As the weather grows colder it gets harder to leave the house, even for computer classes at the Heights Library. Fear not, there are many educational resources available online. No need to get out from under the blankets or face the road conditions, simply get on a computer with internet access and prepare to learn.
General Online Education
The following websites include a variety of online classes on many different subjects. Classes may be scheduled for a specific time period or are “self-paced” – available for you to work on at any time. Websites listed below may require the creation of a free account, which requires an active email address.
Coursera – https://www.coursera.org/
Coursera provides easy, free online access to courses taught by
some of the world’s best universities. Classes are open to anyone. Most classes have a scheduled start and end date. Topics include data science, business, computer science, social sciences and more. Classes include a combination of pre-recorded video lectures, quizzes, and projects. Multi-course specialization certificates are available for a fee. Search for courses using the search box or browsing by subject in the Catalog.
Khan Academy – https://www.khanacademy.org/
Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos and the ability to learn at your own pace. Khan Academy classes include math, science, economics and finance, arts and humanities, computer and test prep. Courses in collaboration with NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences and MIT are available. View available courses under Subject or by using the search box at the top of the site.
FutureLearn – https://www.futurelearn.com/
FutureLearn provides access to free courses provided by top British & European universities. Topics range from business and management, language and cultures, online and digital, and politics and the modern world. Courses have a scheduled start and end date and include discussions, activities, assignments, and quizzes. Courses from FutureLearn are free. Programs combine courses in a given area. Certificates and a final assessment are available for a fee.
ALISON – https://alison.com/
ALISON offers over 750 free online courses, all of which provide a diploma or certificate. Course topics include business and enterprise, digital literacy and IT, personal development and soft skills, languages, health safety and compliance, and financial and economic literacy. Browse courses by select Courses from the navigation bar at the top of the site or use the search box to find something specific.
Heights Library now provides access to Lynda.com, a leading online learning company owned by business social networking site LinkedIn. Lynda classes cover a wide range of software from Microsoft Office to Photoshop and other professional grade programs. Classes are taught through self-paced video tutorials. Practice files are available for many courses. Lynda.com is accessible in the library or from your home computer.
NOTE: Lynda.com access requires a Heights Library card and PIN. If you have questions about your library card or PIN, please ask library staff.
For more information about using Lynda, check out our Lynda.com Information Sessions on Wednesday, December 14 and Saturday, February 11th at 11 am.
For additional information visit Learning @ Heights Libraries.
