There are plenty of online learning platforms you can use at any skill level and for any subject. Here, we take a look at some of the best.
Education is one of the most powerful things that a person can do, but often when we think of education, the first thing that comes to mind is the cost. Fortunately, there are plenty of online platforms that allow you to learn entirely for free.
Perhaps you’re looking to change careers, or just looking to help your children with their homework and need a refresher. Regardless of why, there’s an online learning platform that can help you educate yourself on just about anything. Here are five of the best for your consideration.
1. Khan Academy
First up on this list, we have Khan Academy. Khan Academy is an online learning platform that is entirely non-profit and accessible to anybody anywhere.
Khan Academy covers a wide range of different courses and education levels. The courses generally cover subjects at a middle school and high school level, though there are also AP courses and several courses dedicated to life skills.
The range here is impressive, with subjects such as Math, Science, Computing, Arts, and more all present. Each subject has plenty of courses to choose from based on what it is that you’re trying to learn as well.
The actual courses are approachable and include periodic quizzes and practice questions that you can use to check your understanding as you go.
What’s great about Khan Academy is that it not only allows anybody at any level to learn, but it also features integration for teachers. This makes Khan Academy one of many great tools to better engage online students, and can help you reach kids you otherwise couldn’t.
2. Coursera
Next up on this list comes Coursera. If you’ve ever thought about changing careers but have found the thought of retraining to be overwhelming, then Coursera might be able to propose a solution for you.
Coursera is an online learning platform that features a variety of courses that you can enroll in to earn online degrees and certificates. You can use these certificates to add to your resume if you’re looking for a great way how to create the perfect freelance CV, or add them to your LinkedIn profile.
The range of options with Coursera is impressive, and you can navigate through courses based on the role or career that you’re looking for.
It’s worth noting that Coursera isn’t entirely free, however. Some of the courses on offer require payments to complete, though there’s an impressive range of over 2,700 courses that you can take without spending a cent.
3. Udemy
If you’re looking to upskill or just have an interest that you’ve always wanted to explore, then Udemy might just have what you’re looking for.
Udemy is an online learning platform that offers a huge number of free online courses that you can use to achieve your goals. There are over 500 different courses available here, and the options are quite diverse.
Unlike some of the other entries on this list, Udemy focuses more on smaller lessons or brief courses. Most of these courses run for a number of hours, which means that you can get through them in an afternoon or weekend, as opposed to a couple of months.
This makes Udemy ideal for anybody who’s looking for a way to quickly learn more about a complicated topic. Udemy features paid courses, as well, which come with more support such as instructor direct messaging, and a certificate of completion, although this isn’t necessary to learn with Udemy.
4. TED-Ed
You’ve no doubt heard of the variety of great TED Talks that are out there, but did you know that there are actually plenty of TED features that you may not know about?
Take TED-Ed, for example. TED-Ed is an online learning platform that aims to tackle a wide variety of different topics in short, bite-sized features. The longest videos here are only half an hour long, and most tend towards running around about five minutes long.
TED-Ed features nearly 2,700 different lessons that you can watch, and it broaches a range of subjects across psychology, health, and how your brain works, to name a few.
On top of this, TED-Ed features collections of videos on a single topic, such as thinking like a coder, collections of poetry, and how our climate is changing.
You can also find interactive experiences on TED-Ed as well. These experiences are wide-spanning and feature a huge number of different quizzes and videos that you can use to learn more about a whole host of different subjects.
All of these ways to learn are entirely free, as TED is a non-profit organization. This means that you’re free to jump between videos and lessons as you see fit, with no fear of being locked out by a paywall.
5. Alison
Finally, we have Alison. Alison is an online learning platform that aims to make certificates and diplomas more accessible. If you’re looking for a free way to upskill or learn something new entirely, then Alison is a good option for exactly that.
Alison features over 4,000 courses that you can take on just about any subject. There are courses here for just about any discipline, so you should be able to find just about anything that you’re looking for.
What’s great about Alison is that there are no paid courses. You’ll need to make an account, but once you’ve done that, all there is to do is enrol in a course and start learning. It is worth noting, however, that if you want to receive an actual diploma or certificate for your learning, then you’ll need to purchase the document for Alison to post it to you.
You’ll be able to receive a learner record as proof of your completing the course regardless of whether or not you pay, however.
Learning Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive
As you can see, there are a wide variety of different ways to learn available entirely for free. Whether you’re looking to upskill, change careers, or just learn something new, there are options out there that let you do exactly that.