In a previous article, we discussed Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs as an alternative to in-person studies and what this study modality offers for professionals starting in user experience (UX). But what benefits do MOOCs have that make them so attractive?
When it comes to deciding whether or not to continue our studies, we know that the decision is not limited to asking ourselves which course, diploma, or master's degree is most beneficial for our professional career. We also have to answer various questions, such as: Can I make it to classes after work? And how long would it take me to get there? Can I invest that time in commuting to the place of study, or do I need it for other responsibilities? Can I dedicate the necessary study hours? Can I afford it?
Sometimes, it is for these reasons that we decide not to study, and it is in this context that MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) become an excellent option.
The most obvious benefit of completing an online course is that it leads to obtaining a certificate, which can be useful if you are looking to demonstrate your knowledge on your resume. Furthermore, since universities worldwide offer short courses or programs on MOOC platforms, it seems that distance is no longer a barrier. You practically don't need to travel to access a course from a prestigious international university.
On the other hand, if you already have some knowledge of the subject you will be studying and are only looking to obtain certain information or review specific units, completing the course or not might take a back seat. This is one of the most evident benefits of many MOOCs: they allow you to save a lot of time by directly accessing the content the student needs, and from anywhere.
This is especially useful in certain fields, such as IT, service design, usability, web design, and user experience, where professionals need to constantly update themselves due to the rapid advancement of knowledge in these areas. That's why learning must also happen faster. In this sense, what MOOCs offer is access to professional development almost immediately.
This immediacy can also benefit educational institutions. Daphne Koller, one of the founders of Coursera, explains that the pace at which traditional programs offered by universities change is "glacial" compared to the rapid evolution of content found in MOOCs. "Where MOOCs can be revolutionary for universities," she explains, "is in transforming higher education into a data science. By collecting hundreds of millions of pieces of information about student engagement with regularly offered courses, we would allow for rapid improvement in content," Koller concludes.
However, it seems that this modality is not without its problems. Recent studies show that more than half of users enrolled in a MOOC consume less than half of the course content. Detractors of this study system see this as proof of the low effectiveness of these courses.
By 
