The freeCodeCamp Podcast #106 The History of Online Courses with Class Central Founder Dhawal Shah
Dec 8, 2023
Dhawal Shah, creator of Class Central, discusses the history of online courses and the early 2010s MOOC revolution. He shares his childhood in India, winning a computer, and his experience studying computer science at Georgia Tech. Shah also talks about starting Class Central, the challenges of being an immigrant, and the advantages of PHP for web development. He explores the journey of Class Central, the benefits of online courses for career advancement, and the evolution of MOOCs. He also discusses the challenges of offering free and paid courses, hiring practices, and using the Pomodoro technique for productivity.
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Introduction
00:00 • 2min
The Evolution of Online Courses
02:03 • 13min
The Changing Landscape of Indian University Applications
15:12 • 9min
Watching Cable TV and Learning English
23:52 • 15min
Studying Computer Science at Georgia Tech
38:48 • 9min
The Early Days of Entrepreneurship and Creating Class Central
47:54 • 2min
Overcoming Challenges as an Immigrant
49:28 • 4min
Climate Differences, Commute Challenges, and PHP Passion
53:47 • 2min
The Advantages of PHP for Web Development and Its Evolution
55:42 • 2min
The Journey of Class Central and the Early Days of Online Courses
57:20 • 11min
Online Courses and Career Advancement
01:08:19 • 10min
Evolution of MOOCs and the Benefits of Remote Work
01:18:34 • 6min
The Challenges of Offering Free and Paid Courses
01:24:12 • 15min
The Challenges of Hiring and Building a Team
01:38:43 • 12min
Balancing Roles and Using the Pomodoro Technique
01:50:22 • 2min
Recommended Online Courses: Mountains 101 and Stand for Data Structures
01:52:01 • 5min