I have a hunch that when you get up every morning the top item on your to-do list probably isn’t finding new e-learning websites to slog through. Amidst communicating with clients, juggling project work and all of the other business functions that fall on the 1099er, growing our skill sets may not feel like a high priority.
With the technology and resources we now have at our disposal, it’s easier than it’s ever been to build skills in cost-effective, low-stress environments. To get things started, we’ve compiled a quick list of the best e-learning websites for freelancers and consultants.
Get on these online courses and start give your freelance career the professional development attention it deserves.
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1. Class Central
Before going anywhere else, check out our friends at Class Central, which aggregates all of the courses from several e-learning websites, along with reviews and other features.
Class Central is focused primarily on the kinds of college-level courses associated with MOOCs (massive open online courses), so you’ll see fewer skills-based courses there. But within that limit, it’s a great one-stop shop for every e-learning course everywhere.
2. Lynda
Lynda is viewed by many as one of the best e-learning websites currently in the marketplace and a front runner in the online ed landscape. Amanda Foley of Upwork.com calls it an “education-based Netflix,” and that captures the general idea — a large but well curated online library of video lectures available at a relatively small monthly subscription.
Lynda is geared more to the demands of the modern workplace than academic study.
Special features:
- $25 monthly subscription
- 80,000 + video library
- Emphasis on practical job skills
3. SkillShare
Skillshare is one of the major presences in the “discrete job skills” sector of the e-learning market. This e-learning website uses a premium model that allows users to take individual classes at a fairly low cost, but it requires students to subscribe to the service at about $10 a month in order to gain access to their most in-demand classes taught by industry leaders.
It’s important to note that this fee is not all-inclusive, but functions like a club membership with savings and special access features added to sweeten the pot.
Special features:
- Many classes can be taken with minimal expense
- Premium feature offers 20 percent savings on all classes and access to industry leader-taught “top classes”
- Peer review assignments can improve class engagement
4. Coursera
Coursera is a really neat platform that I have used in many areas to fill out my skill sets and grow in disciplines that pique my curiosity.
Coursera offers a growing catalog of courses from accredited universities across the U.S. and around the world. This means if you’d like to take a class on data science, you can take up to ten online courses offered by Johns Hopkins University or another university of your choosing, priced at about $50 each.
These resemble much more the format of a college course. They may be weeks or months long and, with some exceptions, are geared more toward college-level learning rather than immediate practical applications.
Special features:
- Ability to take college level classes offered directly by accredited and renowned universities
- Many courses are free without a certification
- Peer-reviewed classes add accountability to format
- Academic focus
5. EdX
As with Coursera above, EdX is one of the top e-learning websites that offers higher-ed level classes in a MOOC format in partnership with brand-name universities from around the world. These courses are also generally free to take with a small fee for certifications.
Special features:
- Self-paced schedule format, great for those who are short on free-time but high on self-discipline
- Some neat gamification features that keep the learning interesting and prevent boredom
- Most classes are free to take
6. Khan Academy
Khan Academy is the e-learning website your nieces and nephews are using to prepare to take your job. It offers a wealth of academic and practical skill subjects, and it’s open free-to-use for anyone. It’s gamified. It uses a mix of learning styles. It’s impossible not to get better at whatever subject you’re studying on Khan Academy.
While primarily geared toward the K-12 student demographic, Khan Academy does have a growing catalog of courses on careers (including freelancing), entrepreneurship and business.
Special features:
- No tuition cost
- No sign up
- Wide range of subjects presented in an engaging manner
Related reading: Running a Freelance Business Takes Purpose – 3 Questions To Help You Find It
7. Udemy
If you are already familiar with e-learning, you are probably quite familiar with Udemy. One of the longest standing and most open-ended learning management systems, Udemy allows virtually anyone to create and deliver their own online course.
Obviously there are benefits and drawbacks to this open approach. Some of the classes can be a little shoddy. This makes it important to do a proper job assessing the quality of the courses.
Mikkee of Cool College Helpers advises, “use the course ratings to your advantage — if it has five stars, then it is probably an excellent course. If there are a lot of students enrolled in one particular course, it’s been successful in the past.”
Special features:
- Wide range of subjects
- Many discounts available to those who subscribe to Udemy
- Refunds available to unsatisfied customers
8. Treehouse – Coding
Looking to get your coding skills together? Before you go to a general course marketplace, give Treehouse a look. The platform is specifically geared toward coding, web design and app development and offers learning tools for them in the bite-sized “microlearning format” which we are big fans of over here Nation1099!
The format is granular and does not overload you with too much info at once. Additionally, Treehouse is also a very affordable options. Give it a look.
Special features:
- Very approachable and beginner-friendly format
- $25 a month subscription covers as many classes as the user would like to take
- Individual lessons are very short and to the point
E-learning websites can drive your professional development as a freelancer
We’re busy enough as is, so the idea of investing more time in non-work related projects can be off-putting. However, as with most things, if we do not block out the time, it simply will not happen!
In our recent post on how to grow a consulting business, we proposed modeling your time allocation after the “20 percent rule” or “Learning Fridays” strategies employed by many tech startups and entrepreneurs.
Pairing this approach with a couple great e-learning websites is a great way to create a regular schedule that works for you. It also lets you build in the structure and accountability most of us need to really make this learning happen. When was the last time you spent an hour just Googling better accounting practices?
Related reading: How To Be More Productive With Your Accountability Group
Once you’ve found a course or certification that interests you, try using one of these approaches to overcome the urge to procrastinate and get started!
Ben Shanbrom is a freelance writer, musician and copy editor who works with artists and other clients around his native New Haven and well beyond.
