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Who's Taking Columbia's Virology I MOOC?

Home > News & Updates > Who's Taking Columbia's Virology I MOOC?

The Virology I Coursera MOOC, taught by Columbia Professor Vincent Racaniello, launched on August 1. The course is now in its third week, and data from a “Getting to Know You” survey provides some information about the 30,355-person student body. About 9,300 students completed the survey.

According to the survey, Virology I students come from all over the world. The largest group is from North America (40%), followed by Europe (28%) and Asia (14%). Course administrators have noticed study groups of students on the discussion forums forming around a common city of residence or a shared language.

Virologyregion.png

The survey also asked students to identify their current role (students, hobbyist, industry professional, etc.). Half of the course participants identified themselves as students, while 5% identified themselves as an academic or professor. There is also a noticeable group of hobbyists (13%) learning about viruses.

Virologyrole.png

Students in the course are mostly in the 18-29 age range (55%). The number of students per age range drops steadily, with only about 1% of the students age 70 or above.

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As the course progresses, the Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) will continue to use Coursera’s statistics to measure student participation and performance.

Related news:
Aug-01-2013: Virology on Coursera Starts Today
Jun-27-2013: Columbia University Adds Virology to Open Online Course Offerings