Free online classes from Ivy league schools

[AlexPKeaton]

I saw this NYT article yesterday, and I signed up for like 4 of them on Coursera. Unlike the youtube lectures/iTunes U you may be familiar with, they are starting to get these organized into fully interactive classes, with quizzes, tests, homeworks, and a grade. Some of the classes offer certificates of completion signed by the professor.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/17/educa ... .html?_r=3

I signed up for like 4 of these last night, the first one starts in a couple of weeks so I'll give a better impression. However, I have learned iPhone programming solely from the Stanford lectures, and have watched many other lectures in different subjects for enjoyment. This seems to be promising a more formal experience which if it lives up to it, would be amazing.

It looks like a lot of the classes on Coursera are focused on Computer Science, but UPenn has a bunch of health topics, there are some finance classes, at least one history class, a poetry class, and a math class here and there.

https://www.coursera.org/courses

There are some intro to computer science/programming which would be good for people wanting to learn to program, and an intro to mathematical thought which is a transition class from high school to college mathematics which looks amazing for anyone with teenage relatives.

[Spangler]

I'm tempted to sign up for a class, but I don't know if I can bring myself to take a class that has no repercussions for failing to completing them.

[Sarcastic]

That's really cool. I think if you have time this summer, do it, even if you just wanted to learn about something. I see some will even be credited. I just got back from Germany for a previous engagament I can't miss and am going back to Europe in two days and am not sure when I'll be home for good, BUT........ I would sign up for something if I were here.

[thepittman]

I'm tempted to sign up for a class, but I don't know if I can bring myself to take a class that has no repercussions for failing to completing them.

Do something you are interested in. If that doesn't work, mcdonalds.

[Kraftster]

Neuroethics, genetics and evolution, game theory.

[columbia]

Neuroethics, genetics and evolution, game theory.

The latter will be helpful, should you ever choose to return to Warz.

[shafnutz05]

Wow, this is really cool.

[Sarcastic]

Is there a sex education course there Rylan can sign up for?

[thehockeyguru]

Real cool. Signed up for "Modern & Contemporary American Poetry". Looking forward to this.

[Troy Loney]

Real cool. Signed up for "Modern & Contemporary American Poetry". Looking forward to this.

I was eyeballing that one as well.

[shafnutz05]

i ended up signing up for History since 1300 for the fall and the astrophysics one for the spring. Might change my fall selection since my history knowledge is already pretty extensive.

[Troy Loney]

Lol, Shad's got 1300 - Present covered, no reason to take that class. Honestly dude there are infinite ways to teach history so it really depends on the professor. If you aren't into it off the bat I would quit, but I certainly wouldn't shy away from a history class for the reason you stated.

[shafnutz05]

Lol, Shad's got 1300 - Present covered, no reason to take that class. Honestly dude there are infinite ways to teach history so it really depends on the professor. If you aren't into it off the bat I would quit, but I certainly wouldn't shy away from a history class for the reason you stated.

haha, well said. I don't know a lot about the Middle Ages actually, so I'm looking forward to it.

[Troy Loney]

I also think you'd get a lot more out of these classes where you have familiarity as opposed to ones where you don't. I'd defintely learn a lot more in that history class than I would in Analytical Physics or something like that where the majority of the class would be over my head.

[columbia]

I don't have high speed access at home these days.
If I did, I would take The Modern World: Global History since 1760.

[Letang Is The Truth]

are there like tests and stuff?

[Rylan]

Is there a sex education course there Rylan can sign up for?

... oh wait...

[steelhammer]

[AlexPKeaton]

Neuroethics, genetics and evolution, game theory.

When I saw that I almost threw up in my mouth. I took a graduate course in Optimization and the math was more hardcore than anything I have ever had, and a very brief introduction to Game Theory was included as a bonus lecture at the end lol. However I just looked at the description of that class and it looks like they are taking all of the math out of it and gearing it towards undergrads. An actual mathematical Game Theory class would be a graduate level pure math class. If you have seen Beautiful Mind, that is the mathematician who invented it.

[AlexPKeaton]

are there like tests and stuff?

Yes. But you obviously don't have to take them if you want want the certificate.

[CBear3]

Was looking to refresh my engineering skills (vehicle dynamics please) but it'll be hard to resist:

Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Computation

Edit: Then watched the video, and about fell asleep. How can you make Quantum Machanics boring?

[AlexPKeaton]

Was looking to refresh my engineering skills (vehicle dynamics please) but it'll be hard to resist:

Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Computation

Yeah it already started but I signed up anyway just to listen to the lectures while I'm testing at work haha.

[steelhammer]

Neuroethics, genetics and evolution, game theory.

When I saw that I almost threw up in my mouth. I took a graduate course in Optimization and the math was more hardcore than anything I have ever had, and a very brief introduction to Game Theory was included as a bonus lecture at the end lol. However I just looked at the description of that class and it looks like they are taking all of the math out of it and gearing it towards undergrads. An actual mathematical Game Theory class would be a graduate level pure math class. If you have seen Beautiful Mind, that is the mathematician who invented it.

Apparently my previous message wasn't clear enough:

[AlexPKeaton]

Neuroethics, genetics and evolution, game theory.

When I saw that I almost threw up in my mouth. I took a graduate course in Optimization and the math was more hardcore than anything I have ever had, and a very brief introduction to Game Theory was included as a bonus lecture at the end lol. However I just looked at the description of that class and it looks like they are taking all of the math out of it and gearing it towards undergrads. An actual mathematical Game Theory class would be a graduate level pure math class. If you have seen Beautiful Mind, that is the mathematician who invented it.

Apparently my previous message wasn't clear enough:

Anyone who fully understands the mathematics behind Game Theory is probably living large from making millions on the stock market haha.

[columbia]

Game Theory is studied in many disciplines, minus the math.