There’s an ongoing debate regarding the educational system. Frequently, students run into cases where they are presented with obsolete knowledge in certain disciplines. And the problem is not only in the materials the students have to study but with the teaching methods.
Given that teaching is a hard job, which often leads to a half-hearted explanation of the task, students struggle with grasping it. Paired with the fact that students often have to work to pay rent and tuition, many turn to “do my homework online” services and rely on EssayHub’s professional writers from EssayHub for paper assignments. But it seems that those days are gone, as now MOOCs are getting stronger and more learners turn to them.
What Is MOOC?
Before we go into explaining how MOOC revolutionizes the educational landscape, we need to figure out what MOOC is. MOOC stands for Massive Open Online Courses. Basically, it’s a collective name for online platforms that allow users to access courses from the top universities from around the globe.
The best thing about MOOCs is that you can learn anything you want at your own pace. You can gain access to lectures on the selected subject whenever and wherever you are. And there are also interactive forums, where you can discuss the disciplines you study and find help with particular subjects.
The Pros & Cons of MOOCs
All in all, it seems that MOOC is an ultimate answer to solving the current problems that the educational system faces. Then why MOOCs are used, by they cannot completely replace classic education? Well, while massive open online courses have their benefits, there are certain disadvantages as well. Let’s check out the pros and cons of MOOCs to have a more clear idea.
Pros:
- You get an experience of a degree program
- Flexible courses that won’t disrupt your actual schedule
- Most of the courses are available for free
- You can communicate with your fellow learners
- You get most of the course materials for free
- The courses are designed by specialists from the top universities
- You know in advance the number of hours the course will take
Cons:
- Some courses are available only to paid subscribers
- The courses don’t provide personal attention from a tutor
- No one is keeping track of your progress
- The poor internet connection can be a problem
- MOOCs won’t count as credit for universities
So, what do we have here? On the one hand, you can gain access to a lot of information for free. On the other hand, the course that you might be interested in can come as a paid option. It also works only for subjects that you have a particular interest in, as no one will actually track your progress. Besides, you will have to look elsewhere if you need personalized attention from a tutor.
How to Benefit From MOOC?
Everything mentioned above begs a question, how can you benefit from MOOC? While at first may seem that MOOC is just another fluke that seems great at first glance, but turns out ultimately useless when you get into details. But that’s overreacting, actually. The main point is that you don’t have to take MOOC as a substitute for actual education. Then you can truly benefit from it.
Joining Diverse Learning Communities
MOOC gives you an opportunity to join various learning societies. Yes, while you can’t expect personalized attention from a tutor when you need some extra explanation, you can always rely on your peers. It’s like when you have problems with academic writing, you can opt for some write my essay service, or you can ask a fellow student who is good at writing to help you.
It Can Prepare You For Your Degree
You are planning to get a degree in a certain discipline, but want to have some extra preparation? Then MOOC is your go-to option. You can learn more about the subject and end up being the freshman with the best knowledge. Yes, MOOCs won’t improve your university credits straightforwardly, but it can prepare you for your course.
More Affordable
Regardless of whether you need to develop some skills for your career or want to learn some extra for your university education, MOOCs are more accessible than any supplementary courses that you may opt for. As we’ve mentioned, not all courses are free, however the subscription will cost you around $50, which is less than college tuition or some other courses.
Constant Learning and Skills Development
Probably the greatest thing that you can get from MOOCs is constant learning and skills development. Subscribing to Massive Open Online Courses you get an opportunity to constantly improve education-wise. You have access to any course you want. You can get or improve your knowledge of any subject and get cues to gain a skill-set necessary for, say, your job.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, while MOOCs are not perfect and won’t replace the traditional educational system, you can easily use them as a supplement to deepen your knowledge in this or that discipline. Opting to MOOCs will benefit your job, as you can learn necessary skills through the courses offered.
The biggest challenge you may face with MOOCs is staying motivated and be able to track your own progress. But using the platform will keep you motivated and your mind more perceptive. Unfortunately, unlike the traditional educational system, you won’t get personalized attention, however, you can always seek help from your peers during interactive forums.
