Mastering MOOCs

The Value of MOOCs

Max Buckley was close to graduating from Ireland’s Cork Institute of Technology when he learned about massive open online courses (MOOCs). A business administration student, Buckley wanted to broaden his knowledge about up-to-date technology and computers. He signed up for MIT’s free Circuits and Electronics MOOC. Although he couldn’t finish the course because of his final exams at Cork, he loved the online-learning experience and enrolled in more MOOC computer-programming courses offered by some of the world’s most prestigious universities.

Buckley was already enrolled in a data-analysis course when he interviewed for a Google internship. The Google staffer interviewing him was enrolled in the same MOOC. Buckley won the internship, and Google later hired him full-time. Today, Buckley is a Google product-quality analyst. Buckley and his interviewer shared the experience of self-directed learning. Enrolling in MOOCs doesn’t guarantee anyone a job, of course, but Buckley’s tale illustrates how much learners with the necessary “time, commitment and Internet connection” can gain when they enroll in MOOCs.

Many universities offer MOOCs in conjunction...