Are you curious about free online learning platforms? Wondering if they are a good fit for you or your students?
In this post, we will explore the different types of free online education platforms and discuss the pros and cons of each.
We will also provide helpful tips on how to choose the right online learning platform for your needs. So, whether you are a teacher considering making the switch to online learning or a student looking for the best way to learn, read on!
What is an online learning platform?
An online platform for learning is software or a website that offers courses, education, and certifications. It also provides the tools and resources that help you learn online.
Online platforms for learning are designed to be used by anyone who wants to learn at their own pace and in the comfort of their home. You can choose from a range of topics, such as business, technology, personal development and health. Some platforms offer free courses while others charge a fee.
Why use an online learning platform?
With the world increasingly going digital, it's no surprise that more and more people are turning to online learning platforms to gain new skills and knowledge. After all, what could be more convenient than being able to learn from the comfort of your own home?
In addition, these often offer a more flexible and affordable option than traditional brick-and-mortar schools.
Online platforms for learning offer many benefits to students, teachers, and businesses. Here are some reasons why you should use digital learning platforms:
For Students:
Students can work at their own pace without having to worry about missing class or falling behind their classmates. Online classes allow students to complete their assignments from anywhere with an internet connection.
For Teachers
Teachers can create their own online classes using the course creation software with all the materials they need for students to follow along on their own time. Teachers don't have to worry about finding ways to meet with a group of students in person, which allows them to focus more on teaching than on coordinating classroom logistics.
For Businesses
Businesses can train new employees by leveraging course creation software while they're still working at home during the training period instead of sending them away for weeks at a time or paying for expensive live training programs.
With so many benefits, it's no wonder that online platforms for learning are becoming more popular every day.
Types of online platforms for learning
Online platforms for learning can be used by companies to train their employees, by educators to deliver courses or by individuals who are simply interested in learning new things.
The most common types of online learning platforms are:
MOOCs (massive open online courses) - MOOCs are free courses that anyone can sign up for. The name comes from their massive size, as they often have thousands of students enrolled at any given time.
eLearning platforms - eLearning platforms are used to deliver self-paced training to employees by employers who aim to host online training programs.
When they host online training programs, they offer interactive lessons and quizzes that help learners assess their progress along the way.
Social education platforms - Social education platforms allow users to share information with each other in order to collaborate on projects or exchange ideas
Top 13 Free Online Course Platforms
1. Oreed
Oreed is an online course creation software that helps small businesses and freelancers to develop their skills and build their businesses. Using our platform, you can create and offer a wide range of training courses that are designed to help your audience learn new skills, improve their job prospects and achieve their career goals.
Oreed offers the best features of online learning, including collaboration, communication and project management, wrapped in a beautiful design that will help you host online training.
It is an easy-to-use tool for creating, managing and delivering online courses The platform is designed for anyone who wants to learn new skills or improve their existing ones. It's also great for companies who want to train their employees on certain topics.
Our video training platform provides a seamless experience for both learners and instructors. We have designed our platform to be flexible enough to accommodate any type of course content, from video tutorials to interactive exercises.
Oreed’s features include:
- A simple web interface that makes it easy to create courses and host online training on any device;
- An intuitive dashboard where instructors can manage their courses;
- A powerful content editor present in our video training platform that makes building engaging lessons simple;
- An extensive library of free content to use as you like in your courses;
- Integration with cloud storage service providers (Google Drive, Dropbox etc.) so that users can upload files directly into their lessons
2. edX
edX is a nonprofit online learning course creation software founded by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2012. It offers free, high-quality courses from the world's best universities and institutions to learners everywhere.
It is an open-source platform, which means that anyone can use it to create their own online course or program. A number of organisations use the platform to build their own branded online programs, including companies like Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Amazon.
In addition to providing free courses for everyone on edX's website, they also offer enterprise licenses for organizations who want to create their own branded experience for employees or customers.
edX provides free online courses from top universities around the world, including Harvard University, MIT and Oxford University, among others.
