Technology is helping remodel education, like it’s doing with most other industries. Now it’s possible to get a higher education with only a computer and an internet connection.
The online learning environment is free, accessible almost anywhere, and is so broad and all encompassing that there’s virtually no restrictions on what subjects or fields you can delve into.
I think it’s essential that more people take advantage of this. I also believe that I can help. So, here’s a long list of awesome online spots where you can find a wealth of learning opportunities in almost any field:
1. Online Courses
You needn’t attend a university to reap the benefits from some of their most popular programs. Nowadays many colleges and individual experts are putting lectures, notes, and full courses online, and for a fraction of the price — in many cases totally free!
Some offer recorded lessons only, others offer immersive platforms including tests and exams, others still offer certificates for completion.
- — More of a technology focus.
- — Specializing in tech, with courses from Google and Facebook.
- — Focusing on the fields of art and creative technology.
- — Classes on programming, design, business and marketing.
- — Essential skills for a excellent career.
- — Micro courses in a rang of subjects.
- — Offers many unique courses in crafts from knitting to cooking.
- — Learn a new entrepreneurial skill over a month.
- — Guides on a range of topics
- — From Carnegie Mellon University.
Specific
- — Learn to code.
- — Learn SQL and Excel for Data Analysis
- — Learn a language.
- — A language learning app designed by Ed Cooke, a former memory champion.
- — Another language learning app with a number of games, although the free version has limitations.
- — Learn to play the guitar.
- — learn to play the guitar, piano & ukulele.
- — Learn the theory behind music composition.
- — Take cooking lessons online.
- — 7 Scientifically Proven Steps to Increase Your Influence.
Others have curated courses from other places including those above:
- — This is a huge list of specific online courses, a must see.
2. Videos
You don’t need to partake in courses, you might simply want to watch some recorded lectures, documentaries, or Youtube channels with bite sized nuggets of knowledge.
- — Free streaming of live classes, and the ability to purchase previously recorded ones, coupled with extra materials.
- — A great place for ideas worth spreading
- — Focused on creativity in business
- — Be inspired, quickly.
On Youtube
Documentaries
- — A list of 265 free online documentaries
- — 300+ mind expanding documentaries
- — A Reddit thread that’s constantly updated with new documentaries
- — A Reddit thread with lectures videos from a range of subjects
3. Email Courses
Some smart folk offer courses that send each lesson directly to your email. Most are directed towards business and marketing. Here are some of the best:
- — A course on user behavior
- — 5 minute courses sent straight to your inbox.
- — 17 lessons on getting your first 1 million visitors
- — How to double your email list
Non-Business Related
- — Bite-sized courses in a range of subjects delivered to your inbox every morning.
- — Learn Spanish
4. Podcasts
For listening on the go, podcasts are perfect. Many are fun, engaging and informative. Here’s my pick of the bunch:
- — The host is your personal astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, who explores science and culture while interviewing a range of interesting people from related fields.
- — A celebration of self delusion that explores topics related to cognitive biases, heuristics, and logical fallacies. With David McRaney.
- — Psychologist and author of the Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin provides practical ways to improve our moods.
- — Interviews with writers and filmmakers.
- — A weekly interview show “about what it really means to be a nerd.”
- — “…a tiny radio show about design, architecture & the 99% invisible activity that shapes our world.”
- — “It will tell you things you always thought you knew but didn’t, and things you never thought you wanted to know, but do.”
- — The author of the 4 Hour Work Week interviews awesome people about how they accomplish the things they do, and how us mere mortals can do the same.
- — “…the brightest minds of our time sound off on all the things you’re not supposed to talk about at the dinner table: science, religion, and politics.”
- — “… a long form conversation hosted by comedian, UFC color commentator, and actor Joe Rogan with friends and guests that have included comedians, actors, musicians, MMA instructors and commentators, authors, artists, and porn stars.”
- — “Serial tells one story—a true story—over the course of a season.”
- — “Shankar Vedantam looks at what we find funny and what, well, crosses the line.”
- — “… about the invisible forces that control human behavior – ideas, beliefs, assumptions and emotions.”
- — Musicians pull their songs apart and talk about how they were made.
- — “…a show about health that we all can relate to.”
5. Books
You can find a wealth of interesting and entertaining books on Amazon, but sometimes there’s just as much to be found for free.
- — More than 4,200 free books.
- — From Aristotle to Chomsky to Goethe and Newton. There’s something for everyone.
- — Offers many guides on a range of topics, many are free, others are not.
- — They have books, music, software, movies and more.
- — Long list of free books in the realm of physics.
- — An online book all about the legendary scientist.
P.S: If you think I’m missing something important, let me know in the comments.