No matter what life stage you’re in, you will always be learning. Whether you’re still in high school, attending a post-secondary education, or trying to spruce up your resume, learning something new is a beautiful feeling and accomplishment.
If you’re out of formal education, finding time to take a new course or learn a new skill can be challenging. Luckily, you don’t have to spend your precious time attending late-night classes at a local high school to get new accreditation. And that’s thanks to online learning.
Online learning has become especially popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, as we were all forced to study or work from home. This has also led to an increase in the number of users registered on online learning websites.
So, since today is Online Learning Day, here are five websites you should check out if you want to learn something new:
1. FutureLearn
Founded in 2012, FutureLearn is a British online learning company that offers short courses, micro-credentials, and full degrees. A lot of courses and credentials are free, so you can learn at your own pace without spending a dime. But if you’re looking for an upgrade, many payment plans are available that are pretty affordable.
The great thing about FutureLearn is that all the courses on the platform come from reputable universities. Some of the institutions providing courses for FutureLearn include the University of Colorado, the University of Glasgow, King’s College London, and Trinity College Dublin, just to name a few.
2. Skillshare
Skillshare is yet another platform for online learning that’s worth trying out. Unlike on FutureLearn, you have to create an account and pay for a subscription to access the courses. Luckily, the prices are reasonable and include all content on the platform, no matter the topic.
Skillshare offers short courses, certificates, and educational videos on almost any topic, from creative writing to cooking. As a result, it’s a perfect choice for those trying to learn life skills without spending months on a traditional course.
3. Udemy
At Udemy, you can both learn and teach. This online learning platform offers plenty of short and long courses, allowing you to become an instructor and teach others. Udemy also offers subscriptions for individuals as well as institutions, so you can help train your employees.
This platform is a particularly great choice for those trying to learn coding, as it offers a ton of short courses and credentials that explain coding and all that it entails in a simple, easy-to-follow way.
4. LinkedIn Learning
Even though LinkedIn is primarily known for job search and networking, this website offers courses, too. In most cases, you need a paid subscription to use this feature, but LinkedIn often offers a free trial you can use to try their learning section.
Most LinkedIn Learning courses are in the form of short videos, so this can be a more suitable option for those who struggle with reading large amounts of text.
5. Coursera
Coursera works with top universities and organizations to offer its users access to plenty of short courses, certifications, and full degrees. Some courses are entirely free, while others require a paid upgrade. So, there’s something for every budget.
This learning platform allows you to learn at your own pace, helping everyone achieve their learning goals.
We live in the age of technology, so there’s no shortage of online platforms that can help you learn whatever you want whenever you want. So whether you are considering a career change or simply want to learn something new, consider trying one of these platforms!
Have you tried any online learning platforms? Let us know in the comments below.
Featured image via Vlada Karpovich on Pexels
By enhancing accessibility, engagement, and effectiveness in education, video streaming has completely transformed the way we learn. It enables flexibility, fits various learning styles, and improves the entire learning process. We should anticipate many more creative use of video streaming in online education as technology develops, greatly enhancing the way we learn in the digital era. Adopting this medium can expand educational opportunities and enable students to realize their full potential.
A good example of gamification is the Khan Academy platform. In addition to the standard leaderboards, medals and progress points, this application has a feature called Skill Tree. It visualizes the learning subject in the form of a branching tree so that the user can see the direction of learning and his progress in mastering the “skill”.