Distance Learning Tools
Hey, Dr. Heldman is smart, but he is not an expert in everything!
Hey, Dr. Heldman is smart, but he is not an expert in everything!
We use several different websites that help students learn in depth the technologies that will earn them a career in Information Technology. The primary ones are:
Instructor (and Jeffco) approved distance learning sites
Instructor (and Jeffco) approved distance learning sites
What the heck is a MOOC?
What the heck is a MOOC?
Often, students decide to use Massively Online Open Courseware (MOOC) courses to gather more learning in a specific topic they are interested in.
Dr. Heldman will not and can not support one-off training from sites such as YouTube! The reason for this is that he has no way to grade your work. Please do not offer up evidence of coursework using YouTube!
The following MOOCs are known good, and you can use them as proof of your studies. Please note that you must print out your completion certificate to earn a grade for a course.
- Udacity - Started by Google and Amazon, Udacity offers what are called nanodegrees. The coursework is not cheap (and you must pay for it), but it is highly challenging and comprehensive. If you think you have the chops for a Udacity nanodegree, give it a shot.
- Coursera - Equally challenging and not nearly as expensive, Coursera is a wonderful MOOC for you to choose if you are interested in topics such as machine learning. Andrew Ng, an associate professor at Stanford University in California, has a great entry-level machine-learning course from which you will learn a ton of information. You can also go through a set of 3D Printing courses, and there are courses on robotics and the Arduino microcomputer.
- Udemy - This MOOC has a ton of courses, and their prices are great. The problem is that, like Lynda.com, it appears that these courses are created by subject matter experts (SMEs). While this is not necessarily bad, it does not carry the same clout as a professor from Stanford. That said, there are ton of SMEs making a living talking about technology. You will likely hear things said by a SME may never be taught in a college class.
- EdX - This MOOC has some pretty hefty university contributors. However, you will have to watch be careful picking your courses. Make sure they have the "Verified" symbol on them.