Our conversation With EDX CEO Anant Agarwal
Anant
Agarwal is the CEO of edX, an online learning destination founded by
Harvard and MIT. Anant taught the first edX course on circuits and electronics from MIT, which drew
155,000 students from 162 countries. He has served as the director of CSAIL,
MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and is a
professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT. He is a
successful serial entrepreneur, having co-founded several companies including
Tilera Corporation, which created the Tile multicore processor, and Virtual
Machine Works.
Anant
won the Maurice Wilkes prize for computer architecture, and MIT's Smullin and
Jamieson prizes for teaching. He is also the 2016 recipient of the Harold W.
McGraw, Jr. Prize for Higher Education, which recognized his work in advancing
the MOOC movement. He holds a Guinness World Record for the largest microphone
array, and is an author of the textbook "Foundations of Analog and Digital
Electronic Circuits."
We
got a chance to interact with him regarding edx.
Q: What is the status of online Education (MOOC) India and
Worldwide?
MOOCs
have been a popular topic in the education industry in the past few years, and
as we stand amid this decade, it's encouraging to evaluate how online learning
has grown and to predict future trends.
MOOCs
have clearly been a game-changing initiative. On edX.org we currently offer more
than 1,300 courses in everything from Business management to Computer Science to The Science of Happiness to engineering and English language, and we see an
overwhelming response from learners across all ages keen to engage more with
online education. MOOCs have the potential to create massive prospects
and opportunities for students, employers and educators. They are not only
bringing education to more people, they are also tailoring the learning
experience to meet the needs of tomorrow's students, universities, and
employers.
Blended
learning is a trend we see in education - we see MOOCs as being completely
synergistic with the traditional university model. As professors and
universities produce MOOCs and run MOOCs on the edX platform, they are also
incorporating these online courses in their campus classrooms. In blended classrooms,
the on-campus university course can leverage the power of MOOCs to free up
classroom time for interactive collaboration and discussion, testing, and
problem solving.
Today,
many universities have a four-year program. However, in the future, we see a
change.
At
edX, we embrace an unbundled approach to education, unbundling credit, time and
content to create an approach that does not require learners to spend four
years on-campus. By creating more opportunities for learners to take courses
online and earn credit, we see new pathways to campus emerging for learners
everywhere. Learning will be a mix of initial courses through MOOCs followed by
on-campus learning and finally taking up a job in the last year while taking
MOOCs, becoming lifelong learners.
At
edX, we are embracing the unbundled approach to education. One great example is
that we have partnered with Arizona State University to create Global Freshman
Academy, a first of its kind collaboration that offers full
university freshman level online courses for credit.
EdX is also
collaborating with Universities in India and around the world and with various
channel partners to offer blended learning and imparting job-ready skills
backed by edX certifications and pathways to university programs to make Indian
students more employable.
As a further step to help learners advance or launch
their careers, edX launched MicroMasters programs, a new category of
Master’s-level online education to bridge the knowledge gap between higher
education and the workplace. MicroMasters programs offer in-demand knowledge
and a cost-effective, flexible pathway to an accelerated on-campus program or to
career advancement. Offered in subjects ranging from artificial
intelligence (from ColumbiaX) to cybersecurity (from RITx), business management (from IIMBx) and supply
chain management (from MITx), MicroMasters courses are created by esteemed
edX university partners, valued by top companies and linked to specific career
outcomes.
Q: It is accepted as a blended learning solution but still
struggling to be accepted as a standalone degree for employment in India.(a)What
restricts these courses to be accepted like classroom education despite tests
and credits?
I
think it is just a matter of time. India as a nation has been used to the
traditional way of education. However, the fact that India is the second
biggest learner base for edX, after the United States, speaks
volumes about the kind of recognition MOOCs are receiving in India. Employers
now are giving importance to MOOCs but it will take some time before being
accepted as a standalone degree for employment in India.
As
a response to the growing acceptance of MOOCs among Indian corporates, in
the last year, edX has made significant corporate and strategic advancements in
India. Chief among them include the launch of edX for
Business site in December of 2016.
