Friday, October 17, 2014

Online Mooc courses deliver Ebola health advice - Sean Coughlan, BBC

Online courses are delivering health advice about preventing the spread of Ebola to thousands of people in West Africa. The so-called Mooc providers - massive open online courses - are using their reach to provide information about the deadly virus. So far, 10,000 people have completed a free online course, Understanding the Ebola Virus and How You Can Avoid It. The provider, Alison, has 250,000 students using courses in West Africa. The Ebola outbreak has caused 3,400 deaths, mostly in West Africa, and the online course teaches about the signs and symptoms of infection and how to avoid getting infected. The course, which can be accessed on a mobile phone, is aimed at people living in regions affected by the virus and there are assessments on how the virus can be transmitted and treated. http://www.bbc.com/news/education-29521360