You won’t be able to earn an actual degree for free, but if you’re trying to increase your expertise at the office, wondering whether to switch careers, or just wishing you had taken that film course back when you were in college, there are some truly amazing opportunities out there.
(I’ll admit, my first thought was “I don’t have the time!” But the beauty of learning online is that you can do it at your own pace. And if you have a chance to study something you’ve always wanted to, and to study it for free? Find time. You’re worth the investment.)
If you’re looking for ways to give your kid a boost in the science, vocab, history, or math departments, there are plenty of great online resources to choose from, and you don’t have to be a homeschooling veteran to find them. Here are five of my favorites sites for getting an awesome, and free, online education for adults, plus five more online destinations for educational games that your kids will enjoy.
1.) MIT Open Coursewear. This is quite possibly the biggest education jackpot on the internet -- lecture notes, videos, and exams on nearly everything the famed Massachusetts Institute of Technology has to offer, except for the actual diploma. There are close to 2,000 undergraduate and graduate-level courses here, from aeronautics to women’s and gender studies -- and it’s all free. No registration is required, because you don’t earn college credits or a degree by taking these courses, but if just want to learn, if you’re homeschooling, or if you have a high-school student at home who isn’t satisfied by what he or she is getting at school, this is an unbelievable site.
2.) Livemocha. This learning community offers free online lessons in 12 foreign languages -- Spanish, French, German, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese, Arabic, Icelandic, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese and Korean -- as well as the opportunity to practice as much as you want with members who are native speakers. It’s free to join, and you can learn at your own pace. I’m going to brush up on my French so I can finally speak with my cousins properly -- and it won’t cost me a cent.
3.) Free-Ed.net. With practical offerings such as carpentry and medical billing, GED basics, and remedial courses on everything from algebra to computer fundamentals, Free-Ed.net is a great place to study if you’re looking to review material you previously learned in school or prep for an exam at work. There’s so much available here that it can be a bit overwhelming; their primers on how to study at Free-Ed and critical reasoning and creative thinking are two good places to start.
4.) The Library of Congress: American Memory. You don’t need to visit Washington, D.C., in order to browse this amazing collection. No formal courses here, per se, but tons of information about, well, everything. Check out the Leonard Bernstein Collection, peruse Thomas Edison’s work, learn more about immigration and American history… it’s a digital record of American innovation.
5.) Annenburg Media. This company provides content to many major distance-learning institutions, but you can watch videos on all sorts of subjects for free. Their series on American Cinema is fantastic, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.
Want more? Wendy Boswell points out that many US college offer coursework online for free (without the degree, of course), and there are plenty of options that aren’t online as well. Check with your local museum for free-admission days, get a library card and set your own course of independent study, or look up your local community college or vocational school to see what extended learning opportunities are available.
Looking for something for someone slightly younger than you? Here are five educational websites for kids:
1.) Exploratorium. The physical Exploratorium is housed inside San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts and was founded by Dr. Frank Oppenheimer; the web version sprawls over 18,000 pages and hundreds of scientific subjects. A kid could get (wonderfully) lost without every having to leave her desk.
2.) Zula Patrol. This site seems more game-oriented than educational, but don’t be fooled — there’s some serious learning going on here. The science and astronomy-focused program is geared towards kids from Pre-K to 2nd grade.
3.) PBSkids. Tying in to Public Broadcasting classics like “Sesame Street” and “Arthur” as well as newer educational programs like “Word Girl” and “Super Why,” PBSkids.org offers games that are so much fun, little kids won’t even notice they’re learning.
4.) Funbrain. Kids learn most easily when they’re playing, which is one reason why Funbrain is popular with parents and teachers alike. The teacher’s page directs you to practical things like flash cards and curriculum guides, but parents who are looking to give their children a more casual learning experience can head right on over to the free games section.
5.) Enchanted Learning. Enchanted
Learning offers easy-to-digest printables for preschoolers and
kindergarteners, as well as plenty of craft ideas tucked in among
the lessons. The picture dictionaries are especially cool for
budding linguists.
Lylah M. Alphonse is a full-time editor, a freelance writer,
and mom and step mom to five kids. She writes about juggling career
and parenthood at The 36-Hour Day
and Work It, Mom!,
and blogs at Write. Edit.
Repeat.
