Employee

Coursera MOOCs can effectively provide this knowledge to staff members. Additionally, other MOOCs can be easily and simply arranged by working with the Web Team to create a website on the institutional inTRAnet of recommended MOOCs. There are also no major budgeting concerns with this initiative because most MOOCs are free.

REFERENCES:

National Education Association, http://www.nea.org/home/30998.htm. Copyright 2002-2014

Coursera, https://www.coursera.org/about/. 2014 Coursera Inc.

MOOCs for Employee Professional Development

Introduction

The MOOCs in Coursera could be very beneficial to the college employees to learn and enhance their skills. Not only could instructors benefit but other staff as well for example, coordinators, administrative assistants and clerks. The MOOCs in Coursera provide a huge variety of already created courses that are free and flexible.

There are 400+ courses created by the world’s top educational institutions. For example, the partner institutions in Coursera are using the online platform to provide their on-campus students with an improved learning experience and our organization could benefit from this platform as well. This blended model of learning has shown in studies to increase student engagement, attendance and performance. (Coursera.com)

National Education Association (NEA) believes professional development should be required throughout the career of education support professionals. Professional development programs should provide equal opportunities for employees to gain and improve high standards of knowledge and skills important to their positions and job performance.

In order for students being educated to have high standards, there must be high standards for the staff members who work with them. Student achievement depends on rigorous standards and a knowledgeable education team. (NEA)

This initiation of this project would better service our students, first by empowering our staff with high quality knowledge and skills; develop a high quality team of knowledgeable and skilled professionals while fulfilling a NEA recommendation with a very small budget.

Coursera assessments are built into the instruction and certificates are available upon course completion for many of the courses. Additionally courses can be re-taken in most cases as needed.

The following is a brief listing of courses available through MOOCs:

Soft Skills: Time Management, Team Building, Customer Service, Decision Making

Technical Skills: How to Use the Internet, Microsoft Office, Email Etiquette, Basic PC Skills

The free cost would eliminate the concerns that occur with budget issues and the flexibility would allow for employees to enroll in courses that fit each individual’s daily schedule.