101 in 1001 Update

I first wrote about my 101 in 1001 list last August. 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept, it's exactly what it sounds like. From the date of when I started the list (August 25th, 2013), I have 1001 days to complete the list. My end date is May 22nd, 2015. 

Over the course of the last year, I've completed some of the list and have worked to complete various portions of some tasks. 

Here are some of the big accomplishments on the list:

Visit 5 New Countries  (Netherlands, Czech Republic, Germany)

Almost done with that one...

Live in a foreign country for one year (Officially completed 12 months (over several years) of living in London)

Visit 5 New Museums
 (Hermitage Museum, Anne Frank House, Reiksmuseum, Cheese Museum in Amsterdam, The Queenstown Story in Cork, Checkpoint Charlie Museum, and many more!)

Take a free online class (Completed my first #MOOC in August 2013)

Check out the rest of my list & consider making your own!

Summer Obsession: Coursera

I discovered Coursera in my last few months at Syracuse. The idea of massive open online courses or MOOCs as they have started to be referred to is a trend that has really taken off. The number of courses that are now available from leading institutions such as Stanford or University of Pennsylvania on the website is insane.  The other day I was browsing courses, and within a week, there were new ones posted.

So, being the person that I am, this summer I decided to take a few of the courses. The courses are free as they are MOOCs, and if you do well enough, you receive a certificate of accomplishment. 

Yes, the underlying theme of this post is that I am in fact a huge nerd. 

My friend, Brett, and I are taking Maps and the Geospatial Revolution together. It's only been a week into the course, but it actually overlaps with some of the interests I have in the world of social media. It has given me a few laughs, and reminds me of the West Wing episode dealing with maps.

As for the other courses that I am considering taking this summer?

-Disaster Preparedness

-Big Data in Education 

-Securing Digital Democracy

I'm sure I will dabble into a few other courses and check them out as well. 

Have you ever taken a MOOC? How was your experience?