If you are looking to learn new skills online for free this list is for you. Here are the top 15 sites online to educate yourself and take your career to the next level in 2020. All of these resources are either completely free or offer premium courses at a very low cost compared to traditional university alternatives. Many of these resources also provide professional certifications that will look great on your resume.
Coursera: Build skills with courses, certificates, and degrees online from world-class universities and companies. Courses usually include videos and guided coursework including online quizzes. These courses are also monitored by a professor and include timelines. You can log on to learn when you want but will have deadlines to meet in some classes. With a range of topics to choose from you'll be sure to find something new and interesting to learn at Coursera. I've used Coursera for learning data science to upskill myself and truly enjoyed their platform.
Khan Academy: They host over 3,000 videos on a variety of subjects. Courses are self-paced so you can fit learning into your schedule on your own time. Learn about art, calculus, history and more.
OpenCourseWare Consortium: A global network for open education. This is a great site where you can learn about multiple topics and even search by language (20 available). There are college level courses available from a variety of universities from all over the world.
MIT Open Courseware: A great resource for sciences and more. Learn about Computer Science, Biology, Statistics, Mechanics, Microeconomics, Quantum Physics, and more. Courses are self-paced and detailed. A truly wonderful source for learning new applicable skills in a variety of STEM professions.
Udacity: Udacity is the one of the most efficient ways to master the skills tech companies want. 100% online, part-time & self-paced. They have a very career specific approach to give you the top skills companies are looking for in employees today.
Open Learning: A great option for online learning. Open Learning offers a wide selection of courses in Arts & Design, Business & Economics, Computers & Technology, Education, Engineering, Health, Humanities, Language & Communication, Lifestyle and Self Improvement.
The Free Library: The free library of Philadelphia has an extensive catalog. Search their catalog, databases or digital media for books and more on virtually any topic.
Open Education Database: This is a unique platform which is actually an active database that compiles a list of all online open source learning programs. Find and easily compare open learning programs here.
iTunes U: Part of Apples iTunes stores, iTunes U is a vast learning resource offering free educational content that users can download straight to their computer, iPad, iPod or other Apple devices.
TED: Unlike other open sources listed here which offer courses, TEDTalks are all about ideas that are worth spreading. Find interesting videos on a huge variety of topics including inspiration, personal growth, technology, new perspectives, collaboration, innovation, social change, health and more.
Hubspot Academy: Hubspot Academy is all about inbound marketing but it is one of the best resources online to learn about the fundamentals of inbound marketing and has certifications that will stand out on our resume if you are a marketing or communications professional. I've personally gone through this certification and highly recommend it. They also offer courses on sales, customer service, SEO and more.
Wikiversity: This is a project devoted to learning resources, learning projects, and research with resources for all levels from pre-school to university, including professional training. Teachers, students, and researchers may all find resources and great information online here.
Project Gutenberg: An open source online library with access to over 60,000 free eBooks. A wonderful site providing access to the world's great literature.
Grow with Google: An excellent resource for professionals and entrepreneurs including free training, tools and resources to help you grow your skills, career, or business. Certifications in UX Design, Data Analytics and more.
Edx: Access 2500+ Online courses from over 140 institutions, including top universities like MIT, Harvard, Berkley, Boston University and Hong Long Polytechnic University.
If you love learning and just want to learn about a variety of everyday topics I also suggest YouTube videos (how-to videos can be found for virtually any topic). For example, my husband used a YouTube tutorial to fix our lawnmower and my daughter learned to crochet. Also consider checking out some of the great new Podcasts online. There are so many interesting voices out there willing to freely share their knowledge and experiences with others. For a more extensive list check out missiontolearn.com for a list of over 100 places to learn for free. Did we miss a great resource? Feel free to share in the comments below. Knowledge is power - the more you know the more you grow. I hope this list helps you on your journey to learn more.
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