By Jennifer Ward
I love learning. Anyone who knows me will tell you, “Jenn will always be a student.” But I also juggle a lot. I teach two subjects full-time. I’m a part-time graduate student. I write. I volunteer. I am always looking for freelance writing and editing gigs. Believe it or not, I can still carve out time to learn.
As an Aquarius, I am creative and quirky. I have a lot of interests. My hobbies are varied. I’m curious about a lot of things – even strange things. So for me, I never tire of learning. I’m always looking for something new to absorb or take on.
Considering my lifestyle, the most logical approach to learning is using my laptop. I can learn from any location and receive information asynchronously. It’s digestible and approachable. Over the years, I’ve used a few different platforms. They may not all be for you, but I suggest you read on and see what they are about.
MasterClass – This educational platform offers quite a variety of interests. If you are a writer like me, there are a ton of brilliant authors teaching the craft. I’ve taken courses taught by Joyce Carol Oates, Margaret Atwood, and David Sedaris, to name a few. Each course is delivered through a series of lectures via videos and suggested activities. Most classes come with a workbook you can download too. The individual annual subscription costs $180. Is it worth it? That all depends on how much time you want to invest.
Fivver – A lot of us know Fivver as a seller’s platform, but did you know it is a learning platform too? If you are looking for ways to polish your writing skills or learn more about SEO, Photoshop, Google Analytics, or other business and graphic design courses, this is a great place to start. A badge is added to your profile each time a course is completed. The price of most classes is listed under $50.
TEDed – As an educator, I use this platform to show videos and ask questions about various topics. But it is also great for anyone who wants to learn independently. Most of the videos are under 5 minutes, accompanied by questions and prompts that encourage deeper thinking. Are you curious about the Sahara Desert and energy problems? Ever wonder how social media influences our brains? These topics and so much more are on TEDed, waiting to be discovered.
I hope you will try one of these platforms (if you haven’t already). I would love to know what your favorite subject is. Let’s start a conversation in the comments below.
Happy Learning!