I'm starting what I hope will be a fortnightly review of courses that have caught my eye and which I'd like to draw your attention to. I know that many people are taking part in a what could be seen as a relatively new movement in online learning, with courses on a plethora of sites including Coursera, Futurelearn, edX as well as established hands such as the Open University and BBC.
I would like to offer some critique of courses and talk informally about the content and intentions behind the courses. Just as you would read a book review or television review, I would like to establish some informality, especially as I learn how to do this properly.
In truth I've been really enjoying the reviews published in the newspaper, especially Miranda Sawyer's this week in radio. I keep thinking that there's a space for something similar that offers some guidance and thought about new courses and learning. Recently I wondered if taking part in a FutureLearn MOOC might be akin to the immersive experience of consuming the episodes of a box set.
A common resolution, as we contemplate the year ahead is to take a course in a subject that might offer shed some light on current issues and our approach to tackling them. Ebola in Context: Understanding Transmission, Response and Control at FutureLearn from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine will be unflinching and necessary if we're to gain a better understanding about the crisis that is continuing to unfold across the world.
Although the course is billed for medical professionals, exploring the context around the recent outbreak will offer insight and a rational overview. Included in the steps are interviews with those on the front line and Professor Peter Piot: Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, co-discoverer of the Ebola virus and Chair of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) scientific committee on Ebola.
An interesting accompaniment might be Edinbugh University's Critical Thinking in Global Challenges via Coursera offers the opportunity to learn important skills using real world scenarios. Dr. Celine Caquineau is a Biomedical Scientist so it's a given that disease control will come up and you'll be invited to tackle the complex ethical and philosophical issues that will arise from discussion.
Both these courses offer a great deal in terms of engagement, as learning takes place as much across the comments and online social interactions. The Science of Happiness from UC BerkeleyX on edX might offer some respite but be warned it looks like it too aims to unwrap your defenses and get you asking difficult questions, albeit ones that might offer clues to greater happiness.