You can take classes on everything from computer science to business administration or marketing management through this video training platform as well as other topics like fine arts or literature. Most classes consist of video lectures along with reading materials
3. Udemy
Udemy is an online learning forum that offers courses in many categories. The company was founded by Eren Bali, Oktay Caglar and Gokhan Ozen in 2010. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
It offers over 40,000 courses from more than 45,000 instructors in a wide variety of subject areas, including business, technology and design. It is available on a freemium business model, where users can take courses for free or pay to get access to graded materials and certificates of completion.
You can browse through the categories or search by keyword or topic to find something that interests you. There are also special collections by industry professionals as well as curated lists of popular topics like business skills or how-to videos on everything from makeup to carpentry so you can find exactly what you need quickly and easily.
4. Coursera
Coursera is a leading MOOC provider, offering free and paid courses in business, technology, social sciences, and humanities. Coursera's mission is to connect the world to a great education so that anyone can learn without limits.
It was founded by two Stanford professors in 2012 and has received $63 million in funding from venture capital firms Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and New Enterprise Associates. The company was also named one of Fast Company's "Most Innovative Companies" in 2013.
It has more than 2 million registered users worldwide who have taken advantage of the platform's 1,300+ online classes from top universities like Stanford, Michigan and Penn State. There are currently over 275 courses offered in English alone; however, there are many more languages represented on their website including Spanish, French, German and Portuguese among others to cater to a wide range of social media users.
5. Khan Academy
Khan Academy is one of the most popular platforms for learning. It was founded in 2008 by Salman Khan, who wanted to create a place where anyone on social media could learn almost anything. The academy is non-profit and has over 4,000 videos on topics ranging from math to music to finance and history. The videos are available to view for free on the website or through YouTube.
It offers free courses in a wide range of subjects, from math and science to the humanities and arts. The courses are easy to follow and interactive, with videos, animations and illustrations that help you understand difficult concepts.
There are also thousands of practice questions to help you test your knowledge before moving on. It offers practice exercises and instructional videos to help students learn almost anything — including history, math, economics and more — online
6. WizIQ
WizIQ is another free online education platform where you can find thousands of courses in subjects like business, technology and design. The website is organised into categories, so it’s easy to find what you want. You can also filter by level (beginner, intermediate or advanced), course type (video tutorial or live classroom) or duration (one-time course or ongoing).
It offers over 4,000 courses covering all areas of study, including STEM subjects. It also has an online workforce platform where employers can find freelancers for their projects.
It allows you to take courses from over 5,000 universities and companies. You can also create your own courses by uploading videos, documents or presentations.
7. Open Culture
Open Culture is a web portal that offers hundreds of resources to help you learn about almost anything. It has an excellent collection of online courses and materials from universities and organizations around the world. Topics include science, humanities, technology, business and more. The site also has links to related articles and books on each topic so you can read further if you want to explore one subject in more depth.
8. MasterClass
MasterClass is another popular online education platform that offers over 500 video courses across a wide range of subjects. It offers high-quality professional education from the world's best instructors in art, music, film and photography. Watch video lessons at your own pace with personalized coaching on hand to help you learn faster and become a master at your craft.
Their online courses taught by experts in their fields. These instructors are well-known celebrities, athletes and experts who teach subjects like acting, comedy and photography.
9. Skillshare
Skillshare is an online education platform that offers a wide range of classes, from coding and photography to music production and design. The courses are taught by experts in their field, who will help you learn the skills you need to succeed in your career.
It has a library of over 25,000 class videos on topics ranging from web development to filmmaking. You can also learn how to cook with professional chefs like Michael Voltaggio or make your own clothes with fashion designers like Cynthia Rowley.
For those who want to teach their own classes, Skillshare offers a platform where you can share your knowledge with others.
10. Thinkific
Thinkific is a comprehensive platform designed for online course creators seeking to design and market their courses.
With a user-friendly interface, Thinkific enables educators to incorporate a variety of multimedia elements directly into their instructional materials.
Features
- Landing page builder
- White-label option
- 24/7 customer support
It stands out by offering a tailored experience for those aiming to establish a successful online education enterprise.
11. Teachable
Teachable caters to educators from all walks of life by empowering them to convert their expertise into a profitable online venture.
