Education today is no longer limited to textbooks and classroom lectures. Students are now taking up classes online on popular e-learning websites. Massive Open Online courses (MOOC) have changed the scenario of the education. A lot of prominent colleges like Harvard, Yale, Stanford and many others are offering online courses to students worldwide. Students now have the luxury to pursue courses from these prestigious universities from the comfort of their own homes. The MOOC websites allow students to have access to quality education from across the world for free or some minimal amount of fees. Some of the most popular MOOC websites available today are coursera, edX, Future learn, Udemy and others.
Coursera
Coursera is one of the most widely used e-learning websites. It offers a wide range of both paid and unpaid courses in disciplines varying from computer science, data science to graphic designing, music production and many others. Coursera has also partnered with some of the topmost universities from across the world such as University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, University of Michigan and others to offer students with global education at affordable costs. Coursera also has a feature called 'specializations', i.e. if the students take up a course in specialization mode they will receive a certificate of completion from the associated university.
Lynda
Lynda can be considered to be a veteran in the space of online learning. The website is owned by LinkedIn and is a popular hub for people looking for professional courses related to the field of creativity, business marketing, photography, designing and many others. One can think of it as the Netflix of the online learning scenario. You get an initial 30 day free trial at the time of signing up and after that you are required to pay a monthly subscription fee, depending upon the course. It is a great tool for learning new skills for people who are visual learners. The subscription allows for unlimited access to all the videos available on their platform and in case you wish to deactivate your account, the website has a reactivate feature that allows for you to restore your account with all the previous data.
EdX
A similar website to that of coursera, EdX also offers students quality higher education from top universities. Originally founded by the top league universities such as Harvard and MIT, Edx is a non-profit MOOC website. One can find courses in computer science, linguistics, engineering, medical and many other fields from leading educational institutions across the world some of them being MIT, Berkley, University of Maryland, University of Queensland and many others. EdX also offers it students with an official certification signed by the course instructor from the associated institution to as a symbol to successful completion of the course.
FutureLearn
Future learn is like an open university that offers students with a wide variety of courses. Students can learn the course at their own pace using both the desktop or a mobile device. The courses are delivered one step at a time from high-ranking universities and educational institutions across the world. The website allows for the students enrolled with them to engage in discussions and promote social learning. Future learn also features full programs to allow for more extensive learning and wider prospects of knowledge gaining for students.
Fellowship programs for Indian Students
Udemy
Udemy offers students a chance to acquire practical skills and knowledge apart from the regular coursework and popular study subjects. It teaches students the skills that are in demand by the employers in the industry of their choice. Whether you are looking to get promotion or want to step into a whole new industry all together Udemy, is the answer to your queries. Besides, the websites provides all this for a fraction of what most universities and institutes cost. One can even find courses in areas such as data science, web development, certification courses in android and ios, courses that help you step into the job world with more than just a degree.
Balancing a full-time job with college studies
Online learning is changing the face of education around the globe. With the ever increasing popularity of these MOOC websites some of the most popular and best educational institutions have started offering online courses right from their websites. You get to learn form the best at a minimal cost. Who would want to miss out on such a opportunity? Go ahead, and get yourself registered at one of the websites mentioned above and add some new skills to your portfolio.
Liked this article? Please share it with your friend and peers. And for more such articles on college life and stress management for college students, please visit www.jagranjosh.com/college. Alternatively, you can also get such articles directly in your inbox by submitting your email id in the form given below.