What to do in the winter: 10 online courses for every taste
alexander savina
Online courses have become part of our lives: giants like Coursera and edX have had mobile applications for a long time, so you can get new knowledge even in the transport on the way to work, even on your favorite couch. We have collected ten interesting programs that start in the winter; even if in the bustle of December you do not have time to go through them, there is always the opportunity to catch up on the long January weekend.
Fashion as Design
MoMA
from November 27, 7 weeks
On account of the New York Museum of Modern Art MoMA several interesting courses; This, the newest one, is dedicated to fashion design, its connection with art and other types of design. Using the example of seventy important items of clothing and accessories, the creators of the course promise to tell you how clothes are made and distributed, what meanings we put into it and how it reflects what is happening in politics, the economy and society. Among the materials - an interview with fashion historians, designers, models and other specialists, and he himself is suitable not only for those who work in the fashion industry, but also for those who just want to be more conscious about the choice of clothing.
Making Babies in the 21st Century
University College London
from January 22, 2018, 6 weeks
This course is designed primarily for specialists: medical workers, scientists and students - but it is also suitable for those who just want to learn more about the field of reproductive technologies. The authors will talk about the main modern directions of assisted reproductive technologies and the difficult issues that they pose to those who want to use them.
What are the prospects for us to edit genes? Is it appropriate to use the services of surrogate mothers - and if so, how to make this process as ethical as possible? If a couple needs a donor of sperm or eggs, on whom it is better to choose - a familiar or unfamiliar person? These and other topics will help you to understand how much the process of childbearing has changed in recent decades and how it affects modern families and society as a whole.
Financial Decision Making
University College of the University of Maryland
from January 15, 2018, 8 weeks
No matter who you work, at a certain stage you will most likely have to deal with the budget and make financial decisions. This course is designed for those who already hold a managerial position or are set to get it: you will learn from it what role financial decisions play in management, and in which cases it is important to take into account not only the monetary factor, but other data as well. In addition, the authors promise to talk about the basics of financial analysis, budget planning and break-even analysis of the enterprise - and provide the necessary techniques and techniques for this. You will have to work out almost every day (the authors advise you to give the course as much as 10-15 hours a week), but the result will certainly be worth it.
International Women's Health and Human Rights
Stanford University
from November 27, 8-11 weeks
A course for those who want to devote themselves to protecting the rights of women - or just better understand the topic. The program, compiled by teachers at Stanford University, covers a variety of issues: female genital mutilation, HIV and AIDS, reproductive health, violence against women, unequal access to education, ageism and other forms of discrimination. Those who cannot afford to pay for the course certificate are offered to use Coursera financial support - but all materials are available for free and without it. The program is conducted in English, but in order to pass it, you will have to communicate a lot with other students - so estimate in advance how comfortable you will be.
How to Read a Novel
Edinburgh University
from January 8, 2018, 4 weeks
A course for those who miss school literature classes or simply want to impress book club members with new knowledge. The program focuses not on the analysis of specific works, but on the analysis of how key elements of any book are created: plot, characters, dialogues and setting (that is, a description of the scene). The authors of the course believe that with its help you will learn to better understand literary works, their characters and techniques that writers use to create a certain effect or mood — special attention, for example, will be paid to the "unreliable narrator."
Introduction to Molecular Biology and Biomedicine
MIPT
free schedule, 2 hours
A small basic course, designed more for amateurs than for professionals. From it you can find out how organisms are organized at the molecular level, how genetic information is stored and transmitted, and how this knowledge is used today in medicine and in the creation of the newest drugs. Everything is as simple as possible (the authors immediately warn that they try to avoid models and formulas as far as possible) - it is assumed that the course will help determine whether you are interested in molecular biology and biomedicine in principle, and if so, continue your studies.
Arabic. Introductory course
SPbSU
from February 15, 2018, 10 weeks
Anyone who has ever taken up the study of foreign languages knows that it is much more effective to do this in a small group or with an individual teacher. But sometimes online resources become the only option - for example, if a tutor is not as easy to find as in the case of the Arabic language. This course is taught by professors at St. Petersburg State University, for ten weeks you should learn to read, write and speak on basic topics: tell about yourself, discuss how to get to a particular place by transport, and talk with the seller in the store.
This is not the only SPbSU language course: you can still sign up for Latin classes online during the week - they have already begun, but you can always catch up on the program.
Introduction to Engineering: Imagine. Design. Engineer!
Arizona State University
from January 8, 2018, 16 weeks
A long enough course that will require a great return: you will have to study six to eight hours a week. But on the basis of its results you will get a basic idea of the field, which is designated by the capacious English word "engineering", or "engineering", and learn how to find technical solutions for specific tasks - from concept to prototype creation and presentation of your ideas. The course program includes, for example, the basics of programming and computer modeling, but it is also suitable for those who simply want to learn how to make decisions based on the collected data. The only requirement for participants is to recall a school algebra course.
Introducing aging
Open university
free schedule, 11 hours
We increasingly hear that the world's population is aging - but we do not think much about how older people influence society and what meanings we are used to invest in the word "old age." This course offers to reflect on age-related changes, and also talks about the concepts of the “third age” - the active period that comes after a person retires - and the next “fourth age” when he increasingly needs help with domestic issues.
The course information may seem new to you, but its main task is to make you think about how ageism manifests itself in everyday life and how dangerous the idea of older people as being weak and independent is. Bonus - some of the materials can be downloaded in PDF or reader format, so as not to spend all eleven hours at the computer.
Physics at your fingertips
MSU
free schedule, 48 lectures
The name of the program is not a metaphor: the course describes physical phenomena, “which can be explained on the fingers, in dance or on the blackboard,” so if you wanted to refresh your school knowledge in physics, but are not going to dive into formulas, it will suit you. The course consists of six modules, covering mechanics, gas dynamics, optics, electricity and the fundamentals of quantum mechanics - all on the basis of vivid and understandable examples, such as jingling guitars and Star Wars.
Illustration: Dasha Chertanova