The Coursera Podcast The Evolution of Online Learning with Dhawal Shah
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Jun 2, 2025 Dhawal Shah, Founder and CEO of Class Central, shares his inspiring journey through the evolution of online learning. He discusses the shift from early MOOCs to the significant impact of AI on education today. The conversation dives into how corporate partnerships are transforming learning methods and highlights the challenges learners face, particularly in motivation and course completion. Plus, Dhawal shares his top course recommendations and insights on creating engaging learning experiences, ensuring education remains accessible and effective for everyone.
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From Side Project To Full-Time Startup
- Dhawal launched Class Central as a side project after using early Stanford online courses to learn algorithms.
- He posted it on Hacker News and later turned it into a full-time startup after joining an incubator.
Structure And Community Fueled Early MOOCs
- Early MOOCs differed from OCW by offering structured assignments, grading, and active forums that made learners feel like they were taking a real course.
- That structure and community drove initial enthusiasm and high engagement during cohorts.
Product Packaging Drove Monetization
- Platforms experimented with packaging and monetization until models like specializations and professional certificates scaled.
- Iterative experiments shaped pricing and production standards across Coursera, edX, and Udemy.