How to make MOOC courses more effective ..? or FAQ on MOOC courses ..

I am being contacted by students on a continuous basis on how they can get maximum benefits out of the MOOC courses they attend. They ask me many questions, some of them are listed below for the benefit of the people of the world ..

1. What are the benefits to me in terms of recognition for the course by employers ?

Presently MOOC courses are not recognised by anybody. It is done only to gain knowledge.

             2. Will Harvard or MIT issue the certificate ?

             Even though the courses are being by Professors from these respectable Universities,
             at present the  MOOC courses only carry the website names like coursera, edx, udacity and so on.

3. I do not find any topics of my interest here. Can I find something interesting ?

go to www.class-central.com, it is an aggregator site for all MOOC courses all over the world.

            4. What courses do you suggest I take ? I am in interested in so and so and I do not find  
                 any related course.

            That I cannot help you much. Take someinterested course and then build up on it.

5. How can you check whether I am taking the course and taking the quiz or not , ie. there is no impersonation ?

There is no way the MOOC provider can check it as of now.

             6. Why should i do this course ?

              For the sake of improving your knowledge.

7. Can I get a certificate for free ?

If one completes the course, takes all the assignments and takes all the quizzes and scores above a minimum level , as specified by the course Co-ordinator, you are eligible for a Certificate of accomplishment.
   

              8. How much should I pay for the course / certificate ?

              It is freely offered by all the sites, but udacity.com charges for some courses extra money. 
              Coursera charges $50, if you want to get a signed certificate from the site / professors.

9. How many courses can I take at a time ?

As many as you want ..

             10. Can I convert this into credits by MIT / Harvard etc ?

              Not possible presently ..

11. What is the minimum education qualifications for these courses ?

There are no pre-requisites for most of the courses, but for some statistics and other quantitative courses, you may need some basic quants knowledge.

              12. Why are these Universities giving these courses for free ?
  
               Just working for a social cause and seeing that education reaches everybody, not only a 
               privileged few ..

13.  Are there any Indian Institutes offering courses ?

IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay

              14. Are there any practical components to be done as part of the course requirements ?

               As of now it is difficult to get participants do the practical components than getting them 
               to watch some interesting practical videos. 

15. How frequently are courses repeated ?

Most of the times courses run twice in a year ..

               16. The reading material prescribed for some courses are not available within India. What should I                    do ?

                Mail the Professor or the teaching assistant, he should give you some other book locally 
                available which would suffice for the course.

17. What are the penalty for late submission of assignments ?

A downgrading of the credits, you may not be eligible for the certificate of accomplishment .. 

                18. Suppose I do not want to do the assignments or tests, am I still eligible to 
                 get some recognition of having watched some related material, like auditing ..

                 Yes, auditing is permitted in some of the courses, please go through the initial introduction 
                 to the course put up by the concerned Professor. 

19. How long will it take for MOOC offering Institutes/websites to have test centres across the world in important cities and ensure there is no impersonation ?

We look forward to that innovation coming up soon from the MOOC providers .. If that happens, MOOC will be a true leveling force for the people of the world who look upto good academic qualifications.

                 20. How many courses can I do altogether ?

                 As much as you have free time ..

21. Can I offer a MOOC course on a topic which I am well versed and get others to register for free ?

If you have access to heavy bandwidth, large memory servers, yes, you can do it. Google offers free software for MOOC called coursebuilder. You can check this link for more ..

                 22. What is the revenue model to ensure funds for maintaining the servers, 
                 high bandwidth Internet lines etc ?

                Take fees from students .. huh !! I doubt there will be much takers, depends on quality
                 as how udacity is doing..

23. Is there any regulatory agency across the world to grade these courses ?

Not any as I know..

                 24. Heard that Google offers a software to setup a MOOC course. Will I get someone 
                  to set up the server for me ?

                 Try at the course builder website of google itself.

25. Can I introduce advertisements along with the course content to make this offering totally free for end users and profitable for the agency offering it for the public ?

That is a good business model ..

                 26. Are there any restrictions on age ?

                  Not at all ..

27. Is it necessary that I have to complete the course according to the time schedule ? Can I take part of the course later if I inform beforehand ?

You are one among thousands taking the course. No special arrangements can be made between the students and the faculty for extending the course etc..

                 28. Are there any archives to check for old MOOC courses content / videos, responses 
                 from students ?

                  No ..

29. Can I integrate a MOOC course in my academic offering at a conventional brick and mortar University ? Should I ask for permission ?

That is what holds the promise for these MOOC courses. MOOC providers may be looking forward to that happening in the near future ..

                 30. Can I get the grades/statistics of scores of other participants in the course so that I can 
                  know where I stand ?

                  You mean your percentile scores ? That should not be a problem. Just try !

31. I want to pursue higher / doctoral studies in the area. How can MOOC help ?

Presently MOOC courses are not having that much rigour as to make it as requirements for starting research work. Hopefully in future, some of the courses would develop enough rigour to transform to such levels ..

                 32. What is a good aggregator site for MOOC courses ?

                  www.class-central.com

Hope you found the answers useful. Now join the MOOC and make learning an experience ...

george easaw..

The deep shit US finds itself in .. Devyani case..

