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MOOCROSOFT tosses seven proper tech courses online at edX

Redmond wants Reg-reading types to upgrade your brain for the cloud/mobile age

Microsoft has clambered further aboard the massive online open courseware (MOOC) bandwagon by announcing seven software development courses to be hosted on the MIT-and-Harvard-governed edX education platform.

Microsoft's been an edX partner for a while, but to date hasn't done much of the university-grade vocational courses other participants have published. Redmond's also targeting these courses at tyros and established IT pros. The courses look to have the potential to satisfy the latter, as they comprise:

  • Programming with C#
  • Introduction to TypeScript
  • Introduction to Bootstrap
  • Querying with Transact SQL
  • Building Cloud Apps with Microsoft Azure
  • Introduction to Office 365 APIs
  • Windows PowerShell Fundamentals

Moocrosoft's using the usual “we're doing this so you can realise your dreams and your potential” language, but is also being a little more blatant about what's in it for Redmond, namely equipping people to work in “our mobile-first, cloud-first world.”

As is usually the case with MOOCs, participating in the courses is free but achieving recognition for completing them costs money. The courses we've glanced at charge US$90 for a “Verified Certificate” that edX feels are sufficient to impress an employer, although we're told some of the courses go up to $200. There's also a free option of an “Honor Code Certificate” that means edX is satisfied you did all the lessons and coursework.

At $90 or $200, a Verified Certificate is cheap by the standards of much IT training. The jury's largely out on employer and headhunter attitudes to this kind of achievement. ®

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