Back in the day, school had only one meaning. Get up from bed in the morning and go to a physical building. Sit in an assigned class with a lecturer speaking at you. Get home, study and write exams. At the end of the program, you move to the next phase where you begin the cycle again. Thankfully, the internet has really helped us evolve in terms of learning.
Digital learning offers limitless resources and has many benefits. It also offers the option to experience formal education with less rigidity. As we grow older and start to become busier, it’s not always possible to take time off and go to another country or even stay within your city to go to school. Learning online provides more flexibility and you can learn from anywhere. Let’s not forget, it can also be cheaper.
Below are a few resources to help you consider online learning either professionally or out of curiosity.
Coursera
This platform gives you access to a vast array of courses from professional, graduate-level to hands-on skills. Some courses are free and some are paid for. You can get accredited at different levels, from a simple audit to full degree certification. Some of these courses are taught in conjunction with accredited Universities and even though it’s online, you can still connect with thousands of other learners and share ideas, discuss course material, and form study groups.
Duolingo
Duolingo is great for learning new languages. It’s also very easy to use and sends you reminders regularly incase you conveniently forget to use your learning time allocated for the day. The app and courses are free but there is also a premium service.
Dictionary.com
I personally believe Dictionary.com is underrated. It’s a lifesaver sometimes. I have referred to it so many times when writing or preparing a presentation and I need to quickly cross-check the meaning of a word. It also helps with word origins and slangs. Sometimes you may be unsure if a word is an actual word or slang and Dictionary.com will clarify this for you.
Youtube
This may seem like an obvious pick since Youtube is quite popular but many still don’t know how resourceful Youtube is. From cooking to hair braiding, building a website to playing an instrument, there’s almost nothing you can’t learn on Youtube.