Coursera has introduced Coursera Labs, a new offering that allows learners to work hands-on with almost any third-party software application, without any environment setup or software downloads.
Labs projects can be stand-alone or integrated into course offerings. By simply clicking a button, learners will be able to work on programming assignments using “in-demand tools” such as Jupyter Notebook, RStudio, VS Code, cloud software consoles and “almost any” native desktop application, according to a news announcement. Educators can also create custom applications in the Labs environment to help learners learn skills in business, marking and humanities.
The new feature comes on the heels of Coursera’s acquisition of Rhyme Softworks, an online platform for hands-on projects. The company plans to “use Rhyme to extend the capabilities [offered] with Coursera Labs.”