My son, while a junior in high school, took an online college-level class through Coursera called “Internet History, Technology and Security.” It was offered through the University of Michigan by Charles Severance, an associate professor and technology journalist. Despite the fact that Ian finished the course last year (more on that later), he receives regular emails from the professor – today’s read…
“I will have a face-to-face office hours for my Internet History and Python for Everybody courses at Four Points by Sheraton Barcelona Diagonal, Sunday Dec 13 – 6PM – 7PM in the lobby bar.
Four Points by Sheraton Barcelona Diagonal Avenida Diagonal 161-163,Barcelona, 8018, Spain
http://www.fourpointsbarcelonadiagonal.com
Here is a video from the previous office hours in Bletchley Park
I hope to see you there.”
There were 5000 students enrolled from around the world the semester that Ian took the class. Peer grading was involved in some of the assignments, and Dr. Chuck graciously cautioned the class with the semesters demographic numbers (about 10% high school, 70% undergrad, and 20% graduate or graduated with advanced degrees). He also put a map up of where in the world the students lived (over 40% were out of the United States) and cautioned that English was not the primary language of many of the learners.
Ian received a verification certificate of completion by turning in all assignments and contributing to forums. Each time he logged in, he needed the same computer that measured the cadence of his typing and his image to verify that he was doing his own work. The cost, $49 (free if he didn’t want the verification).
The course included in depth interviews with the inventors of the internet (NFSNet) and detailed, humorous, anecdotal lectures that connected the pieces of a complex past to demonstrate how the internet works today. My husband and I would walk past the TV where the lectures were playing and stop, mouths agape, at the superstars (in our nerdy eyes) that were casually talking to our son and the rest of the class! The class did more than teach. It connected Ian to thousands of people around the world that share his passions. The idea that the professor would continue to meet up with students at historical sites related to the course around the world is amazing!
Give yourself a treat over the holiday. Sign you or your child for a free class. See where the journey leads. And no, Ian, you can’t fly out to Barcelona tonight.
