FROM SIMPLE LEARNER TO OFFICIAL COURSERA TESTER

The hero of our text, Oleksandr Torlo, discovered Coursera back in 2015. While working at the university, he taught such disciplines as System Programming, System Analysis, and Web Programming. He also developed such well-known start-up projects as the GMAT adaptive test system and the Online.ZNO.ua platform. To date, Oleksandr has successfully completed more than 50 courses on Coursera. He is also a systems analysis expert and beta tester for the platform. Read about his personal experience, advantages of the platform and the possibility of its use in Ukrainian educational institutions in this interview.

About Oleksandr

I studied at the Cherkasy State Technological University and did postgraduate studies there. Later, I worked for eight years as a teacher of such disciplines as System Programming, System Analysis, and Web Programming. 

Since 2011, I have been involved in the development of various start-ups. For example, one of the first was a project to create an adaptive system to prepare people for the GMAT test. This is a test that is used mainly in American universities when admitting people to the MBA (Master of Business Administration) programme.  

I also have experience in developing such a well-known project as «Онлайн.ЗНО.ua», an adaptive system for the self-preparation of students for tests. When we created it, we adopted the experience of the world's famous Khan Academy resource. This system identifies your knowledge gaps and helps you study independently, without the help of a mentor, teacher, or lecturer.

I currently work at Skillsetter, a startup where we use a simulator to teach non-technical IT professions and offer free seven-day demo courses for product managers, project managers, and digital marketers and give them a chance to try out these roles. 

How did you start learning on the platform?

I got acquainted with Coursera back in 2015 and took my first course in gamification. Then, thanks to the platform, I studied emotional intelligence. At the time I was working in the company, I took courses in HR, management, and team leadership.

In 2016, I continued my learning and completed four specialisations as part of the company's MBA Strategy programme.

Then Coursera "found" me and offered to become an official beta tester. And every Tuesday I receive a set of new courses that I have access to. If I'm interested in any of them, I take them and leave feedback. 

This is a very useful experience for me because I specialise in information technology in education. Thanks to Coursera, I can understand the development of this industry and find new solutions. I've been on the platform for several years now, so I can track a certain cycle of its development: how it started, how and with whom it cooperated, how it interacted with universities and built its own brand. 

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Coursera has offered free education. I informed the rector and vice-rector for academic affairs about it and even provided detailed instructions: "How to register for free learning", "How to take courses". In other words, he contributed to the implementation of digital platforms at our university.

What are the advantages of digital platforms that should be implemented in our education system?

1.Quality content. The information on the platforms is constantly updated, and the courses themselves are tested and improved.

2.Teachers should be retrained as mentors. Teachers should strive to use different digital platforms and resources, rather than giving boring lectures with a lot of unnecessary information. You can even record a video lecture once (but periodically renew it with updated information), and devote the rest of the time to practical cases, because a teacher is, first and foremost, a practitioner.

3. Accessibility. Online platforms offer a wide range of courses and specialisations by profession. The materials themselves are also constantly available.

4. Study at a convenient time. You don't have to wait for a meeting with a lecturer at a certain time, you can study even at night.

What are the disadvantages of the platform?

A person can easily lose motivation because he or she does not feel the physical presence of people and communication. Although now, in the age of distance learning in educational institutions, this lack of communication also exists, it is still possible to communicate with classmates and groupmates in so-called chats and conversations.

What is the best way to choose courses?

Choose a profession-specific course if you are already in your 3rd or 4th year of study and know your strengths and weaknesses. This will help you fill in the gaps in the subject and improve your skills. But I would advise 1-2 year students to dive deeper into the specialty, find the right courses, and take them all.

What would you advise teachers and students to take away from digital platforms?

Structured and up-to-date materials. When I worked at a university, there were problems with updating the curriculum because it happened quite rarely. Knowledge is becoming outdated, especially in the IT field. Various practical tasks and examples where one can use a particular methodology are becoming outdated. Learning needs to be more adapted to modern times, and actual cases need to be developed.

Work on motivation. This is what I would advise students. You need to clearly understand why you need this knowledge and where you will apply it. Look at practical tasks as certain challenges in the profession and adapt them to the future.

How have the courses affected your life?

I use gamification everywhere, and emotional intelligence has pushed me to study another, deeper topic. The HR courses gave me fundamental knowledge of how to work with people.

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