E-learning is a very wide definition, covering all fields of education accessible on multiple devices and platforms. With the rapid development of digitalization and the internet becoming such significant part of our everyday life, there are hundreds of solutions, ways to study in the digital world. There are Learning Management Systems (LMS) for institutions to design and deliver quality education to their target group via online platforms, and with the appearance of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCS) anyone can access a certain level of free education. Today, we take a look at where and how you can master learning through online platforms in a very easy yet efficient way.
Expand your world for free
Several educational institutions, universities and learning platforms are out there, waiting for the eager learners to join their thousands of courses. Before we list some free possibilities, there are a few things to keep in mind, since there is a huge variety of courses available. There are courses completely for free (listed below), but there are also courses that can be accessed to some level without paying, and courses that can be done for free, but for getting the certificates, you need to pay. Some courses can be done at your leisure after the enrollment, however some courses are organised with fixed schedules and deadlines. There are many combinations of time and money constraints, so these are always important to keep in mind.
From learning about efficient self-management and reaching long-lasting happiness in life to the mastery of machine learning, from economics to arts, coding to marketing, from basic level to master’s; there are hundreds of free courses available for the public in the following platforms:
- EdX (You can audit the courses for free, to receive a certificate you have to have a paid, verified track.)
- Coursera (Following the link you can find all free courses available.)
- OERu (The courses are completely free, gaining academic credit for studies is possible on reduced prices.)
- Udemy (Following the link you can find 719 free courses provided by Udemy.)
- Khan Academy (A completely free e-learning platform with the option to donate if you chose to.)
Alternatives
Consider the internet your endless resource for learning – the biggest collection of knowledge is at your doorstep. If you are looking for ways to educate yourself and deepen your knowledge in a specific area, find tutorials on Youtube, thought-provoking ideas on TED, and trust the power of social networks – finding the right opportunities might start with finding people with similar interests on social media platforms. And an extra tip: since many online learning platforms are partnered up with universities, it might be worth your time to ask around in your university, and see what extra courses and online resources are available for you as a student. If you are interested in courses available in Hungarian we would recommend K-Mooc, which is developed and maintained by Hungarian universities. It might also be worth your while to check out other prestigious universities in the world as they also have a big role in the e-learning revolution. Earning certificates from internationally recognised European universities in addition to a Hungarian diploma will definitely be useful for building a career.
Tips for successful online learning
Now that you know where to look -– and hopefully have already found some interesting courses, we would like to give you some tips on how to make the most of your online learning experience.
- Take care of yourself – find the dedicated time in your schedule and your preferred space to study, make it into a regular habit, pay attention to your needs, divide your learning periods into smaller, very focused timeslots and breaks and focus on one thing at a time
- Strategize – define clear goals and understand your motivation, keep deadlines and track your progress
- Socialize – find study buddies or a study group to share ideas, to have the support of an international network
- Ask for help – dare to reach out to the instructor (if available) to find answers to your questions and receive feedback
And now there is only one question left: what would you like to study online? Share your answers with us on Facebook in the comments and feel free to add your suggestions to our summary!
Links and sources: TheEconomicTimes ; YourTrainingEdge ; EdX
Source of the picture: Photo by Avel Chuklanov on Unsplash