2020 was a weird year for the students. In fact, 2020 was weird for everybody. The educational system had to make a lot of changes both for the pupils and for the teachers. 

Most of the colleges and universities transitioned to the Internet to carry on with the learning process. Not all of them managed to do it successfully.

Not much changed in 2021, as the educational platforms for online learning are more important than ever. After the pandemic started, learners had limited support from their professors and other students. So they started using every resource that can potentially contribute to their educational progress.

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You can also thereafter consider reading this: 7 Effective Tips for Students to Overcome Laziness and focus on studies

Luckily, there are plenty of online resources for the users that assist in their education. For example, a writing essay service can help students with assignments and offer tips on writing in the form of a blog like EssayWritingService does.

Students will continue to use the Internet to advance their education for their growth even after the pandemic. So here is a list of the top 6 educational platforms that are most popular for online studies!

  • Skillshare
  • Coursera
  • Udemy
  • edX
  • Treehouse
  • Codecademy

Let’s take a closer look at these platforms and their pros and cons for a student.

Skillshare

Skillshare is one of the largest platforms for online learning. It can guide both students and teachers, as it offers information on almost all educational programs. Teachers can contribute to Skillshare and get paid for it. Also, pupils can get their info straight from the source.

Pros: Skillshare is free and it has a great variety of courses that are divided into lessons.

Cons: The payment system for the teachers depends on views, so make sure that you open a less popular video and help a teacher out!

Coursera

Coursera is a course marketplace that has syllabuses from top professors from all over the world. Students can use video lectures, turn in peer-reviewed assignments that are graded by the instructors, and communicate with other users.

Pros: Coursera can offer online degree programs that are accepted by universities.

Cons: It’s quite pricey for some classes, going up to 80$ per month and 25,000$ for an online degree.

Udemy

Udemy is also helpful both for pupils and for the teachers. This online course platform is a whole portal that provides info on all sorts of learning programs and even for hobbies. Here, you can find information about coding, marketing, photography, drawing, and even self-confidence!

Pros: Udemy has very affordable pricing policies. Also, if you buy a course, it’s yours to use for life.

Cons: It can be easy to become overwhelmed with the amount of available material. Also, the certificates that are offered by Udemy are not accredited.

edX

edX is a platform that was created by instructors from MIT and Harvard. A student can use more than 3000 courses to fast-track their education. Also, edX provides an opportunity to connect with other users that take the same discipline.

Pros: This online platform offers accredited certificates that are recognized by the universities. In general, it’s like learning in a real university with support from top professors of the world.

Cons: The choice of topics is limited to higher education. So if you are looking for a simple hobby for beginners, edX is probably not for you.

Treehouse

Treehouse is created specifically for those students who want to be proficient in technology-related disciplines. This platform offers help in coding and web design based on many structured courses. 

Also, because Treehouse has a specific direction for online learning, the choice of disciplines is small but very straightforward. A beginner can take an easy quiz to know what course is most appropriate for him at this time.

Pros: Treehouse is one of the few platforms that offer a free trial period. The classes that are presented here are extremely focused and interactive.

Cons: The courses of Treehouse are not accepted by universities so they can be used for self-education only.

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Codecademy

The last platform for online studies in this review is all about programming. It is created specifically for people who want to know more about coding. Codecademy offers materials on 14 programming languages, starting with the entry-level courses for complete beginners.

Pros: Most courses are free, and they vary from the beginner level and up to the most expert level of knowledge. Also, the student can receive support from other users, instructors, and outside advisers.

Cons: The classes that are presented on Codecademy are only for personal studies, as they are not accepted by universities.

Also read: Top 7 Ways to Benefit from Social Media in Education

Final Words

To sum up, the variety of online learning websites is definitely huge. A user has to decide for himself what the final goal of online studying is. If it is to pick up a new hobby, then Udemy can be more than enough for beginners.

Sometimes a user wants to find something specific, like programming. In this case, it is better to choose a platform that offers courses exactly on coding. The community on this platform will be more focused, and the selection of materials becomes easier as well.

Today, online learning or in other words ‘Immersive learning‘ is a big part of life. Some portals even offer a complete degree in specific subjects. In any case, it is important to understand that online education doesn’t mean slacking off at home! It is a completely legitimate tool that can advance your educational path and even career in the future.

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