Today I signed up for my first MOOC using Coursera. The course is called “Model Thinking” and is taught by Scott E. Page from University of Michigan. The Welcome message says, “In this free, online course, we’re going to learn a variety of models. These models will help you to better understand the world, to be a clearer thinker, to better use data, and to make better decisions.” The content will be delivered in short video lectures with embedded quiz questions, as well as longer quizzes with more challenging questions and assignments. There is an optional discussion forum for connecting with classmates and the course runs for 10 weeks with a weekly time commitment of 4-8 hours.

This course appeals to me because I enjoy learning about making sense of the world through models in books such as The Tipping Point and Freakonomics. I am also drawn to the MOOC experience because I want to compare the design and pedagogy choices to those of the online courses I have either designed, taught, or taken. Free, massive online course offerings are an exciting new trend and I felt like a kid in a candy shop browsing the offerings. Sure, there have always been free options for lifelong learning (like checking out a book at the library), but in this case I get the added value of an expert professor, thoughtful course design, interactive assessments, and online peers. Can’t wait to get started!

Future courses I would like to take include Human Computer Interaction, Introduction to Programming, and Social Network Analysis. I would also be interested in some strictly “just for fun” courses, like nutrition or Shakespeare. Like I said, kid in a candy store.