Platforms for creating and hosting online courses
Online classes have become a great source of education these days. And here is a list of our favorite learning platforms:
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Coursera
Coursera is one of the best known and the most popular video training platforms. It provides an academic-level education from the best world universities. The majority of courses have free audit modes, but if you want to get a certificate, you’ll have to pay.
Apart from English, educational materials and programs are also available in French, Russian, Spanish and other languages. Topics include all possible fields: languages, humanities, STEM, IT, personal development, etc. Each course takes several weeks to complete and has exact dates of start and end, but if a student doesn’t meet the deadlines, they can reset them and continue with the next edition.
Advantages
- Accredited certificates and diplomas from top-rated universities.
- Thousands of free courses and quite affordable prices for paid ones.
- Flexible schedules, so that students can learn at their own pace.
Disadvantages
- The most useful courses (IT, Data Science, etc.) may not have a free option.
Udemy
Udemy is definitely one of the biggest — if not THE biggest — collections of online courses. The platform offers literally hundreds of thousands classes, each of them lasting on average several hours. Here you can master every skill or qualification, starting from manual testing and up to the art of meditation or photography.
It’s one of the most democratic platforms. Courses are not free, but prices start from $9-10, and if you don’t like your purchase, you can get a refund. Every instructor designs their course in their manner, so there is no unified format. Some classes consist of videos only, others include quizzes, practical tasks, etc.
Advantages
- Great amount and variety of courses and topics.
- Affordable prices.
- Courses are available in different languages and don’t have exact timelines.
Disadvantages
- No free options (though there are discount codes).
- Classes are not accredited by educational institutes.
MasterClass
The uniqueness of MasterClass is that all the courses are led by real stars and celebrities. While providing quite a limited choice (about 100 classes only), this platform offers an opportunity to get a firsthand experience from famous actors, writers, chiefs etc.
There are no free trials or audit classes, but an annual subscription with unlimited access to the whole bunch of courses costs about $180 only.
Advantages
- Star instructors.
- Deep dive into each field of expertise.
- Great price/quality balance.
Disadvantages
- No accredited certificates.
- No free trials or even a monthly subscription, just an annual one.
EdX
EdX is one of Coursera's main rivals, this site also provides top-notch education from the best universities and colleges. As well as Coursera, EdX also has an impressive base of classes and courses, almost all of which are completely free. Of course, if you want to obtain an official certificate on completion, you’ll have to pay, but the knowledge itself is open for everybody.
This platform specializes in the STEM field: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. It’s a great boost for junior IT specialists. Although, there are also courses in humanities, arts and other spheres.
Advantages
- Free audit options for most courses.
- Top-class education from the best universities with verified certificates and even degrees.
- Financial aid for those who need it (discount may reach up to 90%).
Disadvantages
- Expensive Master’s programs.
- Limited choice of non-STEM courses.
Udacity
Udacity is known for its NanoDegree qualifications: several-month-long courses with personal mentoring, group work, practical tasks and all other types of activities. It is said that even one Udacity course can send one’s career into overdrive in no time.
The reverse of the coin is the price — starting from $399 a month, it is quite dear. On the other hand, at this platform you can gain skills which are in high demand and this investment will definitely pay off.
Advantages
- Unique NanoDegree courses.
- Elaborated high-quality programs created by the best universities.
- Personalized feedback and help with CV and portfolio.
Disadvantages
- High price.
- The courses are time-consuming.
Conclusion
These are the platforms where you can find something new to learn and study. But what if you are an instructor, looking for where to host online courses? We’d recommend starting with something free and simple, like YouTube.
The most important thing, make sure your visuals are technically impeccable. You can reach it with the help of editing software, for example, Clideo video editing tools .
