Open Educational Resources (OER)

MIT OpenCourseWare: "MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) is a web-based publication of virtually all MIT course content. OCW is open and available to the world and is a permanent MIT activity, [...] Through OCW, educators improve courses and curricula, making their schools more effective; students find additional resources to help them succeed; and independent learners enrich their lives and use the content to tackle some of our world’s most difficult challenges, including sustainable development, climate change, and cancer eradication.

MOOCs Directory: global directory of MOOCs and MOOC hosts in higher education, K-12, corporate, etc.

• Higher Education - MOOCs Directory: higher education list of MOOC providers within the MOOCs Directory.

MOOC List: a list of current and upcoming classes from various platforms. Easy to search by discipline, and even search by professor or university/learning entity.

MOOC stands for Massive Open Online Course. They offer unlimited participation (massive) and are open access, freely available via various sites. Like traditional classes, a MOOC can consist of lectures, readings, and even assignments. MOOCs can be self-paced or they can adhere to more traditional class standards with set lectures and deadlines. MOOCs often include discussion boards so participants, professors, and teaching assistants can interact and discuss the class, lectures, and materials.

Here are some interesting and useful examples of the breadth of content available for both students and teachers in MOOCs.

• Enhance Your Career and Employability Skills: via Coursera, this class is unconventional from more discipline-specific ones and can work in tandem with an existing course load. It is "suitable for anyone undertaking some form of study, regardless of academic discipline, interests or employment background." Certainly an asset to a community college students!

• Introduction to Data Wise: A Collaborative Process to Improve Learning & Teaching: via edX, this course aids educators in learning how to assess and evaluate data for teaching, instructing, and learning. The course is free and learners who choose may pay $99 to attain a verified certificate. 

• Work Smarter, Not Harder: Time Management for Personal & Professional Productivity: via Coursera, designed to aid in the development of smarter work habits, time management expertise, and overall productivity.