How To Get the Most Out of Learning Online

The internet is an incredible gateway to all the information you could ever need. Unfortunately, for most of us, the vast majority of the time we spend online is focused on diverting entertainment such as scrolling the news feeds on our favourite social networks. While everything is good in moderation, we often lose out on the amazing potential afforded us by the world wide web. One key area where easy access to all this knowledge can have a huge impact is when we want to learn a new skill or subject. 

In the past, learning on the internet was somewhat looked down upon–this was because it was hard to verify the quality or provenance of the person or web page you were learning from. This has changed quite markedly over recent years, as more professionals and experts have sought to make their services available to learners online through a range of reputable platforms optimised for this purpose. Below we’re going to take a look at some great, effective ways that you can use your smartphone or computer to pick up diverse skills, and often at very low cost to boot.

Reputable Guides

The first, and arguably most common, way people can learn things online is through informative websites, which typically get directed to users by way of appearing the top results for a search engine query. The benefit of this method is that it’s almost always free, but the drawbacks are that it’s the least regulated option on this list. This means that you could pick-up false information or bad habits through studying with a resource of questionable quality. Fortunately, there is a relatively simple way to minimise the risk of this, by seeking out trusted sources. To do this, you want to limit your research and learning to platforms that are well known, trusted, and well established in the sector you’re looking at. 

For example, if one would be interested in understanding how the roulette numbers work, a viable option would be reviewing the free resources offered by industry giants like PokerStars Casino. Likewise, for those wanting to get to grips with growing seasons for their home garden, the advice provided by the Royal Horticultural Society, the UK’s largest Gardening charity, is much likelier to be more reliable and trustworthy than a random WikiHow guide by an unverified user.

One-on-one Tuition

Thanks to the widespread adoption of video conferencing software like Zoom and Skype, the prospect of hiring a tutor or coach to guide you in a one-on-one context in real time is more accessible than ever. Platforms such as TutorHunt specialise in connecting users with thousands of verified and accredited tutors in all manner of subjects, from acoustic guitar to higher mathematics. 

For those wanting an accelerated and focused path to learning a new skill, there’s no more effective means than working closely with an expert in your chosen subject. It bears noting that for those living in remote regions, this is often the only way that a person could feasibly access quality training.

eLearning Platforms

Increasingly, websites like Udemy and Skillshare are growing in popularity among internet users of all skill levels and it’s easy to see why. With over 60,000 courses between these two platforms alone, it’s never been so easy to access comprehensive courses on any number of subjects that pique your interest. With affordable pricing, these platforms offer a more casual and affordable alternative to one-on-one tuition, without sacrificing professional quality teaching. 

Everyone has different learning styles, with some responding best to having a structured curriculum replete with homework and projects to follow. If that sounds like you, you should definitely give eLearning a try. While many of the courses listed on these platforms are focused on niche topics, such as interior design, or learning how to code, increasingly there is a trend among colleges and universities to offer fully accredited higher learning degrees through this modality. As such, there’s virtually nothing you can’t learn online today if you’re willing to invest the energy and time to make it happen.