Coursera

Coursera is an online learning platform that hosts courses from universities and companies. A course is a sequence of video lectures, readings, and graded assessments, and completion produces a certificate that can be verified through a public URL. The platform's distinguishing feature is the credential. Courses come from named institutions, and several are assembled into specialisations or professional certificates that represent a longer commitment. Graded work is submitted and evaluated, which is what separates the platform from a video library. The tradeoff is the format. A recorded course cannot adapt to a learner the way a tutor or a cohort programme can, and the completion rates for self-paced online courses are low across the category. The platform also sells degrees, which are a different commitment and price point from the individual courses.