The Best Online Learning Platforms To Develop New Skills During Lockdown

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As the coronavirus lockdown continues, now might be the best time to upskill and refine your resume. The quality and variety of online courses has improved over the past few years and we have a list of the best platforms offering them for free or at really great prices.

It could be that you’ve lost your job, been stood down, or you have a lot of free time on the weekends during self-isolation and not enough to do to keep yourself busy. Whatever the case, there’s no time like the present to study online courses that you’ve always been interested to pursue.

We suggest flicking off the TV and having a good look through some of the best online platforms offering thousands of courses for free or at affordable prices. From programming and business strategy to photography and graphic design, you’re going to be spoilt for choice.

Coursera

Coursera offers courses taught by professors from leading universities and companies that can last between four to six weeks. You’ll have access to on-demand video lectures, homework exercises, and community discussion forums. Additional paid-for options include quizzes, projects and a certificate upon course completion.

Best for: Academics

Examples of popular courses: Science of Wellbeing, Programming for Everybody, Introduction to Philosophy, Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills.

Price: Hundreds of courses available for free. Professional certificates: runs on a subscription basis and costs between A$61-125 per month. Until May 31, Coursera is offering certificates for specific courses for free.

Sign up to Coursera here.

Udemy

Udemy offers over 150,000 courses taught in 65 plus languages by some of the world’s best instructors. The subjects on offer are far and wide and can range from IT to finance to personal development. The way the courses are taught might vary: you can expect audio, video, text and quizzes (though not all elements may be applicable to you). Udemy is also available in app form for both iOS and Android.

Best for: Everyone

Examples of popular courses: Complete Python Bootcamp, Tableau 10 for Data Science, The Web Developer Bootcamp, Learn Reiki.

Price: Varies depending on course (between A$23-315). However, you do get a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied.

Sign up to Udemy here.

MasterClass

If you want to learn from creative professionals who are at the top of their game, then MasterClass may just be worth your time and money. You can stream classes and learn business strategy and leadership from Bob Iger; tennis techniques from Serena Williams; or creative writing by the beloved Margaret Atwood. There are an average of 20 lessons per class and 10 minutes per lesson.

Best for: Creatives

Examples of popular courses: Gordon Ramsay Teaches Cooking, Aaron Sorkin Teaches Screenwriting, James Patterson Teaches Writing.

Price: MasterClass is currently offering a 2 for 1 annual membership priced at A$280. If you want only one class, they’re priced at A$140 each.

Sign up for Masterclass here.

Skillshare

Skillshare is one of the leading platforms for creatives who enjoy areas such as graphic design, animation, illustration or photography. Industry icons are at the forefront of all the video-based courses on offer. These are also available for streaming or download via the Apple or Google Play app stores.

Best for: Creatives

Examples of popular courses: Design Great Stuff: How To Make Merch With Draplin, Learn How To Mix Music With Young Guru, Cut It Out: Film Editing With Adobe Premiere.

Price: New members can get the first two months of Skillshare Premium for free. Skillshare uses a membership-based platform – the monthly package costs USD$15 while the annual plan is USD$8.25 per month.

edX

EdX , founded my MIT and Harvard, gives you access to over 2500 online courses from 140 plus leading institutions from around the world. It is widely popular for transforming traditional education by making it both affordable and accessible.

Best for: Academics

Examples of popular courses: Data Science, Applied AI, Data Analysis: Essential Skills.

Price: You can enroll for edX courses for free. However, to earn a verified certificate, you could be charged anywhere between USD$50 – USD$300.

[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2020/04/tafe-nsw-is-offering-free-online-courses-for-aussies-to-upskill-in-isolation/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2019/07/officeonline-410×231.jpg” title=”TAFE NSW Is Offering Free Online Courses For Aussies to Upskill In Isolation” excerpt=”Rather than binge-watching TV and dulling your brain, it’s best to take this time in self-isolation to try out online courses and upskill yourself. In good news for isolated people in NSW, TAFE NSW has launched online courses to support job seekers stuck at home.”]

[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2020/04/tips-for-changing-careers-australia/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/04/GettyImages-1127910391-410×231.jpg” title=”Tips For Changing Careers Amid Unemployment Concerns in Australia” excerpt=”If you’re ready for a career change, or giving it a thought due to Australia’s current employment conditions, we have just the expert insight to tell you where to start and how to smash through the roadblocks.”]


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At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

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