*MOOC poster created by Mathieu Plourde, April 2013 on Flickr
"Do you mooc?" OK, so I know I'm trying to introduce a new verb, but hey, people now say "oh you haven't heard of _____, just google it." So mooc'ing may not be far behind 
MOOC, in case you don't know, is an acronym for "Massive Open Online Course" and boy in the last number of years these courses have exploded. What are some of the key benefits?
- They are (mostly) free
- They are delivered online, so accesible to anyone with an internet connection
- You don't have to be present at a specified time to participate in the course
- You decide how involved you are; participate in online discussions, complete all assignments and go for the certificate that some courses offer, or just audit the class & absorb the course materials (video, documents, etc.)
- Courses are offered by quite a few top university faculty from around the globe
- And they're not just in English either
What are some examples of current offerings you may find interesting that are applicable to an obviously smart and curious Lithosphere reader?
- Gamification (University of Pennsylvania) - just started Jan 27, I believe you can still register!
- Intro to the Design of Everyday Things (from the famous Don Norman) - you can take anytime
- Social Psychology (Wesleyan University) - starts in July
- Building Mobile Experiences (MIT)
- Lots (!) of programming courses for those so inclined - too many to list, have a search yourself
A few courses are in progress, like:
- Content Strategy for Professionals: Engaging Audiences for Your Organization (Northwestern University)
- Foundations of Business Strategy (University of Virginia)
Here are a few common concerns/objections:
I don't really have the time to make a commitment - according to the Wikipedia article on the subject, "about 10% of the students who sign up typically complete the course." You can also audit the course, just to have access to some of the materials, to inspire you or pick up a few new ideas or concepts.
Well my HR department should be paying for employee training - sure, but that doesn't stop you from doing a bit on the side, or if the budget is tight, right?
So what are you waiting for, get out there and mooc it - what have you got to lose? Here are a few places to start:
What other MOOC sources do you recommend and how have your experiences with it been?
Brian Kling is Director, Social Strategy Consulting, EMEA at Lithium Technologies. Based in Zurich, Switzerland, he has extensive experience managing Social/Community strategy & programs for enterprise Customer Service & Support organizations. He specializes in designing strategy and services to help brands better connect with their customers, by enhancing customer experiences that also align with business objectives. Formerly a Lithium customer, he joined the Lithium team in June of 2013. You can find him on Twitter as briankling.
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