A fit case for Devyani to sue the US State Dept and that dumb attorney for $100  billion .. It is wrong for law enforcers to go around arresting whomever they come across without knowing their background ( the onus is not on the arrested to claim rights, suppose he/she cannot speak ?). Secondly throwing ones weight around does not always work when a puny 200 year old culture tries to showoff with a giant .. The compensation claims may be rejected if the US legal and political systems fail to fathom their own broadmindedness ..

http://m.firstpost.com/world/why-devyani-khobragade-didnt-tell-ny-cops-that-she-had-full-diplomatic-immunity-1318705.html

Just a genocide ...

Devyani Khobragade incident deliberately being murkied ..

The Dy. Indian Consular general arrest in NY has evoked a lot of response from the political system and media favouring both countries.

The one fact which the US favouring media seems to forget is that the issue at the diplomatic level is being mixed with personal issues relating to Devyani's personal life.

The questions the Indian media and public are asking are from different perspectives :

1. Is the US govt willing to take similar actions against the maids of the embassy and counsular staff from other countries stationed in US if they are also found to violate US rates of pay hourly ?

2. Are US embassy staff in India and elsewhere paying their helps and maids at US hourly rates ? If not why ?

3. Devyani may have been a difficult nut to crack in US spying activities. Is the maid and her family being visa violating any international protocol ? The family being offered visa, is it being used as a trap to punish Devyani ? Is it a ploy to collect India related intelligence and to trap Officers who would not fall in line with US interests ?

4. Even if the Indian Govt keeps cool, and allows US to have its way agreeing to the moral code of conduct regarding hourly wage rates and systems in practice in US, is the US govt ready to allow the Indian Govt to apply the same yardstick to take the US diplomatic staff to task for value systems that are held dearly in INdia ?

5. How can an India Born immigrant attorney, who is all the time out to please his masters and reason out his immigration status in US be permitted to look only at one side of the coin, close his eyes on violations by other countries in US or US violations in other countries? Did not US do a proper application of mind before this issue came out in public ?

6. It appears the personal grudge between the attorney and Indian consular officials in NY have led to events unfolding to such deplorable levels. Should such personal issues be made to shadow the cordial relations between two great democracies ?

The coming weeks the unfolding events will cause many a heartburn for the countries. Let us observe them closely.

george..

Devyani Khobragade incident.. US mockery continues ..

The US making mockery of India is being contested heatedly in political and civilian circles in India.

The case of the Indian Dy Consul General in NY Ms. Devyani Khobragade being arrested strip searched etc for a supposed visa fraud relating to her home maid has been catching the news headlines these days.

Lot of discussion has gone into it the past one week on TV and the Internet.

Indians in India have been hurt by this high handed behaviour of an Indian born NY state attorney Preet Bharara who is targeting Indians in particular. He is also associated with the Rajat Gupta case. Rajat Gupta was a private case unlike Devyani where the Indian Govt is also involved as a serving diplomat is under trial.

The issue here is, a matter concerning US society, US has all right to take action. But is this the way diplomats who have not been involved any criminal or spying activities are targeted ? But do they think they are above suspicion in all such cases. The Indian Govt has asked for more info on such delicate cases of violation of Indian rules by US diplomats stationed in India. An example is the case of gay US diplomats bringing gay live in partners. Since the Indian SC has passed verdict that homosexuality cannot be accepted in Indian society, India should firmly take steps to confine these violators of Indian cultural norms.

Hope the Indian govt acts when the iron is still hot.With the US govt unrelenting to our requests, India has to unitedly act now.

george..

O Holy Night - different singers ..

Here is the same famous song " O Holy Night" sung by different female singers.. Now tell whose is the best of them all ??

Susan Boyle  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7xkA8xoQn0

Maria Carie http://www.contactmusic.com/video/mariah-carey-o-holy-night

Carrie Underwood  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4MQ-emtC1w

Martina McBride  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMKxqcnwwAM

Kerrie Roberts  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDUg88d9Hbw

Serena Onassis  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q749xF4K8NQ

Child prodigy Rhema Mervanne  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4MQ-emtC1w

Jachie Evancho  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_Q7AFys6bA

george..

Jobin's Nano in front of our house ..

Jobin's Nano ..

My son jobin's Nano ..

I expected Tata Nano to be a small car good for students to take to college etc and not for family.

Now  contrary to my expectations, Nano is becoming my favourite car. It is quite easy to handle and maneouvre on Bangalore roads, not only that, there is enough space for four inside, the car does not drag or go slow. Mileage wise it is giving me close to 18-20 kmph.

I am so happy that Ratan Tata is thinking of relaunching the same from Indonesia, and bringing it back to India, trying to shed away the image of a low cost car. It is low cost, but definitely very great value for the user. Parking is also not a problem as it can easily squeeze into any small area.  Ample leg space when I drive. Given that I am about 178 cm tall, I had a fear that my legs may not be that comfotabnle inside, but I have been proved wrong.

My first car is a Tata Indica and after seven years I am very satisfied and happy about it. My second car is also a Tata, Nano and I do not regret the decision.

Being a hard-core nationalist and patriot, I would be most happy when I see Tata and Mahindra to have matured enough to compete and beat established global brands like Toyota, VW, Ford and GM in India through free and fair competition.

I feel bad that my fellow Indians, who are ignorant about indigenous technology and products still crave for foreign cars. Peace be on them .. Compare Indian cars with foreign ones on the basis of comfort, safety and economy of driving. You will never regret your decision to go for Indian brands..

Go through this TED talk by R A Mashelkar talking about Tata Nano and Jaipur foot ..
http://www.ted.com/talks/r_a_mashelkar_breakthrough_designs_for_ultra_low_cost_products.html

george..