TrustRadius Insights for Coursera are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, third party data sources.
Pros
Well-organized and wide catalog: Reviewers have mentioned that Coursera is very well organized and offers a wide catalog of courses. This has been appreciated by several users for providing easy access to a diverse range of topics, allowing them to explore different areas of interest.
Effective interactive learning: Many reviewers have highlighted the effectiveness of Coursera's interactive learning approach. They mention that the platform encourages hands-on learning through assignments that are graded by peers using rubrics. This interactive nature of the courses, especially in programming, has been praised by users as an effective way to learn and apply new skills.
Low cost of entry: The low cost of entry on Coursera has been seen as a positive aspect by several reviewers. Most courses are free, with optional fees for certifications. Users appreciate this pricing model as it allows them to freely explore various subjects without financial constraints, similar to having access to a public library of learning resources.
In my case, I only have taken some lessons privately through Coursera.
Pros
Coursera provides very practical and cutting-edge courses. I think it's very useful for many software engineers or architects. I prefer learning in Coursera to getting any other examinations or certificates in order to grasp practical knowledge.
Coursera can federate with my LinkedIn profile. You can show your achievement on the internet instead of some real "paper" certificates. It's great and a pleasure.
It may be not so advantageous in comparison with other MOOCs, however Coursera provides web testing. It proves your knowledge & skill is real stuff.
Cons
I feel it's slow to load course pages.
Likelihood to Recommend
I recommend it for other engineers to take web courses related to their current problems. For example, Algorithm class will be enable newbie developers to write good code.
I am a chartered accountant who started working for a GIS software development/business intelligence company. I have used Coursera to get up to speed with basic concepts of data science and software development in order to better understand the industry in which we operate. I have also done interesting courses for my hobby as musician.
Beyond using Coursera only for my personal development, I have recommended my staff to register for themselves, and have even made it obligatory for junior interns to spend an hour per day on Coursera on courses that I recommend, for them to learn essential life and business skills.
Pros
Provide courses for users to improve on their professional business skills.
Provide courses for users to learn the basics of new skill sets that might be required for their industry.
Motivate users to take part in continuous professional development and specialization, a critical skill in today's (and tomorrow's) business environment.
Give users exposure to new fields of interest, that they can explore at no risk.
Cons
None that I can think of. Brilliant service.
Likelihood to Recommend
I would recommend it to any professional looking to expand the scope of his/her professional competence. In my experience, it is important to have at least a basic understanding of what it is that your employees are doing, especially the possibilities and limitations of what they are capable of. This enables you to better manage them, and push them to their optimal performance. I would also recommend it to staff, to improve on their existing skill-set, and especially recommend the life-skills courses to junior staff.