When I was in middle and high school, it was pretty clear that education stopped when you finished college - whenever that was. You were expected to learn everything your teachers poured into your head, get all your pieces of paper, and then go into The Real World and do Things With Your Life. A student, more or less, stopped learning once they finished university/college.
Then reality set in, and amongst other things, I moved to India and started taking courses online with a variety of MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) providers, such as Coursera, Canvas Network and EdX. Students are shocked when they see me reading, or watching a lecture and - shock of shocks! - taking notes on pieces of Cambridge paper. They are of the same view that I was for so many years: Get me my paper, and let me get out of this system! The idea that someone may want to continue pursuing education boggles their minds. Aside from the struggle to understand that I'm driven for knowledge and exploring new topics (architecture is currently a new, and unexpected, fascination), the students don't understand the value of continuing education. There are also some educators at our school who don't understand the benefit of MOOCs, which is particularly disappointing when they praise advancing technological use in the classroom and consistent professional development amongst the staff!
Without the development of MOOCs and their advancing associated technologies, I'm not sure precisely how I would be pursuing my further education. The ability to sit in on a Harvard, MIT, University of Edinburgh or Peking University class - while in the north of India - is a fantastic opportunity to learn new things, in new ways, from educators with different perspectives. It's also an amazing opportunity to connect with fellow learners from around the world and learn about their perspectives; I've had some thought-provoking conversations (both encouraging and discouraging), and was particularly impressed when my husband advised that he wants me to do my coursework on one particular course when he can listen in, as it's better than some recent professional development he experienced (in person!).
I am able to pursue my education, exploring architecture and literacy, literature and education, math and statistics and media studies, from the comfort of my home - and to receive acknowledgement and certificates to acknowledge the effort I've put in... whether a school or an employer will acknowledge them is a different matter, however. Without MOOCs and similar advancements, those autodidacts out there like myself would certainly still be learning, but I doubt we would be able to do so in such a global and organized fashion.
Then reality set in, and amongst other things, I moved to India and started taking courses online with a variety of MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) providers, such as Coursera, Canvas Network and EdX. Students are shocked when they see me reading, or watching a lecture and - shock of shocks! - taking notes on pieces of Cambridge paper. They are of the same view that I was for so many years: Get me my paper, and let me get out of this system! The idea that someone may want to continue pursuing education boggles their minds. Aside from the struggle to understand that I'm driven for knowledge and exploring new topics (architecture is currently a new, and unexpected, fascination), the students don't understand the value of continuing education. There are also some educators at our school who don't understand the benefit of MOOCs, which is particularly disappointing when they praise advancing technological use in the classroom and consistent professional development amongst the staff!
Without the development of MOOCs and their advancing associated technologies, I'm not sure precisely how I would be pursuing my further education. The ability to sit in on a Harvard, MIT, University of Edinburgh or Peking University class - while in the north of India - is a fantastic opportunity to learn new things, in new ways, from educators with different perspectives. It's also an amazing opportunity to connect with fellow learners from around the world and learn about their perspectives; I've had some thought-provoking conversations (both encouraging and discouraging), and was particularly impressed when my husband advised that he wants me to do my coursework on one particular course when he can listen in, as it's better than some recent professional development he experienced (in person!).
I am able to pursue my education, exploring architecture and literacy, literature and education, math and statistics and media studies, from the comfort of my home - and to receive acknowledgement and certificates to acknowledge the effort I've put in... whether a school or an employer will acknowledge them is a different matter, however. Without MOOCs and similar advancements, those autodidacts out there like myself would certainly still be learning, but I doubt we would be able to do so in such a global and organized fashion.
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