Coursera: Access Redefined

July 11, 2012

Professor Robert Ghrist will be teaching Calculus: Single Variable on Coursera. Photo credit: Kevin Monko

As technology becomes more sophisticated, online learning becomes more accessible to people from all walks of life, from all around the world. Coursera, a free online education platform designed by two Stanford computer scientists, has opened up a world of new possibilities for hundreds of thousands of people. And Penn has been an active partner, with 12 Penn faculty signed up to lead Coursera classes ranging from contemporary American poetry and Greek and Roman mythology to calculus and behavioral neurology.

Penn partnered with Coursera to offer these free classes online to build a stronger connection with its alumni and the world. It provides Penn alumni the opportunity to take classes online and stay abreast of developments and research in their fields, but also it illustrates the Penn Compact, Penn President Amy Gutmann’s vision for the University to achieve worldwide distinction in interdisciplinary scholarship and collaborative engagement, propelling Penn from excellence to eminence in its core endeavors of teaching, research and service. 

“Penn is delighted to participate in this innovative collaboration that will make high-quality learning opportunities available to millions of people around the world,” Dr. Gutmann says. “Expanding access to higher education both nationally and globally remains one of our most critical responsibilities. This initiative provides an invaluable opportunity for anyone who has the motivation and preparation to partake of a world-class education."

Read more about Coursera on the Penn News site.