I've been told I'm crazy...

... and I expect it's true.

I am signed up for five (5) Coursera classes that begin over the next three weeks, starting today.

(Digression:  I'm hoping this will cure me of expecting myself to get a certificate for completing a class.  After experiencing too many certificates given to everyone (for participation) when my daughter was in elementary school, I developed a very jaundiced opinion of certificates.

And yet, somehow, I still *want* them for my Coursera work. Perhaps it's because I've actually put effort into my classes, and enjoy seeing a tangible recognition of that work?  I don't know.

But there's no way I'm going to subject myself to the amount of work I'd have to do to pass five classes at once.  (There are people who approach Coursera as if they really were in college, and take four or five classes at once, doing all the work and earning all the certificates.  I revere but do not mean to emulate those people.)

End of Digression.)


These classes all seem intriguing (for one reason or another), and now is when they are offered (classes may be repeated -- or may not, there's no way to tell).  I'll check them out.  I'll watch some videos, and perhaps I'll continue in the classes, and perhaps not.  If I continue, I'll expect to just watch videos, and not do projects (unless the orojects are really compelling).....

Without further ado, here is what I'm going to be spending a lot of time on, for the next few months.

Think Again: How to Reason and Argue  (starting today).  I took this class last winter, and a combination of baffling anomalies and poor teaching practice stopped me from finishing.  The class has a lot of very valuable information to impart.  I am signed up again to see if the presentation (on the part of one of the instructors) has improved at all.

Creativity, Innovation, and Change (starting September 1, 8 weeks).  The intro video makes this sound like it may be verrrry "hand-holdy."  I do not want my hand held.  I don't want to be petted and complimented and bolstered up.  I want them to cut to the chase.  We'll see......

History of Rock, Part One  (starting September 2, seven weeks).  Rock, as in "rock and roll."  I checked the suggested text out of the library, and it is really dense.  I'll glance through it, but unless it's really compelling, I'm not reading it.

Dino 101: Dinosaur Paleobiology (starting September 4, 12 weeks).  I have been interested in dinos as long as I can remember.  The intro video's presentation was basic and slow, and the speakers did not seem comfortable in front of the camera.... 

Modern & Contemporary American Poetry (starting September 7, 10 weeks).  I have no particular interest in poetry, and no interest in "modern and contemporary American poetry," but every single person I've heard talk about this class (in Coursera discussion fora) has *raved* about how good it is.



For the first time ever, I have a local friend in a Coursera class with me, and, in fact, I have one local friend in Think Again, and one in the History of Rock.  It will be fun to have someone to whisper with, "in the back of the classroom." 

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