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By Tim Hannan, Chief Marketing Officer, Coursera
Since our establishment in 2012, Coursera has diligently worked to enhance access to exceptional education. Throughout the years, we’ve implemented features such as course auditing, financial assistance, and AI-driven translation services to make learning available to as many individuals as possible. Today, we’re advancing this journey by unveiling a new course preview option that provides learners with a richer, more significant method to investigate content prior to committing to a full course.
This innovative model supersedes our previous audit experience and allows learners to access the first module of nearly all courses on Coursera for free. This includes comprehensive access to essential platform functionalities, like graded assignments and Coursera Coach, whenever available in the course. Our initial trials indicate that the entire array of course features is fostering increased engagement and course completions among our learners, expediting their journey to skill proficiency. To bolster global accessibility, we’re also initiating localized pricing while maintaining options and assistance for learners in need of financial support.
Here’s what the enhanced experience offers:
- Complimentary Course Preview: Learners can delve into the first module of most courses at no cost—complete with evaluations, video content, and AI-enhanced support features such as Coach.
- Free Community Impact Courses: Learners will gain free entry to specific courses addressing pressing social issues—such as mental health, refugee assistance, and public health.
- Localized Pricing: We have rolled out updated geopricing models that reflect regional purchasing capacities and ensure affordability in emerging markets.
- Financial Aid: Eligible learners can continue to apply for financial assistance to gain full access to course materials and certificates at no charge or at a decreased cost.
This progression signifies a new phase in how we welcome learners to their journey on Coursera—one that is more captivating, more accessible, and more closely aligned with their objectives from the outset, while supporting the long-term expansion and influence of our platform. We are thrilled to build this future in collaboration with our global community of learners, partners, and institutions.
The post Introducing Coursera’s new course preview experience: A more meaningful way to start learning appeared first on Coursera Blog.
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