How to Use Coursera App for Online Learning?

Whether you want to pursue an MBA or master’s degree in public health, learn job-ready skills like coding or get a specialization in information technology, the Coursera app appears to your service. The app is tailored for online learning across diverse disciplines and typically keeps no age bars for learners. With over 1 crore downloads and 4.6 ratings, Coursera is one of the most popular apps for online learning today. Here’s how to get started with it and use all its features efficiently.      

An Overview of the Coursera App

Coursera is one of the top online learning platforms, offering flexible, affordable, and job-ready courses to individuals and organisations across the globe. It also has an in-app version for both Android and iOS users. 

Founded in 2012, Coursera comes with a wide range of hands-on projects, courses to gain new knowledge, and specializations to job-specific certificates and degree programs. At present, Coursera boasts 148 million learners worldwide.   

Also Read: Top Online Platforms to Learn Data Science 

How to Start Using the Coursera App? 

You can sign up for the Coursera app and start using it in three quick steps! 

Step 1: Go to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, search for the Coursera app on the search bar, and install the app on your device. 

Step 2: Once the app is installed and downloaded, open it, and hit the “Sign Up” button. 

Step 3: Now, you have to fill out your name, email address, and password or simply link your Coursera account with your Google or Facebook account, and click on “Join for Free”.  

That’s all! You can now log in to your profile and start exploring the various enrollment options available on the Program Home Page. You can even use the magnifying glass icon to search for specific courses or tap on the “Catalog” tab to navigate through the courses curated for you. Further, to see course details and requirements, simply click on the specific course! 

Also Read: How to Use IndiaBix for Testing Your Aptitude? 

How to Effectively Use The Coursera App for Online Learning? 

To pursue online learning effectively on the Coursera app, here are the most significant tips to follow!

Get Thoroughly Accustomed to the Coursera App Interface   

The first and foremost way to use the Coursera app effectively for your online learning is to get acquainted with the app interface thoroughly. After you enroll for a course on Coursera, it automatically appears under the “My Courses” section and you can enter the course anytime by hitting the Resume/Preview button. 

Here, you can track your entire course progress at once, identifying what you need to do next. You can see your grades on the “Grades” tab and find which assignment is due or overdue. When you want to switch between learning programs, go to the “Explore” tab, click on “Switch Catalog” and select the program you want to avail of therein. To access your certificates, you need to navigate to the “Accomplishments” tab on the “My Coursera” page.  

Access The Diverse Course Materials and Keep Learning 

The Coursera app offers a variety of learning materials from bite-sized tutorial videos, readings, quizzes, assignments, and more. To make your online learning via Coursera more effective, utilize and learn from all sorts of materials. The video segment entails interactive and searchable transcripts to get quick access to a particular lesson concept. There are over 35 languages subtitled on these videos (subject to availability across Android and iOS). 

The Coursera app allows you to retake quizzes and assignments whenever you need to improve your scores or if you fail to pass them the first time.  Such a feature is vital for understanding the areas you have improved and where there’s more room for it. The quiz section brings in variety too, from MCQs and fill-in-the-blanks to short-form Q/A and even long-form Q/A.      

Also Read: Best Online Learning Apps for Competitive Exams in India 

Take Notes and Create Bookmarks for Lesson Revisions  

Another crucial way to use the Coursera app effectively for your online learning is by leveraging its unique note-taking and bookmarking features. By availing of these features, you can highlight specific points in the video transcripts. The Coursera app also allows you to take screenshots of visuals, such as graphs or diagrams, and add them to your notes. 

Ultimately, there is a centralized storage for keeping all your saved notes from each week in one place. This can certainly help you retrieve the notes easily at any time and revise them as per your need.  

Attend Live Events for Better Comprehension of Lessons 

The Coursera app offers on-demand online lectures by industry experts and specialized educators for different courses. Your online learning pursuit via Coursera would be effective when you keep an eye on the dates and times of such live events and attend them from the start.  

The live lectures are the best way to understand the lessons better. It can help you raise questions and resolve your doubts immediately, comprehending complex concepts with ease. 

Leverage The Discussion Forum for Shared Learning  

Coursera brings in discussion forums for each course, encouraging shared learning. On this forum, you can ask for feedback on your assignments from your peers and discuss ideas related to your course. These forums can be accessed through the left-hand-side menu on the course page.   

Yes. Persistently using the the discussion forum can be effective for your online learning as it would enable you to learn and master new concepts and best practices, collectively, with like-minded students. You can constantly get fresh perspectives and logic for a specific lesson conceptualization herein.   

Also Read: Top Apps to Learn Coding Online  

To sum up, Coursera is an easy-to-use and effective platform/app for online learning. However, what makes Coursera more popular is the opportunity it offers to apply for financial aid if you can’t afford a particular course but want a certification or degree. You can even get several free courses to begin with! In addition, the app comes with offline functionalities as well!