EdX for Business
provides Corporate L&D solutions for the evolving workforce, offering
access to thousands of in-demand courses from the world’s best universities and
leading institutions by creating a flexible and convenient way to empower
employees to gain deep knowledge in highly relevant fields like IT, business
management, data analytics and more. With edX for Business, companies can
develop the workforce they need through customized solutions that allow them to
train, engage and benefit employees in a cost-effective, flexible and scalable
manner.
"With
the pace at which the business scenarios are changing, having a future-fit
workforce is becoming increasingly important for business. Online learning has
the potential to revolutionize education. MOOCs and blended learning, will pave
the way for ubiquitous learning. EdX for Business addresses high quality
learning and development needs without having to manage the high cost debate.
We would like to congratulate edX and are confident that edX will be
instrumental in democratizing education in the country." said Dr. Aloknath
De, CTO Samsung Research Institute, Bangalore.
b) What is
the scenario across the globe?
EdX’s
reach extends around the world, with representation from every country on every
continent. Learners all across the globe come together on edX to engage with
each other while accessing high-quality educational content from the world’s
top universities and corporations. The 11 million strong community of edX
learners truly demonstrates how the power of MOOCs can be harnessed on a global
scale, creating a community of learners with a shared passion for knowledge.
This global MOOC movement is helping to improve education both online and on
campus, as more institutions and organizations embrace the power of online
learning and come together to innovate around how MOOCs are paving the way for
non-traditional pathways to higher-education.
(c) Do you think it will replace
classroom learning in future?
MOOCs
won’t replace universities, but rather enhance the quality of education by
incorporating blended learning. In the future, education will either be blended
or fully online. Purely face-to-face education will exist only in the history
books. In blended classrooms, the on-campus university course can leverage
the power of MOOCs to free up classroom time for interactive collaboration and
discussion, testing, and problem solving. This model creates better
efficiencies in the classroom and can foster a better quality of education
overall for the money. And, the blended model exists beyond the university. We
recently partnered with NIIT to redefine the online education space in India
using a blended format. Under this partnership, the live synchronous
delivery capability and on-ground student servicing capability of NIIT will be
combined with the world class MOOCs (Massive Open Online Course) provided by
edX and its university partners to offer futuristic talent development programs
to learners in India.
(d) Any tie- up with employers and universities
to add these credits in the academic?
The
workplace in India is changing more rapidly today than ever before and
employers are in need of highly-developed talent. Meanwhile, college graduates
want to advance professionally, but are realizing they do not have the
career-relevant skills that the modern workplace demands. The MicroMasters
programs (see above for more information) address this mismatch between
business and education for learners, employees and employers, by providing
access to courses that focus in-demand skills, like Business Management, Entrepreneurship, User Experience (UX) design, Android Development and allowing learners
to advance their career and employers to upskill and reskill employees.
MicroMasters programs are helping to create a skilful, successful 21st-century
workforce in India.
Working
professionals often struggle to leave their job and upskill themselves with a
full time qualification. MicroMasters programs provide learners with a flexible
and affordable way to gain the knowledge they need to launch or advance their
careers. For additional insight into how edX is working directly with
corporations, please reference the answer provided above.
Q: How do you (Edx) see India as a market for MOOC Courses and
what are your offerings and plans for India?
India
has always been a priority market for edX. India makes up 11% of edX’s global
learner base and has consistently been the second largest population of
learners behind the United States Along with offerings from Tier 1 global
institutes, edX also has strong partnerships with Indian institutions e.g. IIT
Bombay, IIM Bangalore, BITS Pilani and blended learning partners e.g. NIIT and
Pearson to impart job-ready skills to Indian learners. We look forward to
continuing to grow our presence in India and to offer Indian learners more and
more resources that will allow them to improve their lives and advance their
careers through online learning.
