By Namit Yadav, General Manager, Rhyme
In our research interviews, we find that learners consistently share their desire to work on projects that will demonstrate to employers their ability to apply a skill, or use a tool like Google Sheets, Python, or TensorFlow. In addition, educational psychology research shows that projects help students learn how to use their new skills in real-world environments.
Today, we are excited to introduce Guided Projects, a new hands-on learning experience now available on Coursera. With Guided Projects, you can gain job-relevant skills in less than two hours with step-by-step guidance from an instructor. Because they require a smaller time commitment and provide practice using tools in real-world scenarios, you build the job skills you need, right when you need them.
Gain job-relevant, in-demand skills
Have you ever wanted to learn how to create data visualizations with Tableau? Or learn to create an informative presentation with Google Slides? Or learn how to use TensorFlow to classify images?
With over 150 Guided Projects available now and hundreds more launching by the end of the year, you can learn a wide range of valuable, job-relevant skills. Projects cover everything from building foundational business, technology, and data skills, to learning techniques for transformational algorithms like neural networks and Markowitz models. Whatever your area of interest, Guided Projects offer focused and efficient ways to master in-demand skills.
Curated Guided Project collections
We encourage you to explore all Guided Projects on our platform, but you can get started with curated collections that focus on learning specific data science, business, or computer science skills:
- Acquire Business Skills with G Suite Apps
- Beginner TensorFlow and Keras Guided Projects
- Machine Learning Guided Projects with Scikit-Learn
- Software Development Projects for Beginners
- Android Development Projects for Beginners
The learning experience with Guided Projects
When you start a Guided Project, you’ll read an overview of the project structure, get introduced to your instructor, and see your learning objectives. You’ll then be prompted to open a tool called Rhyme to work on the project. Rhyme is a hands-on learning platform that provides a unique, side-by-side learning interface where you complete each step in a virtual workspace as you watch video instructions from your instructor on the other side of the screen. Your virtual workspace is a pre-configured cloud desktop, so all the software and data you need is available directly in your internet browser—you won’t need to install or download anything to start the project.
After you complete the project, you’ll return to your course homepage and take a quiz to check what you’ve learned. When you pass the quiz, you complete the Guided Project and earn a shareable certificate that showcases what you’ve learned.
With Guided Projects, you can feel confident about completing a project from start to finish because they’re self-paced, and an instructor guides you step-by-step. Most Guided Projects available on Coursera today are taught by instructors in the Coursera Project Network, a group of instructors who have demonstrated expertise in a tool or skill through industry experience or academic background in the topic of their project.
The future of hands-on learning on Coursera
The launch of Guided Projects is part of an ongoing effort to provide innovative, hands-on learning experiences on Coursera. We’ll continue to add opportunities like these—both within courses and as standalone offerings—as well as explore new ways for you to learn skills through interactive formats.
