1. EdX
EdX is your
one-stop shop for all things university. From a UC Berkley class on essay writing, to a Harvard course on Einstein, they’ve got it all.
With a helpful search bar that lets you explore by school, subject or topic, it’ll only be a matter of seconds before you find something that will catch your eye.
Free online education, as you’ll continue to see, isn’t limited to nonacademic institutions, or places you’ve never heard of. EdX features courses from MIT, Dartmouth, Cornell, and more that would make your head spin.
Enrolled in a course from Columbia University? Not the worst way to start your next meeting.
2. ALISON
ALISON has partnered with top publishers, among the likes of Macmillan and Google, to bring you courses tailored to areas where you may need some
beefing up.
Ready to explore more about supply chain management? How about polishing those HR practices? Why not nursing? Somebody’s always hurting himself in the office.
Like the perfect content curator, ALISON takes top, reputable materials and makes them super accessible. Watch those excuses about time fly right out the window.
3. MIT OpenCourseware
For a more concentrated selection of coursework from a university as well known as college itself, check out what MIT’s serving up with
MIT Opencourseware.
They offer everything from courses on animal behavior to statistics and probability — both of which may come in handy at that conference you’ve got in Las Vegas next month.
Neilson Barnard/Getty ImagesCoursera co-founder Daphne Koller.
4. Coursera
Much like EdX and ALISON,
Coursera combines more than 100 courses from elite institutions.
Taking from countries all over the world, this massive library of courses has more to offer than you could ever fit in, but that shouldn’t stop you from diving head first.
With courses from Stanford, Duke, and the University of Edinburgh waiting on the homepage, there’s no reason not to join the more than 11,000,000 users today.
5. Microsoft Virtual Academy
For a step away from the purely academic, take some notes from the guys who pioneered personal computing as we know it.
Microsoft Virtual Academy offers courses in IT, Cloud Computing, and all of the stuff on the Internet that you have no explanation for.
You can ever register for live events, like a tutorial on 2D game programming in HTML5! There are courses for students at every level, so you can get going without the fear of getting mocked.
6. CodeAcademy
In another move towards all things computers, check out
CodeAcademy. Still trying to figure out what CSS is? Not quite confident in JavaScript? Sick of having to call your web dev guy over every 15 minutes? CodeAcademy is here to help.
This smart site is designed to help you interactively learn code, no matter what level you’re at. So start with the basics of HTML if you need to, and work your way up to a whole new level of confidence online.
7. Moz
Beyond being one of the most prominent authorities on SEO out there, Moz has an
exceptional bank of resources to learn anything and everything about search engine and content marketing — for any player in the game.
With expert guides to Link Building, Social Media, and SEO, Moz is sure to be a priceless resource for refreshing your skills, and bringing the uninitiated on in a snap.
8. HubSpot Academy
Not to be outdone, up-and-comer
HubSpot has been a leader in producing courses and eBooks on everything “content marketing.”
What’s great about HubSpot is that they’ve taken it one step further: certifications. If you’re really looking to boost your credentials, and stand out amongst the sea of hungry employees and job-seekers, this is a great start. It’s simple, it’s free, and you’ll really learn.
9. iTunesU
While not everything on
iTunesU is free, there’s plenty of content to be had without spending a penny. It’s for those of us who really don’t have a free minute beyond our commutes: Courses can be loaded on your phone, into your computer, or synced into your car for easy on the go listening to podcasts and lectures.
The tools you need to start your workday off on the right foot, right to your phone.
10. Duolingo
Finally, in a category all its own, is
Duolingo. It’s a revolutionary, and extremely intuitive, language-learning tool that lets you truly go at your own pace. By integrating sound, text translation, visuals, and speaking into simple phrase, you’re slowly helping to translate un-translated pages of the Internet
while you learn.
It’s free, and it’s beneficial to those who aren’t yet fluent in English. And if you’ve already got a foundation for your second (or third) language, there’s an aptitude test to help get you started from a place where you can immediately being improving.
