Today starts a new, coordinated, opportunity in online learning called The mechanical MOOC. This is particularly interesting and important, because it’s the first full on collaboration of online learning that includes P2PU (Peer to Peer University), MIT OpenCourseWare and Codecademy. I’m taking part!

The course is ‘A gentle introduction to Python’. As some of the recent emails I’ve received have noted, it will be using a smattering of various online free educational resources in order to provide lesson and lecture materials.

They’ll be using the MIT OCW Intro to Computer Science course, of which I’ve completed about half. They’ll also be using some of Codecademy. To prepare I’m hoping to get some python course work in on Codecademy before the MOOC starts up. Then I’ll have sufficient experience with most of the sites they’ll be using, so the entire experience should go smoothly.

One thing I will have to work on… using forums and my peers to enhance my education. Mostly I just chat with friends online, I’ve never been a frequent participator in online forums or QA sections.

I will also have to work on NOT relying on Robey to answer my questions for me. I will be doing my utmost to simply ask questions and seek answers through my online peers. Definitely difficult, by no means impossible.

Woot, woot, all forward with the Mechanical MOOC!