UK online course provider FutureLearn reaches a million students

Online course provider FutureLearn has reached a million student milestone after just over a year since its launch. It caters to students from 190 countries and can be studied by people of any age, anywhere in the world. 

The digital age has opened up new venues for education in the form of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS). First started in the United States and Canada they have now reached the United Kingdom through FutureLearn.

Interest grew by over 20% among UK students in the final months of 2014. FutureLearn’s free online courses are mobilised from universities including Warwick, King’s College London and Sheffield.

FutureLearn’s oldest student is Norman Maxfield, 92, from Bedford. Among its student body is also 60-year-old Tony Lidster, who is studying 23 online courses, including psychology and forensic science.

The typical ages of students taking MOOCS are between 26 and 35, 62% of which are women.

MOOCS provide access to free online educational resources of prestigious higher education establishments, such as video lessons and self-assessment quizzes. The courses do not provide access to instructors or award credits, but they are self-paced and students don’t have to pay tuition.

Sonali Gidwani, a first-year undergraduate of Philosophy, Politics and Economics, said: “I’ve benefited from online courses in the past but if I’m going to pay for an education I want to be able to have a full experience. Sitting in a classroom allows you to switch on better, but doing online courses doesn’t stimulate you in the same way.

“That being said, online courses are a great way to gain knowledge if you’re unable to go to a university that’s offering it or if you want to explore other courses. But I don’t think it should replace actually being at university.”

Nearly half of the students of edX come from developing countries. Popular MOOC site, Coursera’s new chief executive, Richard Levin, a former president of Yale University, plans an expansion focusing on Asia.

Vrund Verma, a first-year International Management undergraduate, commented: “Even though I am a believer of the traditional teaching methodology, I think online courses are helpful, cheap and have a wide reach” but went on to add that at his age he would not take an online course.

First-year Economics undergraduate Madarasz Kristof, said: “I think such a platform can be very beneficial for anyone and it can provide university students with the opportunity to gain complimentary knowledge.”