There is more to learn than ever before due to how quickly the world is changing and how quickly new industries are developing. Nowadays, the internet is a crucial resource for picking up new knowledge or skills in any subject. To share their expertise with a broad audience, experts in history, science, business, design, and other fields provide online courses using online learning platform.
Without needing to enroll in a normal university program, online learning is a practical option for those who want to further their education, pick up new skills, or change careers to acquire an excellent education at their own speed. These online learning environments may incorporate e-books, e-journals, and audio and video clips into their curriculum.
After finishing a course, several of these online learning platforms award a certificate. These online courses are available as either free content or as paid courses. Online learning courses typically include the core knowledge and themes in that field and are cheaper and shorter than full-time college courses.
1. Coursera
As one of the top suppliers of massive open online courses, Coursera works in partnership with institutions and groups everywhere to provide a range of in-depth courses to learners everywhere, both for money and for free.
One of the largest selections of degree programs, specialties, and university partners is offered by Coursera.
Coursera offers about a thousand free courses, many of which feature recorded video lectures from professionals at prestigious universities and companies. At the conclusion of the majority of these courses, students receive a certificate of completion.
2. Mindvalley
One of the top resources for personal development and transformation, in my opinion, is Mindvalley. Its objective is to enable students to achieve professional success while also releasing all of their physical, mental, and spiritual potential. The people who desire to quickly enhance many aspects of their lives are most suited for Mindvalley.
In Mindvalley’s library, there are more than 50 courses (or quests), all taught by leading authorities in their professions, including CEOs of sizable corporations, best-selling authors, celebrity coaches, well-known therapists and business owners, and prominent international speakers. Different categories have been established for the quests, including Mind, Body, Soul, Career, Entrepreneurship, Relationships, Kids, Teens, and Parenting, as well as Performance.
Each quest lasts between 30 and 50 days, and finishing the video-based lesson and practice activity each day typically takes less than 20 minutes.
In addition to unlimited access to all quests, Mindvalley Membership costs $499 annually and offers many benefits like official certifications for completed quests, monthly live coaching calls with Mindvalley authors, and even a 22-minute assessment that will help you identify the areas of your life that need your attention. Given how much you get for your money, I believe that the price is a great deal.
3. Udemy
Another well-known online learning portal is Udemy. It is the greatest when it comes to content because it has a large library with more than 150,000 courses. You may increase your knowledge and abilities with Udemy in any imaginable sector, from business and marketing to clowning and hand weaving. Udemy wants to revolutionize and democratize the educational system.
Udemy doesn’t offer limitless membership options like Skillshare, MasterClass, and LinkedIn Learning does; instead, you must pay for each course separately, which is plainly a drawback. The cost of the classes, though, starts at just $9. Additionally, you have 30 days to request a refund if you are unhappy with a course you have purchased.
The 13 areas that make up Udemy’s course catalog are: Business, Marketing, IT & Software, Office Productivity, Music, Personal Development, Teaching & Academics, Design, Lifestyle, Photography, Health & Fitness. There are beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels of instruction available for the courses. The fact that classes are offered in additional languages besides English, such as Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, German, and Spanish, is something I adore.
Although Udemy is not an authorized institution, completing a paid course earns you a certificate of completion. Each Udemy course comprises of a video tutorial; the typical course lasts 5 hours, while some are only 30 minutes long. In addition, certain courses may also include assignments, quizzes, practice exams, coding exercises, and other extra materials. Any Udemy course can be downloaded and viewed offline at any time.
STEM subjects—Science, Math, and Computer Science—are the main focus of the online learning platform Brilliant. Both adults and children (who are at least 10 years old) can take the courses. Brilliant is one of the greatest learning platforms, especially for young adults, because they strive to make learning enjoyable, interesting, and interactive.
Algebra, logic, advanced mathematics, calculus, geometry, classical physics, quantum mechanics, foundational computer science, and other topics are among the many courses you can master on Brilliant.
Brilliant offers annual and monthly subscriptions that give users complete access to all of the platform’s courses as well as a huge number of practice tests on a variety of subjects.
Although I think Brillian is a fantastic platform, it is mostly suited to people with an interest in math and computer science because it mainly covers STEM courses. Anyone interested in a free 7-day trial of Brilliant can do so.
5. Edx.org
One of the top sources for online courses at the college level is edX. The company was established by Harvard and MIT, and the courses are of the highest caliber. Except for the professional education courses, all of the courses on edX can be taken for free.
You must sign up for the Audit Track in order to participate in the course for free. All course materials, including lectures, videos, ungraded assignments, and reading, are accessible to students enrolled in the Free (Audit) Track for the duration of the course. You won’t get certified completion certificates or graded assignments, though.
You must sign up for the Paid (Verified) Track if you wish to gain access to graded assignments and receive a certificate upon completion. The certificate can be included in your LinkedIn profile or CV. You will have the option to convert to the Verified Track if you enroll in the Audit Track but later decide that you wish to acquire the certificate. Make sure to verify the upgrade deadline for each course before continuing.
The online learning platform edX offers more than 2,500 courses on a range of subjects, including biology and life sciences, architecture, chemistry, art and culture, electronics, education and teacher preparation, medicine, food & nutrition, physics, science, music, law, history, language, and environmental studies.
Although English is the language used for most courses, there are also those that are offered in Chinese, Russian, French, Italian, Spanish, etc. There are classes for beginners, intermediate students, and advanced students. The coursework often consists of assignments as well as text and video content. Additionally, there are class discussions where you can engage in conversation with other students and ask questions. Group projects are assigned in some courses. Any edX course can be downloaded for offline watching.
8. Futurelearn
A platform for online learning called Futurelearn provides hundreds of courses from the top universities in the globe. The majority of courses can be audited without charge, but you must upgrade to a paid course to gain access to course exams and a Statement of Participation or Certificate of Achievement. For $249,99 a year, you may get an unrestricted subscription that gives you access to more than 600 short courses.
The majority of courses also include reading materials, brief quizzes, and audio and video content. Every student has the ability to post questions and engage in discussions with teachers and other students. Assignments are part of some courses, and examinations are available if your course has been improved.
Futurelearn provides premium courses for a cost in addition to its free courses. For those who prefer to learn in a small group setting and who want to develop their professions, premium courses are ideal. Several categories are used to categorize premium courses: Business and management, teaching, IT and digital skills, and healthcare
To round up our list of the top online learning resources, we recommend checking out Shaw Academy, YouTube (where Harvard uploads its computer science classes), and Alison.com. Making the most of your education is what’s most crucial. You must follow this method when selecting a platform; select one that will enable you to get the most out of it.