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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential by McMaster University

4.8
stars
12,626 ratings

About the Course

Mindshift is designed to help boost your career and life in today’s fast-paced learning environment. Whatever your age or stage, Mindshift teaches you essentials such as how to get the most out of online learning and MOOCs, how to seek out and work with mentors, the secrets to avoiding career ruts (and catastrophes) and general ruts in life, and insights such as the value of selective ignorance over general competence. We’ll provide practical insights from science about how to learn and change effectively even in maturity, and we’ll build on what you already know to take your life’s learning in fantastic new directions. This course is designed to show you how to look at what you’re learning, and your place in what’s unfolding in the society around you, so you can be what you want to be, given the real world constraints that life puts on us all. You’ll see that by using certain mental tools and insights, you can learn and do more—far more—than you might have ever dreamed! This course can be taken independent of, concurrent with, or subsequent to, its companion course, Learning How to Learn. (Mindshift is more career focused, and Learning How to Learn is more learning focused.)...

Top reviews

EC

Aug 26, 2020

I enjoyed this course very much. I am 64-years-old and this course taught me that you can learn anything new no matter what age you are. I am now broadening my passions and learning is a lot more fun.

DI

Oct 30, 2020

Great course! This is a lot more general than Learning about Learning but is also useful nonetheless. I like the focus on keeping positive and being confident in your potential despite our weaknesses.

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426 - 450 of 3,612 Reviews for Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential

By Jana

Jun 26, 2018

Aside Learning How to Learn, Mindshift is the course which helps you take a lead of your own life and have a look at your career from another perspective. The input si clear, the lectures keep your attention from the beginning to the end since the information is transmitted in an extemely memorable way. The instructors are talking from their own experience. I also love this course for not being purely psychological but for scientific and real life context. To conclude, if I were to describe the course in one word, it would be professionalism.

By Pernille O F

May 5, 2018

This is a course which will enrich you thinking and the way you approach future learning. It will show you why and how you keep your mind, your knowledge and your learning fresh, bendable and thriving.

The knowledge of learning, of altering your mindset and especially of the connection to the functions of the brain are all of importance for the quality of your life now and in the future.

Enjoy the many layers of this course. Enjoy every corner of the learning. And know you did not see all the corners - there is still much, much more to learn.

By Dwiriyo S S

Mar 31, 2020

I love this course! I like how this course is well-prepared and Prof. Barbara Oakley is very good at presenting ideas. I got a lot of new information throughout this course and I can apply it immediately in my life. The advice from course is relatable and comes from reliable sources. All of the videos from the course are thoroughly prepared and the reference are from trustworthy journal of science. I got a chance to complete this course during quarantine, and it took me only 3 days to finish it! I recommend you to take this course!

By Sameer D

Jan 24, 2022

The course is very helpful in the way it gives you information about the world, yourself and the interactions between the two. This helps you in learning new things, gaining self awareness and feeling more confident in your career and life.

The instructors are very enthusiastic and really help you feel connected to the content. The presentation is also very engaging and catchy.

If you take it seriously and do all the exercises sincerely, it can really help you break through obstacles to learning and discover your hidden potential.

By Pamela M I

Dec 16, 2021

This was very useful after the "Learn how to learn course'. It was certainly deeper and mentally more strenuous. For me the hardest component was the "Memory Tips". I either just could not get it but I found them hard to put into practice. It is the one thing that I cannot pretend that I can even attempt to explain it to myself...let alone a 5 year old! Nonetheless, what I have received in this MOOC will most certainly catapult me into my next career adventure of coaching the adult learner into lifetime learning (fingers crossed!)

By Chester H

Oct 4, 2020

This course is recommended to me after Learning How to Learn. It is a great course as it teach me how to shift my mind to learning new skills. It is useful to acquire new skills as well as complement my existing one is this new information economy. I am grateful to learn techniques and direction towards my career building process. Lastly, this course also help me to discover my hidden potential as I work through the exercise of skills stack. I recommend it to anyone who is in the process to build or switch career. Happy Learning!

