The FutureLearn company runs the UK-based site to first offer free online classes,that are offered by top UK universities. Apparently, a million people across the world have signed-up to the free online university courses, according to the website statistics. FutureLearn, a private firm funded by the universities, show 1 million people from 190 countries collectively studied, since the October of 2013, on more than 2 million courses. UK students taking up courses, known as Moocs, saw a 20% increase in the last 3 months. UK students have clocked the equivalent of nearly 46 years (i.e. 400,000 hrs) in the last month alone.
Top universities offering courses through the site include King’s College London, Warwick, Sheffield, the Open University and even Trinity College, Dublin. The University of Exeter is among the 20 top institutions providing short courses in various subjects from 2013. Areas include maths, science and technology, besides their successfully running courses in Climate Change and imperialism. Simon Nelson, Chief Executive of FutureLearn, has said that more people are taking up free online courses for career reasons, or simply out of interest in a particular subject. The website has emphasised on social learning as a way, by encouraging discussion with like-minded people from across the world, making it not a solitary experience, he pointed out.
