getting another perspective. 

- I enjoyed the fact that the information in the nutrition class was not presented as black and white, but there were references to specific studies and how certain information has evolved in time, which encouraged me to look at some suggested readings and websites. The course was very good at giving the basic information and the resources, and leaving it to the student if one wanted to explore further. I would think that people with certain diseases would find this very helpful. 

- I appreciated the fact that, when applicable, the resource websites were not only from the United States, but also from Canada and UK so one compare different approaches and methodology. 

- The teaching assistants and anyone involved on the technical side did a wonderful job for the nutrition class. Everything was there when expected, and everything worked the way it should for the most part. There were minor spelling errors, and sometimes I understand people had trouble submitting information (probably due to the browser they were using) but in the end I found class effective, informative, and interesting. To me, it was obvious that someone was paying attention and spending time to make things right. I would definitely take another class from UCSF, Katie Ferraro, and Coursera. 

SUGGESTIONS

- Currently, you can only post to the online forums with your full (student) name or as anonymous. I suggest they find a way to allow students to create user names. If this is available on all kinds of forums and platforms, this should be available the same way here. Some of us with unique names would like to protect our privacy, but still discuss further. 

- Better explanation on if one can continue on a "track" to achieve a certain level. Currently there are 2 choices for most courses: you can get a "Statement of Accomplishment" or a "Verified Certificate" (which was $39 for the nutrition course). I am unsure of the benefits of a Verified Certificate, other than possibly verifying that you are the person you say you are. Once I understand this better, I'd be more inclined to pay for the certificate. My goal was to "learn" so I didn't care for the certificate, but I can see how it may be helpful in certain fields. I am also unsure if this certificate can be used if I were to, say, pursue certification to become a nutritionist at another organization. Accreditation seems to be an issue that will need to be resolved. 

- Some courses require participation in online forums, which I don't find helpful unless there is a very specific topic. I'd rather read through "real comments" as opposed to "mandatory" ones people have to write in to accomplish a requirement. From my experience, Coursera is best experienced by people who are truly interested in learning, and are disciplined enough to dedicate time and effort to the topic. As always there will be people who give it all, and some who get by with the minimum, and I think there will be proper ways to sort them out in time. I think asking people to comment once a week is punishing those of us who are spending time on the course materials and forums to get real information.

- It is very helpful to list how long a specific lecture is so one can determine if you can squeeze it in a break or plan for the longer ones. 

SUMMARY

As someone who has a graduate degree, and has completed a number of in-class continuing education and language classes, I found Coursera to be very user friendly and effective as a learning format. Despite not having met the instructor nor my classmates, the Nutrition class I took from UCSF was one of the best classes I have taken, with lots of good information and resources I can make use in my daily life. It has given me the inspiration to possibly pursue this field as a profession, but more importantly has given me a very good baseline to look at what I eat and how it impacts my body overall. 

[update: Another course I am taking at Coursera, is more focused on the technical workings of human body and biology, and in two weeks of trying, I found the lectures pretty dry and and almost like a tape I can't relate to, and feel like the instructor forces me to memorize things rather than "learn" them. Everyone learns at their own pace so not every class will work for everyone, but at least you can try and see what works for you. So far, I haven't seen any penalties for trying!]

Top 10 Things I miss from London

While I am happy to be back, there are things I miss about London. It goes without saying that I miss my friends and their children, and being able to spend time with them... So, even though my list doesn't have an order per se that is number one without a doubt...

• Weather: I didn't expect it to be that mild in London. It was perfect to walk around and the best thing was that there were many people walking around as well as sitting at cafes outside. Of course some of them do it in order to smoke, but I saw lots of people who simply enjoyed being outdoors. (as I write this it is snowing in London so much so that Heathrow was closed for a couple of hours... go figure.)

• Scones: I loved being able to sit down in the afternoon with a pot of tea and -kind of- stop the world as long as the pot lasted. Of course not everyone did this, and my tea break came in the middle of sightseeing or museum touring, but it was the perfect break... especially because it came with wonderful scones. Whether it is at Victoria & Albert Museum's Cafe (which was my absolute favorite tea experience because it was in a beautiful room - but you didn't have to pay an arm and a leg for it, and the scones and clotted cream were absolutely great, especially paired with my favorite tea in the winter: a smoky lapsang souchong) or from M&S (Marks and Spencer's grocery store). With my vast collection of teas, I am certainly having lots of morning, daytime, and afternoon tea, but there's nothing like those scones here... So now I am in search for the perfect scone recipe to recreate that experience here at home. 

• Brown Bread: I normally don't eat that much bread (this goes along with my coffee philosophy "drink coffee only when it's good") but the bread in London was too hard to pass. And I must say, that was my favorite treat after a long day of sightseeing and walking, when I finally sat down in the evening, preferably paired with:

• Real Cheese: The perfectly sharp cheddars, wonderfully creamy stichelton, the pungent stilton (preferably in a prune)... Whether from the temple of cheese Neal's Yard, or from Borough Market, or simply from M&S, the wonderful taste of "real cheese" lingers in my mouth as one of the best memories of London. So does the passion of the cheese-mongers I met, always willing to tell you the story and make you share the joy they are having with cheese. To me, good cheese and bread (preferably paired with a good beverage appropriate for your mood) is always the perfect escape to heaven no matter what's going on, and London provides lots of it... And the wonderful thing was that you could have the best cheeses from anywhere in Europe as well as lesser known British cheeses that deserve an exploration on their own (project for my next visit!)

