It’s the new year, 2021! So why not get the new year started on the right foot with some learning! These online learning platforms are resources can help one learn new skills and new topics related to astronomy and science for all everyone across all age groups! In this article, we will be discussing some of our favorite learning platforms that can be found online.

Online learning has already become a major factor in the lives of some university students before COVID-19 with different colleges and universities offering online courses. With the lessons learned by COVID-19, more institutions might be moving to online learning platforms permanently. Moreover, as more learning platforms become more digital, it is important to find the most valuable sources.

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Crash Course

Cost: Free
Website: https://thecrashcourse.com and https://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse
Background: CrashCourse is an educational YouTube channel started by John and Hank Green. The have been funded by the likes of Youtube, Subbable, PBS Digital Studios, Complexly, Youtube Learning Fund, and Arizona State University. Through this funding, Crash Course has been able to provide a wide variety of topics such as World History, Chemistry, Astronomy, AI, and more.
Benefits: Videos topics are 6 to 15 minutes long and allow the watcher to gain an understanding of the subject without going into too much detail about the nitty gritty. As a starting point to the topic and the big ideas, this is a great start and a great way to learn more on the subject, allowing the users to then deep dive on their own at the discretion of further tools and interests.

Skillshare

Cost: Free Trial, but then paid membership around $15 per month per Business Insider
Website: https://www.skillshare.com
Benefits: The benefits of Skillshare is that it doesn’t have a course like nature, so its more focused on solving real life problems and learning skills. They support creators and help by having learners support real life problems that are interesting to foster learning. Skill share is really great as it helps learn through real life problems that one can enjoy learning about!

Khan Academy

Cost: Free
Website: https://www.khanacademy.org
Benefits: This tool is a great way for students 2-18 years old to learn course material in a reliable fashion. They have great results and are free of cost to use.

Coursera

Cost: Free, but some might do cost money
Website: https://www.coursera.org
Benefit: Provides courses on relevant subjects from the top tier universities and courses focused on professional training. Similar to EdX, but more focused on professional training. 

EDX

Cost: Free, but verified tracks typically range between $50 and $300 USD.
Website: https://www.edx.org
Benefits: Similar to Coursera, as these are top tracks from top tier universities. EdX offers numerous courses in the humanities and the natural sciences.