As online courses become increasingly used, many students and teachers at CHS are utilizing the benefits of education through the internet from providers such as Coursera. Coursera is a web based education company that collaborates with world class universities to reach those seeking education around the globe through the developing masses of technology. Coursera was first launched by two professors from Stanford University in April 2012, offering free online class courses to people around the world, including CHS Math and Theory of Knowledge teacher Richard O’Neill, Math teacher and IB co- ordinator Linda Saeta, and many CHS students. CHS alumnus Brennan Saeta was invited by the two professors to work at Coursera as an Infrastructure Engineer.

The participants enroll in a class they wish to gain further knowledge in and proceed as if in a normal classroom with note taking, lecture videos, quizzes, and finals. O’Neill had been studying on a Model Thinking course with Professor Scott E. Page from University of Michigan through Coursera.

“It takes a lot of self-discipline and the determination to learn when taking online classes,” O’Neill said.

Coursera offers over 500 courses to all participants over the age of 13. Course descriptions, expectations, and requirements are available online. Each course usually requests students to take about six to eight hours of commitment each week for 10 weeks to the course and offers lecture videos, quizzes, notes, and midterm finals on the content taught. Supportive online forums are always available for students to interact with each other and discuss the material.

CHS senior Emma Bishop is currently taking an online economics class from Brigham Young University.

“Coursera and other online course providers can definitely help students manage their studies more without taking the time to physically be in a classroom,” Bishop said. “Time management is the key to succeeding in an online course.”

Once engaged in a course, participants are automatically joined into a growing global community of over 6 million other students from around the world. When an individual completes the course, they will receive a certificate of completion signed by the instructor.

“CUSD Ed Tech Committee is still in discussion about offering more online courses to students,” Assistant Principal Dr. June Hilton said. “Enrolling in online courses is a great benefit to the students as it offers a different approach to education for them.”

Coursera is just one of the many developing online education providers within the US. Opportunities for online education are expanding and will continue to change the future of education with the help of modern day technology.