The Evolution of Online Learning Platforms
With the world evolving, and new industries emerging, there is so much more to learn about than ever before. The internet has now become a major tool for learning new skills or getting fresh knowledge in any discipline. Professionals in history, science, business, design and a variety of industries create online courses via online platforms to share their knowledge with a wide audience.
Online learning is a convenient way for people who want to continue their education, learn new skills or change careers to get a high-quality education at their own pace, without having to enrol on a typical university programme. These online learning platforms may use e-journals, e-books, and audio and video clips in their teaching process.
Many of these online platforms offer a certificate upon completion of a course. These online courses can either come as free content or a fee-based course. Generally, online learning courses are shorter and more affordable than a full-time college courses and they cover the fundamental skills and topics in that field.
Top 7 Online Learning Platforms
These online learning platforms vary in their teaching approach, some sites adopt the typical university curriculum for their courses, and others provide a general non-academic approach to teaching.
Here are 7 top online learning platforms, offering both free and paid courses and training in various disciplines to suit the needs of learners from beginners to professional level.
1. Coursera
As one of the top providers of massive open online courses, Coursera partners with universities and organizations around the world to provide a wide range of in-depth courses, both paid and unpaid to learners across the world.
Coursera has one of the largest numbers of university partners, courses, specializations and degree programmes available.
With nearly a thousand courses free, Coursera courses include recorded video lectures by experts from top colleges and organizations. Most of these courses provide a certificate of completion at the end of the course.
2. Udemy
Udemy is among the most popular learning platforms online and offers courses in various professional fields as well as specific skill development courses taught by expert instructors. These online courses are a combination of free and paid content.
The paid courses on Udemy range from $13 to $500, with frequent discounts and class specials, depending on the level of specialization.
Udemy adopts a concept similar to Coursera for its free courses and also allows learners on the platform to build custom courses from lessons. Experts in various fields can create and launch their courses on Udemy for learners on the platform’s massive user base.
3. LinkedIn Learning
Formerly popular by the name Lynda, LinkedIn Learning is one of the top e-learning platforms that offer extensive courses and a tutorial library that covers topics in business, creativity and technology.
This is also another learning site that offers both free and paid content by experts. These courses range in expertise from beginner to advanced level, awarding certificates upon completion of a course. With subscriptions starting at $20 per month, LinkedIn Learning offers a free 30 days trial for new users to test the waters.
4. edX
edX is one of the most prominent global nonprofit online learning platforms, it was founded by Harvard and MIT. Through its collaboration with top universities and institutions around the world, edX, seeks to remove the barriers of cost, location and access of traditional education, while providing high-quality content.
Most of edX’s courses are free, however, there is a fee for getting a verified certificate upon completion of a course.
5. Udacity
Udacity is one of the online learning platforms with a strong focus on technology, offering free courses in programming, data science and web development.
This platform offers online courses and credentials that teach students the skills that are currently in demand by industry employers. Udacity provides a nanodegree programme for learners who want to master a skill set or start a career in tech. These courses include real-world projects and are taught by experts who provide feedback on tasks completed.
6. Academic Earth
Academic Earth is another of the top online learning platforms that offer a collection of free online courses from high-ranking universities and colleges across the world.
This site allows you to find specific courses by universities or subjects on the search list. Academic Earth’s collection of courses is designed to suit both personal and professional needs.
7. Alison
Alison offers free online courses in education and skill training created by experts in various fields. The platform provides resources designed to suit the needs of students, job seekers, and other types of learners. It targets all kinds of learners, from professionals and managers to teachers and freelancers. Alison also allows you to track all your courses to observe your learning progress.
There are so many online learning platforms offering courses across various disciplines. These sites offer courses to complete a degree, earn a certificate, learn some skills to advance in a career or gain knowledge in an entirely different field. Online courses are a perfect way for people to learn at their own pace with access to endless resources.
8. StuDocu
StuDocu is an online learning community where students can share study resources and answer each other’s study-related questions. This student-to-student knowledge exchange platform allows students to share knowledge, college notes, and study guides.
StuDocu was founded in 2013 on the principle that equal access to study resources reduces inequality between students. Through this learning community, StuDocu seeks to empower everyone to excel at their studies by providing the best tools to study more efficiently.
