Free online classes from Ivy league schools

[AlexPKeaton]

Just got an email today that Coursera just added 17 new universities, including Pitt and Berklee College of Music!

The Machine Learning class I'm in is very well done. I am two homework assignments in now.

History of the World from 1300 and Introduction to Mathematical Thinking just started this week, so there is still time to sign up if anyone is interested.

[Troy Loney]

I signed up for intro to philosophy in jaunary, the relationship in fiction class and modern and postmoder.

Are you in the history class?

[AlexPKeaton]

Yeah I watched the first week of the history class. It is very economic focused it seems which is cool for knowledge, but I'm more interested in storytelling style of history learning. I'm going to stick with it though.

(Also, I totally get the feeling that the professor that is teaching the history class is in a relation with the cute TA girl that the camera keeps going to for no reason at all lol)

[Kraftster]

How was the first mathematical thinking? I think I'd like to do that one.

[Kraftster]

I think I'm going to keep my eye on Synapses, Neurons and Brains and see when it begins.

[AlexPKeaton]

How was the first mathematical thinking? I think I'd like to do that one.

Haven't watched it yet, just today they uploaded the full lecture. I watched the intro lecture yesterday and the professor seems really cool and engaging.

[tjand72]

I "dropped out" of Mathematical Thinking right before it started. I simply don't have the time right now, and for some reason I would feel like a failure if I didn't drop it before it started.

I'd love to take one of these when I do have the time, though.

[PghSkins]

First class of Intro to Programming tonight. Taking it w my 12 year old. He hung in pretty well with the lectures, then sat down and wrote a calculator program.

It has been pretty good so far.

[PghSkins]

Anyone else taking Learn to Program?

I have signed up for the 2nd Programming class from U of Toronto, plus How Stuff Works, Personal Financial Planning, and Gamification.

[Troy Loney]

I'm doing the history one. I'm enjoying the segments on the history around the Indian Ocean...that's definitely been a big blank in my understanding of history.

[llipgh2]

This sounds silly, but if the NHL season is canceled for 2012-2013, I'll take some classes. I'll actually have time since I won't be going to games.

[slappybrown]

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.

This is about as plebeian as it gets.

[AlexPKeaton]

Another beginner Programming class is launching just today.

https://www.coursera.org/course/interactivepython

It also happens to be an intro to game programming. Sounds like a fun way to learn how to program. I think I'm going ot take it since I want to brush up on my Python anyway.

[AlexPKeaton]

The computational finance class launches today. If you have some interest in finance and a little bit of programming knowledge this sounds like an awesome class. This is going to be my main class for the winter now that machine learning is wrapping up.

Edit: Not computational finance, computational INVESTING.

https://www.coursera.org/course/compinvesting1

Presumably it teaches you how to invest using actual science instead of just guessing haha.

[bh]

Another beginner Programming class is launching just today.

https://www.coursera.org/course/interactivepython

It also happens to be an intro to game programming. Sounds like a fun way to learn how to program. I think I'm going ot take it since I want to brush up on my Python anyway.

Thanks APK! I've been looking to learn Python. Signed up.

[PghSkins]

my 12 year old is kicking my butt at Learn to Program. I should pass- barely.