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New platform challenges conventional MOOCs

Coursmos debuts micro-learning method as a solution to low completion rates

coursmos-MOOCs-online [1] One of the most prominent topics educators debate in ed-tech is the effectiveness of massive open online courses, better known as MOOCs. While many say students benefit from the platforms’ diverse selection of course materials and easy access, low completion rates remain problematic for the MOOC movement.

To fight these low rates, a new learning platform Coursmos [2], has launched a non-traditional method of online education. Founded by a Russian team and based primarily in Redwood City, Calif., Coursmos started as a way to “educate Generation Distracted” and offers micro courses that teach material in chunks.

(Next page: How Coursmos works)

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“The common worry among teachers and parents is that we’re raising a generation of kids in front of screens whose brains are going to be wired differently,” said the company’s website. “We believe that it’s already a reality and we need to address this challenge and adapt to this generation’s unique way of learning.”

When starting up the company, founders looked at traditional MOOCs and saw they were too long and required considerable commitment. Conventional online courses last around four weeks with hour-long lectures, and many students do not complete them, as they do not fit in their schedule.

This prompted Coursmos to solve the low completion rates via micro courses, which allow students to learn about concepts they are interested in yet do not require an extended period of time commitment.

As many students do not have time to sit through entire sessions of traditional MOOCs, Coursmos educates via short, free lessons up to 10 minutes long that students can balance in their everyday lives, said Coursmos Customer Development Manager Maria Davalos.

“[With Coursmos,] students get specific answers to specific questions,” Davalos said. “The courses are made by successful professionals who are practicing this knowledge on a daily basis.”

The company first launched its micro courses via iPhone and Android applications in October 2013. Founders then launched the website March 2014.

Coursmos lists over 15 categories of courses students can take and educators can create, ranging from business to cooking and lifestyle. While the company’s main focus and offering is currently geared towards business-oriented courses, it plans on expanding to other areas, Davalos said.

Some featured courses are “International Business Cultures [3],” “How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube [4]” and “Factoring Polynomials [5].” Coursmos is growing quickly, with 1,048 micro courses already available online, Davalos said.

Students can sign up for micro courses either with their Facebook account or email account. Though all courses are available to watch without signing up, Davalos encourages users to register because Coursmos offers personalized course recommendations to those with accounts.

“We try to make the user interface simple. Anybody can get the app and try to create a course with the app,” Davalos said.

Mike Siegel is an editorial intern at eCampus News.