Q: Please share current figures on following: Number and
type of courses offered, popular courses in India and other countries, tie-ups,
and student enrollment in India and other countries?
edX offers 1350+ courses from over 110
institutions across the globe. With over 11 million global learners and over 1
million in India itself, edX is growing from strength to strength. Some of the
most popular courses globally are –
· Introduction to Computer Science (CS50)-Harvard
University
· Analyzing and Visualizing Data with Excel-Microsoft
Some of the most popular courses for Indian
learners are –
· Analyzing and Visualizing Data with Excel -
Microsoft
· Introduction to Python for Data Science -
Microsoft
· Introduction to Computer Science -
HarvardX
Q: How does a certificate program or MOOCs help in securing a job?
In
India and around the globe, skilled workforce populations are on the rise, and
MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and other online courses can offer a
necessary competitive edge in any market. Additionally, skills
needed for employment are changing faster today than ever before. The jobs
people will have five years from now, may not even exist today, which is why
continuous education is exceptionally important in today’s job market.
In
a recent survey of edX learners, we found that 47% of edX learners listed their
edX certificate on their LinkedIn or resume. And, we've heard from many
individual learners who say edX courses help them secure a job,
like Cheryl and Akshay.
For example, Akshay Kulkarni an edX learner from India, explains how edX
helped him gain a job at Microsoft. With the help of edX, he took the
Introduction to Computer Science and Programming Using Python by MIT. After
this he went on to take Introduction to Computer Science offered by
Harvard University, Data Science for Genomics from Harvard. He also took on
Engineering Software as a Service from UC Berkeley and was a community TA for
these courses during the next term. All these edX courses and the SaaS courses
from UC Berkeley in particular played a huge role in him getting a job at
Microsoft.
Q:What is the minimum age to start taking up
certificate courses and why?
There is no minimum age and courses offered
on edX are open to all learners, everywhere. Courses range from high school
level to university introductory level to more advanced topics. For example,
courses in MicroMasters programs are graduate-level courses. Some courses
offered on edX might have prerequisite knowledge, and if a course has
suggested prerequisites, they will be listed on the enrollment page for that
course.
Q:How can taking courses on edX help to advance your career?
Whether
you’re looking to change careers or want to advance in your current role, edX
courses can help you gain the skills to succeed and Verified Certificates can
help you showcase your knowledge. Adding qualifications in the most in-demand
fields like computer science, languages, data science and programming to your
resume, CV or LinkedIn profile can help you to stand out to employers, making
you a more attractive candidate for a promotion or even giving you the
opportunity to expand your horizons and switch careers entirely. Please also
reference information shared re: MicroMasters programs
Q:Please share the company names you are working with, in India,
for corporate employee training. What are the different models in which you are
working with them?
We're
working with NIIT to offer blended learning using edX courses to Indian
learners who require live tutor support. edX courses bundled with Instructor
support from NIIT is available across NIIT Learning Centres, Training.com for
individual learners as well as Corporates looking to upskill their workforce.
Q:Does edX have an edge over other MOOC players in India? Why?
“As
the only leading MOOC provider that is both nonprofit and open source, edX is
driven by our mission to democratize and re-imagine education by increasing
access to high-quality education and creating a culture of continuous, lifelong
learning.
Building
on this mission, edX is bridging the knowledge gap between education and the
workplace. By working with prestigious universities and top corporations to
develop programs in the most in-demand fields, edX is empowering learners and
professionals to gain deep, career-relevant knowledge. For example, the
MicroMasters initiative (more info included in the above answers) offers a
credential with a pathway to credit and helps learners launch or advance their
careers, and MOOC programs, like XSeries, offer a deep dive into exciting,
career-oriented subjects.”
Q:How much does an employer save if they train their employees on
MOOC platforms?
We
would not want to say this. Please use the messaging below:
India
is one of edX’s fastest growing geographies and we will continue to invest in
the country to drive this growth. MOOCs are a new-age model of learning that is
now well-recognized by learners as well as the wider ecosystem. We are now in
our second stage of growth with increased scope of corporate and strategic
collaborations in India. At edX, we have seen global companies saving up
to 80% on their L&D spent by replacing corporate training methods with
MOOCs. We are working with several corporates in India to adopt best practices
and maximise ROI by offering business support services e.g. customised catalog
integration on their own portal, ease of access and performance tracking
