Free Online Courses to Learn Something This Circuit Breaker

Did you know that the Theory of Gravity was discovered by Issac Newton when he was confined at home during the Great Plague in the 1600s?

Yep.

How does it feel doing nothing but binge-watching Netflix and playing Animal Crossing all day long?

Lucky for us, learning is a lot more accessible today as it can be done online and in the comforts of our home.

In fact, many companies and online platforms have kindly made their content free for a limited time only.

So since we since we’re all stuck at home during this COVID-19 pandemic, why not take this opportunity to learn and grow?

You don’t have to discover some ground-breaking theory like what Isaac Newton did…

But at least you can emerge from this Circuit Breaker a more knowledgeable person.

TL;DR: Free Online Courses To Learn Something

Want to make better use of your time at home?

Why not jio some friends and learn something together online!

Best of all, they’re free!

If You Want to Choose From a Variety of Online Courses

Coursera

You’ve probably heard of this online learning platform before which has courses taught by Ivy Leagues schools (think: Harvard and Yale University) and companies like Amazon and Google.

While many Coursera courses are already available for free without a certificate.

Their Coursera Together initiative gives you access to lectures and quizzes, and even allows you to earn a free certificate upon completion of the course!

FYI: you can display your Coursera certificates on your LinkedIn profile to showcase your new skills

There are online courses for mental health and well-being, for career development, and even how to hone soft skills like effective communication and conflict resolution.

Future Learn

Despite having a smaller selection, Future Learn has a selection of 35 free online courses — created in collaboration with leading Australian universities — under their Study with Australia Online collection.

You can access course materials even after you’ve completed the course.

And you can even receive a digital certificate upon successful completion.

They are constantly adding courses to their collection so check back regularly to see if there’re any that might interest you!

If You Want to Pick Up or Hone In-Demand Business and Tech Skills

EduCode Academy

New to coding and data science?

While EduCode Academy was created to teach the next generation of innovators how to code (read: for kids).

Their simple-to-follow, self-directed coding courses is the perfect place to start figuring out whether you wish to delve more into JavaScript or web development (if you’ve always been interested but never knew where to start).

Or a good resource for your younger ones to figure out if they’d like to pursue a career in coding.

Lessons are usually priced at US$19.99 (S$28) a month, but you can enjoy free 2-month access to ALL of their courses.

General Assembly

Want to diversify your skillset or deepen your expertise?

Then why not make use of General Assembly‘s online community of experts?

They’ve put together a series of workshops called General Assembly Free Fridays, which cover topics such as coding, data, marketing, UX design, and more.

These courses are usually priced between US$60 to 200 (S$85 to 280), but you can grab this opportunity to learn from the best without forking out a single dollar!

Google Cloud Training

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is a suite of cloud computing services which many small, medium, and large businesses utilise for deploying and operating applications on the web.

If you’re thinking of venturing into the tech space, then you’ll be familiar with GCP services like Google Compute Engine, Google App Engine, Google Cloud Storage and BigQuery.

They’re currently offering free access and discounts on various GCP service courses through their Google Cloud Training initiative:

• Qwiklabs: get unlimited access to self-paced labs for 30 days
• Pluralsight: gain one-month free access to the entire Google Cloud course library
• Coursera: receive 50% off the first month on one Google Cloud specialisation

Tableau

Want to explore a career in data analytics?

Then you might have heard of Tableau, an interactive data visualisation tool used in the business intelligence industry.

Whether you’re just starting out or wish to build and advance your skills with Tableau Desktop and Tableau Prep, you can do so with code ‘2020elearning’ to enjoy a free 90-days access.

If You Want to Get Artsy

Skillshare

Get your creative juices flowing with Skillshare.

There are thousands of online classes on design, illustration, photography, videography, and more.

While there is a myriad of free classes you can enjoy without creating an account.

You can choose to sign up for the free 2-month access to Skillshare Premium to get access to more in-depth classes and master classes by experts which you like.

And if you’re a student, you can get the free 2-month access to Skillshare Premium for students instead, with your student email — no payment info is required!

Nikon School

Always interested in photography?

Want to up your skills and take your videos to the next level?

Nikon School has a curated pool of instructors, all of whom have certificates and awards from National Geographic, World Photography Organisation and more.

And they’ve made ALL of their online courses free for this period.

Best of all, there’s no need to sign-up or create an account.

Just head over to their site for scheduled online courses and on-demand videos.

If You Want To Expand Your Knowledge of the World

While Netflix Educational Documentaries were previously intended for teachers to screen during classes, Netflix has now made the entire series of 34 videos available for free on YouTube.

From Our Planets to Explained, you’ll be entertained while learning more about the wonders of the natural world to more serious stuff like the racial wealth gap…

All from the comfort of your own home.

Learning in a Time of COVID-19

These online courses are just a sampling of those available on the internet.

Which is why we chose to focus on courses and lessons that are only available during this Circuit Breaker period.

Whatever you choose to apply yourself to and learn during this Circuit Breaker, remember that

“The mind is sharper and keener in seclusion and uninterrupted solitude.” (Nikola Tesla)

Seedly Contributor: Anthony Tan and Dawne Chua