I wrote an article about MOOCs and career exploration that has been posted on the site MOOC News and Reviews. This website is an amazing resource devoted to exploring the ever evolving landscape of MOOCs, massive open online courses. The subject of my guest post is how recent college graduates can use MOOCs as an advantage to secure employment. I got to thinking, how can CIOs and rising technical leaders in higher education leverage MOOCs for professional development?
3 Reasons to Take a MOOC
1. Develop an informed opinion about MOOCs. For sitting or aspiring CIOs in higher education, keep your finger on the pulse of new teaching and learning technologies that will soon (if they haven’t already) impact your institution. Experience from a student’s perspective, what it’s like to take a course. Ask yourself a few questions while taking the course. What are the challenges in the user experience? What works well? Is there value in offering MOOCs at your institution? What insight can you add to the conversation about this topic on your campus?
2. Advance or enhance your leadership skills. Strategic planning and mentorship are two desired competencies. Universities and Community Colleges look for technical leaders with business as well as technical competencies. MOOC providers such as Edx, Coursera and Udacity offer courses that enrich strategic planning, organization management, and mentorship skills.
3. Low Barrier to Entry. Enroll in a MOOC and you can complete the course at your convenience and at no cost. There’s no lower barrier!
Final Thoughts
The utility for MOOCs will continue to evolve as more universities and community colleges offer them as part of their teaching and learning delivery portfolios. I believe the real benefit will be to career changers and explorers, and other lifelong learners interested in expanding their knowledge and perspective during conversations in a global classroom.
Questions about how to maximize your career portfolio for an executive position? Contact me at
[email protected].
