Coursera Review 2020: Are Coursera Courses Worth Your Time and Money?
Whatever you want to learn, it is likely you will find something suitable at Coursera. You may even get to study your chosen your preferred subject without paying a dime. Courses range from short Massive Open Learning Courses (MOOCS) to complete subject specializations and online degree programs. Whatever you want to learn, it is highly likely you will find a course for it on Coursera. And as already mentioned, Coursera has plenty of free courses, and you can pay optional fee if you wish to receive an official certification after your course. Additionally, the site offers free trials as well as financial assistance options for online degrees.
So, what is Coursera?
Launched in 2012 and with a customer base of 22 million learners, Coursera, as already indicated is an online learning platform. The company is supported by a venture and provides a wide range of web-based courses and learning resources. While most courses are free, some require you to cover a small fee. Coursera works in collaboration with several universities and learning institutions. Most of the platform’s courses are linked to topics like engineering, computer science, mathematics, medicine, digital marketing, and businesses.
What Coursera platform provides
Courses – the site has over 1600 courses in 700 topics. 40 percent of these courses are focused on business, management, computer science, and data science.
Foreign languages – Coursera provides lectures in 8 different courses including English, Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, etc.
Course types – The platform offers a range of specializations like business lectures, technical courses, and even humanity and biological classes
Instructors – Coursera tutors and course creates are experienced professionals from around the world. They are either university professors or professionals who work at reputable global institutions. The platform has over 4,000 tutors and course instructors.
Taking a course on Coursera is pretty easy and can be a wonderful experience. However, in order to get the most from a course, it is important that you commit to its lectures and review all the materials provided by the tutor.
To start off, you need to create an account and log in to gain full access to the various courses offered on the platform. It is advisable that you avoid multiple courses at any given because, after a while, you will feel overwhelmed and not able to complete all your courses in time. So, be sure not to exceed three courses at any given time.
Another beautiful thing about this e-learning platform is the fact most courses are created by college professionals. As you progress with your course, you will need to take quizzes and tests which will make the course more challenging yet rewarding at the same time. Fortunately, Coursera courses come with a complete package: written and downloadable materials, video tutorials, and exercises for your practice.
Some courses will require you to take notes and the difficulty level of the final exam may vary depending on the format of the course as well as the complexity of the topic. These final exams are designed to solidify the information and knowledge you have acquired.
What Coursera platform provides
- An introduction as well as a brief outline of the topics or things covered in the course.
- A series of lectures (with 3-6 videos and each tutorial lasts about 20-30 minutes). At first, learners will be encouraged to address any difficulties they are encountering in the Forum section.
- Exercises, quizzes and assignments that the learner is expected to complete to proceed to the next chapter or level
- Some courses will automatically grade your progress and only after this will you be able to access the next lectures
- At the end is a final exam. Fortunately, these exams are flexible and you can take them in a predetermined range of time.
Things to Consider Before Enrolling in a Coursera Course
Find the right course – select a topic you truly enjoy
Do not rush – Dedicate adequate time to master the course’s tutorials. After all, you are expected to pay attention, concentrate, and study.
Review course materials – this will help you pass the Final exam and retain the concepts you have learned.
Do not be afraid to ask questions – Coursera has a wonderful platform for learners who want to clarify some concepts and discuss the lectures.
How to Enroll in a Coursera Course
- First, you have to access the course’s information page by clicking on the page title – you will find all the courses in the catalog section
- Then you must sign up for the course by clicking on the Enroll button
- Finally, you need to follow the guidelines provided and try out the course’s free trial version
Coursera Pros and Cons
Pros
· The courses are available to people who want to learn something new
· Most courses are free and provide very high quality content
· Tutors are well trained professors from reputable universities
· New courses and lectures are made available on a regular basis
· There is a certificate after completing a course
Cons
· The platform has too many courses dedicated to beginners
· Most courses primarily focus on popularity
· The platform has a limited pool of languages to select from
How Much Does a Coursera Course Cost?
Video tutorials are typically free of charge on Coursera. However, most courses require users to pay an enrollment fee. Other courses require learners to pay for the certificate after the final exam. Courses cost between $40 and $90 depending on the nature of qualification and courses you have enrolled in. Learners can also apply for Financial Aid in order to pay for some courses.
Bottomline
Coursera is an excellent platform for individuals seeking to gain new skills online. It provides plenty valuable resources like a Wiki page and discussion forums for learner interactions. That said, Coursera is one of the best e-learning platforms out there. One thing that sets Coursera apart is its ease of navigation. Users will find it quite easy to browse through its courses, study materials, tests, and video tutorials. It is certainly a leading elearning course provider that offers valuable resources.
See what users say about Coursera
Top Coursera Courses
1. Data Science
2. Gamification
3. Learning How to Learn: Powerful Mental Tools
4. Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies
5. An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python
7, Writing Winning Resumes and Cover Letters
8. Responsive Website Basics: Code with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
9. Ruby On Rails: An Introduction
10. Full Stack Web Development
11. Game Design and Development
12. Graphic Design
13. Machine Learning
14. How To Start Your Own Business
15. Inspirational Leadership: Leading with Sense
16. Photography Basics and Beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR
18. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
19. Strategic Leadership and Management
20. Web Design for Everybody (Basics of Web Development and Coding)
21. TESOL Certificate, Part 1: Teach English Now!
22. iOS App Development with Swift
23. iOS Development for Creative Entrepreneurs
25. Foundations of Business Strategy
30. Entrepreneurship
31. Digital Analytics for Marketing Professionals
32. Foundations of Graphic Design
33. Foundations of Business Strategy
34. The Technology of Music Production
36. Cracking The Creativity Code: Discovering New Ideas
37. An Introduction to Programming the Internet of Things (IOT)
38. Content Strategy for Professionals
40. Entrepreneurship: Launching an Innovative Business
43. Java For Android
44. Strategic Career Self-Management
45. Basic Statistics
46. Big History: Connecting Knowledge
47. Introduction to Sustainability