What’s wrong with learning for the sake of learning?

Nothing at all, and that, I guess, is the reason behind many Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs. Most are free and the variety of courses available is astounding.

Want to learn about psychic auras? They’ve got you covered. Want to learn how to identify a dead body? Done.

It’s the changing face of education and it’s here to stay, so HR managers and companies are beginning to adjust.

This, from the Financial Post, makes that case.

“In the past, HR professionals would have dismissed a resumé featuring online courses or degrees, but not anymore. In an era when not every professional has the time or money to attend formal college or university courses, tools such as Coursera are becoming a viable alternative.”

Critics say that MOOCs aren’t successful because most participants drop out. It’s easy to sign up, hard to finish.

Proponents say MOOCs have a lot going for them and have changed education in a good way. This article lists five ways that MOOCs have made a positive impact on participants.

It’s time to embrace MOOCs and their role in the development of a job candidate. Perhaps they’ve taken a course on accounting in hopes of moving to a new position — that has value beyond the new skills they’ve learned. It shows initiative and intelligence, two qualities that are valued in any field.

Never let yourself stop learning.