An online series of classes offered by Arizona State University has the highest combined learner rating and course completion rate for any class available on the Coursera platform. The “Teach English Now!” specialization, produced by ASU’s Global Launch, received Coursera’s inaugural Learners First award in recognition of the accomplishment.
The “Teach English Now!” specialization boasts a completion rate of 20 percent, higher than the 9 percent average reported by Cousera for other massive online open courses on its platform. The specialization boasts 32,000 active learners amongst 67,000 enrolled in the course.
The high ratings for the course highlight how ASU successfully made its educational offerings available to students across the globe. As a leader in online education, the university offers innovative programs for all learners. Through programs such as ASU Online, the Global Freshman Academy and the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, ASU offers opportunities online for students to earn degrees online or develop new skills.
“ASU, as the most innovative university in the country, continues to make high-quality courses available to students around the world,” said Phil Regier, university dean for educational initiatives and CEO of EdPlus at ASU.
“Teach English Now!” is the first of two specializations that allow users to earn a TESOL certificate from ASU, enabling them to teach English to non-native speakers. This specialization teaches students the theories associated with language learning. The second specialization provides instruction on the practice of teaching English.
“We wanted to create a space that is visually interesting and enriching for the student,” said Shane Dixon, a senior international educator at Global Launch. “With my colleague Dr. Justin Shewell, we put a lot of thought into how online instruction differs from an in-class experience to keep students engaged.”
The online TESOL certificate is part of the Global Launch’s efforts to provide students with important skills to succeed internationally. In addition to its offerings through Coursera, Global Launch brings teachers from around the world to provide them with the skills and knowledge to provide English instruction. The organization also offers programs that support international students at ASU.
“Language teachers are able to impact hundreds of students, and each student then has a broader and more complete perspective of the world,” said Julia Rosen, managing director of Global Launch. “ASU is helping prepare students to think and act globally.”
Coursera awarded ASU’s Global Launch Initiative with the inaugural Learners First award in recognition of the high-quality instruction provided to students through the “Teach English Now!” specialization. The award singles out the specialization as one of the most relevant courses to Coursera’s 18 million users out of 1,800 available classes on the platform.
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