Khan/Koller Review

Khan 

How I Envision Using the Khan Academy for Personal Needs…

Upon visiting the Khan Academy site, I realized that it was something I could have used when I had difficulty in my statistics class back while working on my Adult Education & Distance Learning Degree.  This would have been useful because Khan examples in a handwritten format in a very easy, step by step format with a conversational tone. My instructor could not provide assistance in the same format and style. I will use the Khan Academy to give my own children supplemental support in their academic areas.  I will be pursuing this site more for my own edification as well.  I love learning and improving myself is a lifelong goal of mine.

Encouraging Student Utilization of Khan Academy

As I read the article I found myself thinking of concepts I’ve taught in the past as well as students I taught in the past. Which Khan lessons could my third graders have benefited from? My fifth graders?  In the past I had students that I may have failed to challenge while I was beleaguered with helping students who were behind or struggling.

Ease of Use and Efficacy of Khan Academy as a Learning Resource

I completed a short Chemistry of Life skill check on Atoms and the Periodic table. This skill check was purposed to give me an idea of my prior knowledge of the topic.  While it revealed that I remember very little about my high school chemistry lessons, I did like the way I was given multiple hints and clues to inform my selection from the multiple choices. I did find this lesson easy to follow and learn from and I think I will continue this entire section when I have more time. 

Khan’s Speculation of Future Reliance on Online Credentialing/Making Learning More Accessible

It would be difficult to say he is wrong about our future reliance on online credentialing as I type my constructed response answer to a question posed in my distance learning course.  More and more students, employers and organizations are choosing this modality as a way to complete degree programs, train employees, or get certifications in their career field.  This modality offers more choices for the homebound, the disabled and for those in the far reaches of the globe who would not otherwise have access to coursework such as this.

Koller

Coursera Offerings I found personally Interesting

Amongst Coursera’s plethora of topics, I found the Personal Development Courses to be the most interesting. I was most interested in the Virtual Teacher 5-course Specialization because it could enhance my training as a Distance Learning Instructor or enhance my resume  for my interest in Adjunct professor positions. There are also courses in Strategic self-marketing and Personal Branding this cadre could help me brand myself as an educational professional as well as a blogger in the education.

Does Columbus State accept Coursera transfer credits?

Columbus State Community College does not accept Coursera transfer credits since Coursera isn’t regionally accredited. However, CSCC does offer a link on their website to those interested in courses with the organization.  A quick search from the CSCC homepage search box will lead you to the Coursera site.

How Coursera courses Compare as Challenging and Interesting Options

Coursera courses appear to be just as challenging as courses I’ve had before or even more challenging. The fact that Ivy League universities and the like are offering courses via Coursera does give me the impression that the courses offered will have more “meat” in their content than courses I have taken in the past. These universities are known for their rigorous curricula.

MOOCs (massive open online courses) as the "wave of the future".

Since MOOC’s are have emerged as a popular modality, due to their free access I can perceive that this trend will continue to grow exponentially to expand to include more resources, and more educational institutions.

MOOCs Changing the Way Students receive their education

A student like myself would be remiss in not considering MOOC’s as a valid resource in future educational endeavors.  Before I hand over my hard-earning cash, earmarked for continuing education I will weigh the advantages of choosing a coursework in a MOOC such as Coursera, Udacity and edX. This is especially true given the emergence of MOOC’s for credit through various educational institutions.