Reading Comprehension

TEXT 2

Online learning: For the open-minded, an exciting multimedia experience awaits

Massive online open courses allow anybody to fit study into busy lives, use social media to
enhance
learning and trigger debate and, importantly, have fun.
Coursera, the platform delivering my free massive online open course (Mooc) in music
production via Berklee College of Music, offers some 800 courses to students from 196
countries. It
is not unheard of for Mooc cohorts to be in the tens of thousands. Online learning is on the rise.
Moocs are very much still the new kids on the block. Online learning itself, however, has
been a part of university programmes and language courses for some time, and the modern
incarnation is a thoroughly multimedia experience. "When we started online programmes some
12
years ago, they were very linear and text-based," explains Helen O'Sullivan, academic lead for
online learning at the University of Liverpool. Today's courses still focus on students remotely
discussing the content they have read, she continues, "but they're now supplemented by video,
online lectures and other web-based materials".
Technology, in the form of both software and the portable devices used to access it, has
played a huge part in the evolution of online study. Whether you're on a business MSc or
learning a
new language, content can be quickly uploaded and accessed anywhere, says Judy Verses,
president
of global enterprise and education at language learning provider Rosetta Stone. "We are
thinking
mobile first, with the mantra 'anytime, anywhere, any device'."
For Open University student Lucy Flint, 43, discovering technology was one of the benefits
of studying for her BSc in life sciences. "I had to explore different learning environments and
use
technologies I hadn't met before. You become used to having a go at something new," she
says. As
well as enabling her to fit studying into a busy schedule, the degree improved her scientific
understanding, which in turn boosted her medical events business. "There are other benefits
that I
would associate with continuous learning, including confidence and taking risks."

Unlike their more formal counterparts, Moocs are short and do not award degrees upon
completion (although it is often possible to sign up for a certificate of completion, for a fee), but
this
does not mean they lack value, according to Daphne Koller, president and co-founder of
Coursera.
"Moocs allow anyone in the world with an internet connection to get access to anything they
want
to learn," she says.
Courses allow learners at all levels - there are no entry requirements - to engage with a
subject as they see fit. A learner might be motivated by casual curiosity, or be looking to
complete a
programme and enhance their CV. "This is a way of making education permeate your day-today
life," says Koller.
My experience supports this. The first Mooc I signed up for - in song writing - provided
meaningful instruction but also introduced me to new ways of thinking about music. As listener
and
performer, this was no small benefit, while getting involved in structured learning again
improved
focus and organisation. Plus, it was just fun.
However, I stayed clear of the class forums, fearing they would be as unruly as other
communities or comment sections. But according to Koller, this is exactly where the real
learning
can happen. "If you find something challenging, there are people who find it invigorating to
help
their fellow students. This environment attracts people who are excited about improving
themselves; it doesn't attract the typical troll."
Reassured, I ventured into the forums on my new programme and found exactly the
environment Koller describes: helpful, informed people sharing their experiences and expertise.
I
learned more to help answer the queries I had in a few minutes than in the previous hour's
aimless
internet wanderings, trying to solve the same problem.
2
Using social media to enhance learning is the great strength of Moocs, says Cline Louche,

professor of strategy at Audencia Nantes business school. "There's a misconception that Moocs
just
involve watching an expert give a lecture," she says. "What's most rewarding for participants is
taking the video as a starting point from which they are asked to carry out assignments and
take part
in discussions."
Following a successful launch for the school's corporate social responsibility course,
Audencia will develop others. Moocs are here to stay, says Louche. "This brand of online
learning
is now a firm part of the business education landscape."
Schools are also embracing online learning, using cloud technology to give students access
to teaching resources outside of school hours. This approach is designed to work in conjunction
with the classroom, not instead of it, says Joe Mathewson, co-founder of UK learning platform
Firefly. He believes it empowers independent learners, especially the younger generation.
"Pupils
can learn at their own pace in their own learning style," he says. "Parents can join in and
support
their children by having access to the learning resources and seeing their progress."

Now read the following statements and write TRUE or FALSE after each of them.
1. Moocs are available to anyone interested in doing them anywhere in the world.
2. The writer says the first Mooc he signed up for was of little benefit to him.