Last month my creativity got a boost with Dave Harrity’s Making Manifest: On Faith, Creativity, and the Kingdom at Hand. Next month, I’m enrolled in my first-ever MOOC on Creativity, Innovation, and Change.

Two days ago, I didn’t even know that MOOC stands for Massive Open Online Course. It’s only about two years old, a kind of distance education that’s designed for mass participation online. According to Coursera, which offers 678 courses from 110 partners, the intention is to provide free access to “a world-class education.” In contrast, at least one critic argues, “The MOOC model is fine for the informal student or academic dabbler, but it is not the same as attaining an education.”

In my own case, I suppose I could be described as an “informal student or academic dabbler,” since my intention is simply to audit and learn what I can. I’m not trying to get a serious academic education. I’m not looking for any kind of course credit. I’m mainly curious since I’m currently writing a book on creativity (still in the dreaming and research stage which fits well with this course), and besides I’m interested in new-to-me technologies and how they work.

The course I’ll be taking is offered by The Pennsylvania State University. Last year, over 130,000 people from over 190 countries enrolled — that is massive! This year, Creativity, Innovation, and Change is being offered a second time from July 14 to September 1. I wasn’t so impressed with the intro video, but the outline looks great, including

• believing in your creativity,
• busting creative myths,
• employing Intelligent Fast Failure techniques,
• becoming an agent of change,
• and much more!

Thanks to reader and online friend, Sharon Hoover, for introducing me to this course.

Writing/Reflection Prompt: Have you ever taken a MOOC before? Did you just dabble, or did you finish? What was your experience?