• Good coffee on every corner: Being able to find good coffee when you want it is one of the simplest pleasures in life. No matter what's going on, when you can sit down (I'm not a fan of coffee on the run) and sip a perfectly made coffee, time stops and things go back to their places, even for a second giving you that peace, and the feeling that no matter what there are good (no great!) things in life. A perfectly brewed coffee with the intensity of flavor, aroma of exotic lands, and possibly the creaminess of a milk that reminds you of green pastures is a world that comes together in a cup especially when someone pours it with care, and takes the time to serve it to you with a smile even off the counter. Readers of my travel blog know that I consider Monmouth Coffee the "temple of coffee" in London, as those things come together time and time again without skipping a beat. Even though they are not on every corner (fortunately or unfortunately?) there is an independent coffee shop not too far when you wonder around in London, and I love that you can get a decent coffee without an effort. (another project for my next visit: explore more coffee shops)

• St. Martin in the Fields: I had wonderful experiences at this small church listening to all kinds of music, as well as escaping to its crypt to get a break from the city. If I lived in London, I would probably go at least once a week, and definitely when there is a jazz concert. I miss the intimate and friendly atmosphere where you listen to music in a casual environment and (in the crypt) where you can enjoy a glass of wine or beer at decent prices. 

• Fish 'n Chips: The fish and chips in England has very little in common with the greasy, batter heavy,  dough covered tasteless white meat that looks like fish I am used to seeing in the US. They are crunchy, light, and wonderfully fishy; the batter is used to crunch up and wrap the fish so it cooks with all its sea flavor still intact in this little package. It is of course served with tartar sauce, and mushy peas (which are served almost cold, for which I have found no explanation), and thick cut of "chips" which are generally crisp on the outside (I was lucky to have my most perfect fish 'n chips in London on my first day and now hold all fish and chips against that!) Needless to say, this type of fish 'n chips goes very well with beer, in my world, with a nicely hoppy beer to balance out the crunch and the slight sea taste of the fish. 

• Brindisa (at Borough Market): Jamon Iberico is a magical experience... Not to have that available as good is tough... And simply being able to walk in and chat with the proud jamon slicers, smell the chorizo cooking outside and eye the paprika, peppers, and other spices is an experience I miss... 

• Real France's yogurts (atBorough Market): I've had yogurt all around the world, but there is nothing like these yogurts. Creamy and milky so much so that you can taste the fresh milk. And I love how sweet the yogurt is -not the sugary sweet taste, but the sweetness of the milk delicately coating your mouth and making it a perfect yogurt experience. (not to mention their creme caramels... I am not a huge flan/creme caramel fan, but I find myself yearning for that perfect cup of creme caramel which is made with that perfect milk and eggs...) Now all I have are the empty jars on my desk...

I guess we can say that I miss Borough Market... but more than that I miss having access to the "real" things whether it is coffee, cheese, yogurt, or sausages. I love that in London you can step out and have the real thing as opposed to things that are called cheese, coffee, and yogurt... And that if you take it one step further, you can easily talk to people who make them and take pride in making them. Totally miss that!

Most Nutritious Smoothie Ever!

Since I got back from London (for my adventures visit my travel blog) I have been craving for nutritious food (impact of all the great food, cheese, bread, and alcohol I had - not too much, but simply much more than what I normally eat, and combined with very little exercise other than walking... I don't regret it a bit, but you begin to feel the impact at some point) and making lot of smoothies. I think I peaked in the nutrition department today with this incredible smoothie:

(the measurements are approximate as I never use cups or spoons when I make smoothies, all to taste and your personal preferences)

BACK FROM LONDON SMOOTHIE

- 1/4 c of goji berries, soaked in green tea overnight

- 1/2 ripe banana

- 1 c blueberries

- 1 c spinach

- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

- 1/2 cup coconut milk

- 3/4 cup almond milk (no reason for this ratio, it just poured that way)

- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice

- 2 tablespoons of almond butter

- 1 tablespoon spirulina powder

- dash of cayenne

- dash of nutmeg

- 1/4 teaspoon cloves

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (yeah, I love cinnamon, and put lots of it in my smoothies. It is especially good for taking away the impact of spirulina if you are sensitive to it) 

Buzz everything together, and ENJOY!!

If you like it thicker add more banana and maybe ice cubes (I make my ice cubes with leftover tea to increase the nutrition value), if you like it thinner add more liquid. Speaking of liquid, I used almond milk and coconut milk because that's what I had, but you can use any kind of milk. I am not here to give advice per se, but to create tasty things that are good for you so you feel good afterwards. And speaking of taste, if you like your smoothies on the sweet side, you can add honey/agave nectar/sugar/sugar substitute to your taste. I am not too fond of too sweet things, and the half ripe banana worked well enough for me. 

For anybody who's a skeptic of smoothies, and find them too much work (I was the same) I highly recommend Bella Cucina which is inexpensive, small and very effective. But the best part is, you can enjoy your smoothie as soon as you stop the buzzing, there is no looking for a glass, or spatula to take the ingredients out, or cleaning up the blender jar. You put everything in the drinking glass, cover with the little chopper, turn it upside down and lock it to the engine, and voila, all done! Since I got my Bella at Macy's (even cheaper than the list price with their home sale+coupon) last year, smoothies have become an indispensible part of my life, in which breakfast didn't exist and frozen coffee drinks were too sweet to enjoy. Now I can make a great snack or breakfast in less than 5 minutes and take it with me, too!! Thank you Bella Cucina!

                              

HAPPY NEW YEAR!