Day Twenty-five’s Challenge:
Learn something new.
I love to learn! Everything from crafty things to how things work, from history to science, from social marketing to website design. And a lot in between. So today’s challenge is to learn something new or sign up for a class to learn something you’ve always wanted to learn.
There are so many places to learn, well everything! The Internet is an unlimited resource of courses, and I list several below. But don’t think virtual learning is the only option; many community colleges and universities offer continuing education classes and lectures. And don’t forget to check your local library and community centers.
But back to virtual learning. Below is a starter list of places that I’ve either personally used or have had recommended to me by people whom I respect who have used their services. The level of commitment varies; some are self-paced (you go at your own speed) and others have homework and tests (gasp!) but offer a certification certificate or completion certificate upon finishing.
Coursera
I’ve taken classes on Creative Thinking, Chemicals and Health, Learning How to Learn, and Visual Perception and the Brain (well, technically I started the last one, but didn’t finish). These are all free and come from top notch universities around the world. There is homework and tests and usually an interactive community (forums) you can tap into. Some courses are offered on an ongoing basis, but others are only available during a set time. All the courses are free, but the Certification Certificates cost money (but are optional).
Udemy
Courses here start at $0 and go to hundreds of dollars. Lots of business and technology courses, but also personal development, health, languages, photography, design, and more. These courses are put up by wide gamut of people – amateur to professional, so use the ratings as a guide. By the way, if you want to teach something, you can sign up to be an instructor on Udemy and create your own course. That gives me an idea… maybe you’ll be seeing a course by yours truly before to long.
I’ve not actually taken a Udemy course, but I know people who have. The experience varies, mostly because of the range of instruction. Most courses offer lifetime access, so you can do the course over and over if you need to without additional cost. Some courses are all video, but some also include worksheets and handouts that you download. Courses can also be viewed on most smart phones or tablets.
Lynda.com
Focuses on technology, creative, and business skills. This site operates a bit differently than most. Here you sign up for a membership (monthly or yearly) and you can take as many courses as you like. You only have access as long as you’re a member. You can even try it free for 10 days (just make sure you’re going to set aside time during those 10 days to try some courses – time flies!). Another that I’ve not used but have heard amazing things about.
Craftsy
As the name suggests – this site leans more to the DIY and crafters crowd. With courses in fiber arts (knitting, crochet, weaving, spinning), sewing, quilting, photography, cooking, and gardening, you will find something if you are at all crafty! There are a number of free courses and otherwise you pay on a course by course basis. Each class is professionally filmed and features professional crafters (I know a lot of the knitting instructors personally from my knitting days). Life time access to classes you enroll in, and classes are self-paced. There are often handouts and worksheets that you can download AND you can communicate with the instructors and other people taking the class.
I’ve taken several Craftsy classes and have loved them all. You sign up as a site member (free) to have access to a ton of crafting information including a shop, patterns, articles, and more.
Skillshare
Also along a craftier path is skillshare, only these are more design oriented: photography, graphic design, fashion, writing, entrepreneurship, film, and gaming to name a few. I took a few courses here and enjoyed them. Like Udemy, anyone can be an instructor, so the quality of the videos and handouts varies.
There is a free membership which gives you access to free classes; otherwise the Premium membership (monthly or yearly) gives you access to all the classes. I think this may be a new structure, as I recall paying for classes individually, but that was a couple of years ago. Think I’m going to check them out again. Worth a look around if any of the topics they cover are of interest to you.
YouTube
I’d be remiss not to mention the very popular video site, YouTube. This is the go to place to learn ANYTHING, but buyer beware. Although content is free, you are sometimes getting what you pay for. That being said, if you need to know how to fix your washing machine (right down to the brand and model), you can probably find a step by step video detailing it from start to finish. I know people who have learned to finger knit, fix their big screen TV, make potato soup, and change the battery in their MacBook.
What do you want to learn?
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