Dr. Zsófia Patyi, lecturer at the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, regularly uses Coursera in her classes: she offers her students facilitated exam requirements in exchange for completing selected Coursera courses. We asked him about good practices and experiences.
Since when and how do you integrate Coursera courses into your lessons?
This semester (2021-22/II) was the first semester when I not only warmly recommended Coursera courses to students in idle time, instead of aimless phone-pushing, social media-scrolling boredom, but I incorporated them into my class schedule in a way that associated enticing benefits with taking a course by a given date. So I haven't made any courses compulsory yet (maybe next year), this was a pilot semester, but it still proved useful: I used the Successful Presentation course as a benefit for skill development. Thus, not only were students motivated to be more confident, skilful and creative in their presentations as a result of completing the course, but also the benefits I provided to students presenting a Coursera certificate. In one course, for example, the deadline for submitting the paper was extended by an extra week, and in another, the mid-term exam was halved for those who completed the course, which would otherwise take 8-10 hours, in their spare time. I also perceive the incorporation of Coursera into my classes indirectly: the methodology, learning rhythm, ethos, interesting aspects and the knowledge that a course provides me with, I inadvertently incorporate and pass on to the students.
What courses have you chosen for this purpose so far?
I have several presentation and writing skills courses on my list, but I wanted to throw the University of Colorado Boulder's Successful Presentation course in the deep end first. This is one of the components of the 5-month Effective Communication: Writing, Design, and Presentation specialisation (the above course is estimated to take 21 hours, but 8-10 hours is sufficient based on experience). I was thrilled when I came across this course, even more so when I started it myself, and felt the impact of how well it explains and how important it is. I teach most of my classes to first-year students, which is doubly true here, but later, in second and even fourth year, it is a recurring phenomenon that students become shy children when it comes to presenting - and there is no specific course that develops them in this, as the hours are usually filled by compulsory course material. The fact that I try to convey the essence of the above course in the first lesson, how NOT to give a presentation, what makes a good presentation, and what to apply in the future, is not enough. I cannot make the course compulsory, as that would go beyond the scope of the practical lessons, but in this way, students who are open-minded and interested, who want to improve - or who want to benefit - can develop their presentation skills, which will not only be useful in my class but will pay dividends during their university years and even when they go out into life.
What results do you expect from integrating Coursera courses into your curriculum?
On the student side, clearly improved presentation skills, confident, worthwhile and interesting presenters. From the teacher's point of view, somewhere a little 'offloading', since we don't have to deliver the methodology alongside the course material, at most we just draw attention to the most important ones. To put it more loftily: I believe that students who, for example, take this beneficial course in the second year Legal Philosophy class, will be more courageous and outstanding presenters in the following seminars, and will give more creative, interesting and exciting presentations on any seemingly dry topic. And these are just the academic achievements you envisage - but they can put these skills to good use later in the job market and life.
Have you received any feedback from students? If so, what kind of feedback?
The most visible feedback is experience, I can see and feel without words, without checking certificates, which students have completed the Successful Presentation course. Colourful, dynamic presentations, exciting approach to the topic, real-life examples, excellent explanations and parallels to aid understanding, importance and accuracy of references to literature, logical topic guidance, presentations that are on target, engaging and addressing the audience, students who are aware of the importance of the topic and their value, and who stand out with courage and a smile. For me, this is the real, genuine, unvarnished, honest and valuable feedback - that it works.
