Coursera\u2019s proprietary technology enhances the student experience beyond competing MOOCs. For example, Coursera can provide real-time feedback, using natural language parsing to engage students in topics where objective measurement has long proved difficult.[1]<\/a> Coursera has begun developing adaptive learning courses, where the curriculum dynamically adjusts to a student\u2019s mastery of the material. In the long-term, the granular data that Coursera collects on where students spend their time (e.g. at the lecture, page or even question level) and how that correlates with success will enable courses to \u201cevolve\u201d and become ever better.<\/p>\n One of students\u2019 key frustrations with MOOCs has been the lack of widely-accepted credentials signaling successful course completion. Coursera has tackled credentialing through two innovative programs. In 2013, they launched SignatureTrack verification (~$50 on average), which uses keystroke pattern algorithms to verify students are doing their own coursework. SignatureTrack students have a SignatureTrack logo displayed next to their names in discussion forums, increasing the visibility of the program. Coursera has also partnered with ProctorU, which offers remotely proctored exams (via webcam), costing $60\u201390. These low-cost credentials provide a powerful signal that Coursera graduations \u201cmean something,\u201d making them more valuable than competing MOOCs as students seek new jobs.[2]<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Figure 1: Sample SignatureTrack Course Completion Certificate, showing both the Coursera and University names<\/p>\n Universities: <\/strong>Coursera\u2019s strategic goal to provide the best courses across all fields means it must be a platform provider, rather than a content developer. Universities are Coursera\u2019s key content providers, but they are also customers, using Coursera technology to develop their online courses. As a for-profit company with ample funding, Coursera had been able to invest heavily in platform development and marketing, which directly benefit its university partners. [3]<\/a> \u00a0For example, Coursera offers a wide variety of user-friendly, pre-built \u201clearning units\u201d for authoring quizzes, readings, peer-graded assignments, discussion groups, etc. These enable professors with no programming experience to easily create the architecture of an interactive online curriculum. And the SignatureTrack program helps reduce fears of cheating, which could damage the brand of partner universities.<\/p>\n Figure 2: A dynamic dashboard for a Coursera instructor<\/em><\/p>\n As a for-profit company, Coursera can allay concerns of favoring certain partners\u2019 courses – which has been a challenge for MOOCs backed by university consortiums (i.e EdX). Moreover, Coursera\u2019s private funding has allowed it to offer \u201cno cost\u201d course launch to universities and a 20% share of gross profits, aligning the institutions\u2019 financial incentives with Coursera. [4]<\/a> As more students use Coursera, it offers more exposure to both Coursera and its partner universities, leading to more enrollment and increasing revenue to both parties \u2013 a virtuous cycle.<\/p>\n Employers: <\/strong>Coursera helps employers tap talent they would otherwise struggle to find. Approximately two-thirds of Coursera students live outside the United States, one-third of them come from the developing world, and many of them are looking to make a career change.[5]<\/a> Employers need novel tools to connect with and evaluate such candidates.<\/p>\n Initially, Coursera allowed students to opt-in to Career Services<\/em>, and sold employers access to students\u2019 data for a flat fee.[6]<\/a> But the data (demographic, high-level course performance) was undifferentiated vs. competitive headhunting services and the employer response was lukewarm. In 2013, Coursera pivoted; it ended Career Services<\/em> and instead began to connect students with employers during their courses through its Specializations<\/em> program.<\/p>\n Specializations are similar to university degrees \u2013 they require multiple classes, usually taken in sequence, and SignatureTrack verification (driving revenue to Coursera). In addition to courses, Specialization enrollees complete a Capstone project, which are often designed by employers. For example, Google designed the capstone project for Mobile Cloud Computing specialization and Instagram designed project for the Interaction Design specialization.[7]<\/a> These projects provide employers direct exposure to students and data beyond letter grades to predict work performance. For example, data on student participation in discussion forums can be a good indicator of how helpful a candidate may be to future colleagues.<\/p>\n ~~~<\/p>\n The jury is still out on whether Coursera will become a leading education provider of the 21st<\/sup> century \u2013 or whether it will even turn a profit. But the company has made great strides adapting its operating model to provide a differentiated value proposition to all its core constituencies. In the long-term, balancing its focus between students, universities, and employers should set Coursera apart.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sources:<\/p>\n [1]<\/a> http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/quora\/2013\/12\/05\/what-is-it-like-to-take-a-coursera-course\/<\/em><\/p>\n [2]<\/a> https:\/\/blog.proctoru.com\/?tag=coursera<\/em><\/p>\n [3]<\/a> http:\/\/donaldclarkplanb.blogspot.co.uk\/2014\/04\/moocs-coursera-moves-towards-massive.html<\/em><\/p>\n [4]<\/a> http:\/\/chronicle.com\/article\/How-an-Upstart-Company-Might\/133065\/<\/em><\/p>\n [5]<\/a> http:\/\/www.wired.com\/2015\/02\/instagram-google-coursera\/<\/em><\/p>\n [6]<\/a> http:\/\/chronicle.com\/article\/Providers-of-Free-MOOCs-Now\/136117\/<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Coursera](\"https:\/\/i4tsk12in2b2y7uts14c528g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/Coursera-Diploma-300x233.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"Coursera](\"https:\/\/i4tsk12in2b2y7uts14c528g-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/Coursera-Dashboard-268x300.png\")
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