By Lenin L

Jun 21, 2020

This is an amazing course, for people of all ages and background. Even if you already have some experience in a broad range of areas, this could help you understand the logic behind its usefulness in real world application. You will enjoy a relaxed pace course and great tips in how to tackle procrastination once and for all and many others. If you're committed to make the best version of yourself, then this MOOC will help you achieve that. Thanks Dr. Barbara and Dr. Terrence for such a nice course. Totally recommended!

By Karis

May 21, 2020

Serendipity.

That is the one word that sure describes my encounter with Mindshift. It was a happy chance meeting that delivered more than I expected in learning how to learn.

Mindshift opened for me a whole new vista of possibilities in learning turning previously held misconceptions about education into opportunities for personal and career growth. The course built a new mindset in me that changed "I don't have the talent" to "I can develop the talent."

Thanks a lot, Prof. Barbara and Dr. Terry. You made learning fun.

By Alison M

Apr 22, 2020

This course was packed with information on how to be a better learner, including tips on how to study, increase comprehension and retention, avoid procrastinating, and be more creative. As a university graduate and young professional, I wasn't sure how much value I would get from this course... But I am so glad I gave it a try! The professor, Barb Oakley, is super engaging (I am only a little biased as a McMaster alumni myself). This inspired me to take more MOOCs & continue with lifelong learning. Highly recommend!

By Gabriela

Sep 2, 2017

I have to admit I find Learning How to Learn a better MOOC than this one but I can't act like this one is bad because it isn't!!! This is a great MOOC for those who haven't taken LHTL and for those who are thinking in changing their career choice or those who want to learn something completely different to what you know. This is not a deep academic course but rather a well done motivational MOOC that gives you pretty good tips to implement changes in your life that will help you to keep your mind and career fresh.

By Anna S

Jun 2, 2020

This course is definitely worth taking: on the one hand, you gain a deeper understanding of all that you’ve studied in the “Learning How To Learn” MOOC, on the other hand, you reveal new prospects for further development. Personally, I enjoyed the tutorials which contained psychological tricks, like reframing or dealing with push backs from others. Additionally, I loved the fact that the videos concerned such vital topics as distinguishing between your passions and a career path; mentorship; learning on-line.

By Karl B

Feb 1, 2018

Mindshift had a lot of useful information and was quite fun. Even more so the course took on a mentor role which was completely unexpected. It re-framed a number of personal issues I was seeing as obstacles and flaws as things to work with that also had beneficial qualities. It corrected a number of misconceptions I had that turned around and supercharged my curiosity. I loved Learning How to Learn and was eager to take Mindshift. It surpassed my expectations and changed my perspectives in a very positive way.

By Morgan M

Oct 16, 2020

This was a simple yet effect course which has helped me become more confident in myself and trust that I will be successful in the future. My favourite part of the course was learning the Pomodoro Technique, among several other incredible tips and tricks to help one become more successful and happy. I would highly reccommend this course to anyone of any age, specifically those who recently graduated university or college, however, as I recently have and found the information to be very applicable to my life.

By ARR

Nov 13, 2017

Simple but pointed content. I wish I could measure the increase of my performance before and after this course because I am sure there will be a quantifiable increase.

I am taking this course in conjunction with the course "Bhuddism and modern psychology " hosted by Princeton. The mindshift course has helped be be more patient with myself, and the other course has helped point out how I have been driven by emotional decision making and emotional distractions which is helping me make small changes daily.

By Oindrila A

May 29, 2020

This was a great course. I could feel a lot of the techniques working as I was taking it for few days. Really helps to reframe and think about your potential in a different way. People who are especially struggling with learning or teaching should definitely give this a try. Even if you don't wish to learn anything, still this course can help change your perspective about life in general.The teachers are simply great. Without such a pleasant interaction the understanding of concepts can never be fulfilled.

By Debbie W

Jun 7, 2020

This was a short, simple course that provides some great insights into how to become better lifelong learners. I really liked that the content was broken into short chunks (sometimes videos would last just 2 minutes), which felt really manageable. It was evident that a lot of thought went into the design of the course, and that the design incorporated insights from psychology and neuroscience in order to help us learn better. You can't really lose anything by taking this course - but you can gain a lot!

