By Brian Dunleavy
Free online courses called MOOCs can (virtually) put optometrists into high-powered business classes at leading universities.
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are the latest rage in distance learning or “e-learning.” The growing popularity of MOOCs among business personnel (and small business owners like optometrists) is based on their remarkable value
and applicability: They allow access to high-powered business courses—and business-building strategies–taught by professors at leading universities around the country.
With open access, “class size” can swell to tens of thousands, and this presents opportunities. Many MOOC participants use social media and online forums to form smaller study and peer groups. Some of these groups then live online as networking and advice resources long after the coursework is complete.
MOOCs: How They Work
Unlike most web-based education courses, MOOCs are offered through public and private colleges and universities, for-profit institutions or professional societies.
The “open-access” format of MOOCs means course-takers merely have to provide their name and e-mail address to register (as opposed to applying for admission). Further, course offerings often are not beholden to traditional, semester-based schedules, even though some are offered through partnerships with major universities such as Harvard, MIT, Penn, Duke and Stanford. And, although MOOCs don’t offer college credit, they also don’t cost as much as college tuition.
At present, most MOOCs are financed via venture capital investment and/or grant partnerships with educational institutions. However, expect providers to start charging for courses in the near future. Some do now. Udemy, for example, charges a small fee (usually $40) for some courses. Optometrists thinking of going back to school, if only to improve the knowledge in areas not related to their field though relevant to the management of their practices, would do well to surf the ’net now. MOOCs may not be so open for much longer.
Leading MOOC Providers and Courses of Interest
Coursera
“Foundations of Business Strategy”
“Introduction to Finance”
“Healthcare Innovation and Entrepreneurship”
“Health Policy and the Affordable Care Act”
“Health Informatics in the Cloud”
Udacity
“How to Build a Blog”
Udemy
“Social Media and Marketing for Start-Ups”
“Creating Responsive Web Design”
edX
“Human Health and Global Environmental Change”
“Introduction to Statistics: Descriptive Statistics”
Related ROB Articles
Optometric Alliances: A Primary OD and Staff Education Tool
Ramp Up Staff Education by Inviting Reps to Staff Meetings
Take Your Practice to Optometric Conferences–and Make It Pay Off
Brian Dunleavy is a freelance writer who covers medical education, among other topics. To contact him: bpdunleavy@yahoo.com
