Online courses can be a great, remote way to learn a new skill, learn more about a topic you’re interested in, and learn information for a class you have! With some courses created by universities such as Stanford, UPenn, and Duke, it’s clear that online courses can be very valuable, with highly-qualified instructors. These courses also cover a vast amount of skills, ranging from creative ones like graphic design and painting, to more technical ones like computer science and data science. There’s a course for everyone, basically.
Wondering where to find trustworthy online courses? Well, you’re in luck! Here are three websites that offer online courses, attracting thousands of visitors:
1. Coursera:
With over 3,900 courses, Coursera has an enormous amount of topics to choose from. Some of its most popular courses include ones about medical research, learning Japanese, and programming. Course previews will usually show you the amount of hours it should take, the syllabus, and the reviews from other learners. Although it does cost money to receive a certificate at the end (the price varies from course to course), many courses offer free access to all the material and assignments. Besides these features, it should be noted that Coursera is partnered with amazing organizations/colleges like Google, Stanford, and Yale, who help create some courses.
2. Udemy
Udemy is another valuable website, having over 130,000 courses. It also has a broad range of categories, some of its top ones being design, business, and photography. There’s a great feature on the site that gives you personalized learning recommendations after you answer a few questions about your interests too. Some courses can cost a large amount of money but, similar to Coursera, there are hundreds of free courses available. Udemy also collaborates with big companies like Adidas and Mercedes-Benz.
3. Edx
Edx is just as good as Udemy and Coursera, offering 2,500 courses taught by 140 leading institutions. Some of its most popular topics include computer science, business management, and language. It's also partnered with impressive schools like Harvard, UC Berkeley, and Brown. Edx also includes free courses like Udemy and Coursera!
Should You Pay for Courses or Do Free Courses?
One question that can come up during online courses is whether paid courses are worth it. If you want to have a certificate or have access to unlimited courses, you will need to pay at least a little bit of money. However, if you just want to do a course to improve your skills or learn new knowledge, the hundreds of free courses available are pretty sufficient! Overall, it’s your choice on whether or not you want to pay.
In Conclusion…
These three listed websites are great resources to find educational online courses that you can do in your free-time. They have a wide variety of topics and skills to choose from, making them suitable for any person. Some instructors being professors at top universities is an added bonus! Ultimately, if you ever find yourself feeling stunted in your learning, or if you want to learn more about a certain subject, give an online course a try!