By Mohak P

Jun 22, 2020

Extremely engaging and uplifting MOOC, and the most needed in this time of devastation caused by COVID-19.

Thank you, instructors. This course really inspired me to build my skill stack and develop a positive outlook. Truly, 'nothing is as bad when you look at it, there is always a silver lining ', and 'no skill is inferior to the other'. Who knows when the situation may arise when you would get a chance to apply something you had learnt long ago! And your weakness could be your greatest strengths!

By Matias M

Nov 3, 2019

Excelente curso. Muy útil para aquellas personas que no se sienten capaces de emprender nuevas aventuras de estudio, o de personas que tienen ganas de cambiar sus vidas, ya sea en lo labora, como en lo profesional. Te da nuevos y refrescantes puntos de vista sobre el aprendizaje, y derriba muchos mitos sobre el aprendizaje, y la capacidad de aprender a medida que envejecemos. Además, tiene un gran valor motivacional. Barbara y su equipo han hecho, una vez mas, un gran trabajo!! Gracias por todo!!

By Pamela F

Oct 29, 2020

Even if you already know some of these concepts, you may understand them in a new way because of the way they are presented. The course is encouraging and broken into small parts. If you miss a deadline, you can easily set a new one. This helped keep me going, as I have a tendency not to finish courses. I took Barbara Oakley's last course but prefer this one, maybe because I needed a refresher. I know that I will use some of the insights and methods I learned in this class. Highly recommended.

By Shafira A

Jul 2, 2020

i feel better and healthier because of learning lifestyle from this MOOC. i'd make the meaningful changes to the way i think, learn, and live. also, i have tried to learn until i comfortable with the subject and to be flexible in this rapidly changing world.

in addition, my insight is very open when i know about mental tricks and some techniques that provided by this course especially about the context which i view something doesn't really matter through reframing bad traits as best traits.

By Cynthia B

Mar 30, 2020

The course was every bit and more than what I expected it to be. It was both innovative and enjoyable. The Instructors helped me to see learning in a whole new light. The course also inspired me to purchase the book Mindshift because the course only touches on a few tips but there's a whole lot more to learn inside the book. Thank you for allowing this course to become available for curious minds such as myself that have a heart to learn without hurting our wallets at a time like this.

By Muna R A S

Oct 2, 2021

"Mindshift" is mind blowing! I learned that I can change my weakness to my advantage. We all go through alot of struggles nowadays. So we can have a better life by Firstly, developing a new belief system. Secondly, On going learning, being Pro Active in everything we learn, Lastly, Reading 20 minutes a day will change your life in a more positive way. Be smarter and healthier. Please note. This course has a lot to offer and is uplifting. Totally, Recommend it ;) Happy Learning Everyone.

By Wai L L

Dec 2, 2017

The course provides different angles of viewing the non-alignments between our passion and career. Those tips or tricks provided to solve such incompatibilities are very practical and well supported by neural science. The discussion exercises or peer assignments are also very encouraging and thoughtful. The presentation is interesting and fun too. Thanks two professors, community mentors, Coursera staffs, and fellow classmates for making this course so useful as well as valuable.

By Enoch P

Jun 29, 2020

The course talks about how our brain reacts to various stimuli and the process involved in innovation and learning. Understanding these hacks are invaluable in hacking your brain to perform tasks such as focusing, memorizing and being creative. It also helps you overcome any emotional blocks you may have through techniques such as framing, again this is based on neurological data.

Very helpful course and I would recommend it to anyone irrespective of what stage of life you are in.

By arnuld

Apr 9, 2020

From their earlier MOOC, authors have taken a step-up and this is bigger and detailed version of Learning How to Learn. I think if anyone can take one MOOC in their lifetime, then this would be it. Doesn't matter what kind of profession you are in, this will teach you facts with latest scientific proofs and explanations how does your mind work. Somethings will take you by surprise for sure. And yet, every single explanation has been made so simple and straightforward. 5/5 stars.