With Teachable, instructors can effortlessly upload educational content, design their virtual classroom, and engage effectively with their learners.
Features
- Easy-to-use course and quiz creation options
- Built-in marketing and affilitate tools
- Application for schools
The platform is notable for its streamlined solutions tailored to modern and updated teaching methods.
12. Kajabi
Kajabi is a versatile digital platform designed for creators who aim to market various online learning products such as e-courses, mentorship programs, and even podcasts.
What sets Kajabi apart is its focus on crafting compelling sales and landing pages that can drive conversions.
Features
- Easy-to-integrate
- Diverse and vibrant themes for landing pages
- Equips users with sales funnel
13. WizIQ
WizIQ offers a unique cloud-based learning environment suitable for both real-time and self-paced educational experiences.
Educators can personalize their platforms using custom domains to align them with their brand image and build customer loyalty.
Features
- E-learning reporting and analytics
- Android and Apple mobile apps
- Multiple e-commerce integrations
It is especially preferred by course creators who emphasize live instruction, and mentorship, or those looking to recreate a virtual classroom ambience.
How To Sell An Online Course?
1. Find The Right Subject
The initial step in figuring out how to sell an online course is identifying a subject or topic with high demand.
Research trending topics, identify gaps in the market and tap into your expertise or passion.
A subject that resonates with a large segment of the audience ensures a ready market for your course.
2. Create Your Online Course
Once you've identified a promising topic, the next phase in learning how to sell an online course involves the actual course creation.
By doing so you can develop a comprehensive curriculum, create engaging content (videos, texts, quizzes, assignments), and ensure it's of high quality.
Investing time in producing top-notch content will boost your credibility and the value of your course.
3. Choose The Best Selling Platform
Another crucial aspect of how to sell an online course is deciding the platform that best suits your needs.
You could opt for dedicated online course platforms like Teachable or Thinkific, or leverage established marketplaces like Udemy.
Each platform has its advantages, whether customisation, reach, or ease of use so you should select the one that aligns with your target audience and business goals.
4. Decide The Course Pricing
Pricing is one of the most complex phases of selling an online course.
As you navigate how to sell an online course, it's essential to ensure your price reflects the value and quality of your content while also remaining accessible to your target audience.
Conduct market research to see what competitors charge for similar courses and consider factors like course length, depth, and supplementary materials.
5. Increase the Value (and Price) of Your Course
Adding supplemental resources, like eBooks, one-on-one consultations, or exclusive webinars, can significantly boost the perceived value of your course.
As you refine how to sell an online course, continually look for ways to add value for your students.
6. Seed Launch Your Online Course
Consider doing a seed launch before you actually launch your course into the market.
A seed launch, often to a smaller or segmented audience, allows you to gather feedback and make necessary adjustments to your course accordingly.
A seed launch serves as a litmus test that ensures you're on the right track and provides invaluable insights into selling it effectively to a broader audience.
Conclusion
With so many different platforms for learning to choose from, it can be hard to know which one is the best for you. Hopefully, this list has given you a good starting point and shown you that there are plenty of great options available out there.
Don’t forget to explore each platform in more detail to see if it’s the right fit for your needs. And most importantly, have fun while learning!
FAQs
Who are the free online knowledge-sharing platforms for?
The free online platforms for learning are ideal for people who want to take classes in their spare time or as part of a hobby. These platforms also work well if you're looking to brush up on some skills or learn a new language but don't want any type of degree or certification.
What can I learn from free online platforms for learning?
Free online platforms for learning typically offer courses on topics such as design, business and technology. You'll find that many of these courses include video lessons, quizzes and tests so that students can gauge how well they understand the material before moving forward. Some also include live chat features so that students can ask questions if they get stuck on something during class time.
How online platforms can help students?
Students can access a wide range of courses, from certificate programs to undergraduate degrees, which can help them develop new skills or gain professional qualifications. Moreover, online platforms allow you to learn at your own pace with no deadlines or pressures from your tutor or peer group. This means that if you miss something during one session, you don't have to worry about missing out on anything important for weeks or months until the next class meeting takes place.
