6 Best YouTube Channels for Quality Learning Online Courses / Material

BY MARTHA KARN

If you want to expand your knowledge and gain more skills, one of the best way to do it is by taking online courses. The only problem is that with so many courses out there, it can be difficult to know which ones are the best to take, and which aren’t going to do you much good. You can find all kinds of great courses and learning channels on YouTube, but which ones are going to offer the best quality learning material for you? Today we are going to take a look at what we consider to be six of the best YouTube channels that offer quality learning material.

1) Vsauce: Some channels are very specialized, while others offer a huge selection of learning material. Vsauce is one of the latter, and you will find everything from human behavior to physics to general knowledge to earth and space, and even learn if headlights can work at light speed. These courses are fun, and loaded with information that can help with your work, current studies, etc. Learn about how the earth works, dinosaur science, how Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain, and more.

2) Gresham College: This is another channel that offers a variety of online courses that can help to improve your general knowledge. For instance, you may be interested in learning about asthma and other diseases of the airways. Or, you might want to learn more about the world of insects, including the various diseases that are spread by mosquitoes. Some of the most popular uploads from Gresham College include “The End of Space and Time? with Professor Robbert Dijkgraaf, the “Shakespeare Politics” series, and “Mathematics: The Next Generation” with Professor Peter.

3) Veritasium: This is a channel that offers courses about science and engineering. You will find loads of cool experiments, interviews with experts, awesome demonstrations, public discussions about various science topics, and more. Some of the most popular uploads on Veritasium include “Can Silence Actually Drive You Crazy?”, “Anti-Gravity Wheel?”, and “Why are Mosquitoes Attracted to Me?”. If you need to upgrade your iPhone to be able to use this or any other YouTube channel, look into going for an iPhone 6 trade in so you don’t have to pay full price for a new iPhone.

4) Smithsonian Channel: If you are looking for quality programming from a YouTube educational channel, look no further than the Smithsonian Channel. Here you will find award-winning programming about such topics as air and space, history, science, nature, pop culture, and so much more. This is a joint venture that offers the expertise of Showtime Networks with the resources offered by the Smithsonian, and you will find yourself enjoying endless hours of top class learning material that can help you with your work, studies, and more.

5) C.G.P. Grey: Are you curious as to how machines learn? Do you want to learn about the differences between Great Britain and the United Kingdom? Are you interested in learning about Canada/United States border issues? You will find all of this, and more, on C.G.P. Grey, and you can even “Ask Grey a Question”. There are even a lot of fun videos, such as “The One Ring Explained” about the Lord of the Rings mythology, and “How to Become Pope”. This is a fun and eclectic learning resource that you need to check out.

6) BrainCraft: Maybe you are interested in psychology, how the brain works, and why we do the things we do. When you check out the videos at BrainCraft, you will be able to learn about these things, and then some. This channel offers videos about neuroscience, psychology, etc., and you will find some pretty interesting videos, including “How to Think Like Einstein”, “The Neuroscience of Creativity”, and “Your Brain in Virtual Reality”.

Bio:

Martha Karn develops online educational courses and writes for students.

5 Ways To Help You Succeed In College

BY SASHA McGREGOR

The college years are difficult for most students. For many, it’s their first time away from constant adult supervision. Students must balance adult responsibilities, such as part-time jobs, with coursework. Read on for a list of five tips for college success.

5. Use Your Campus Resources

Most college campuses have learning support services. For instance a writing lab provides tutors, typically during weekdays. These tutors will sit down with the student and provide feedback on student essays. Check with your school’s learning support center or library to ask about tutoring. However, you should not wait until the week your paper is due. Many writing labs require a student to make an appointment.

In addition to writing labs, some campuses also have math labs and other types of tutoring. Most of these tutoring services are included in student fees. This eliminates the need for private tutoring. In most cases the tutors in learning support services are graduate students or part-time staff who have studied the subject at an advanced level. Thus, they are knowledgeable on the subjects in which they tutor. Resources, notes and study aids are also available online through websites like Course Hero free in some cases, but accessible for a fee in others.

4. Organize a Study Group

If you are struggling with a particular subject, don’t feel overwhelmed. You undoubtedly aren’t the only one who needs help. Get together with friends who are in your class(es). Meet at least once per week to help each other with homework. During exam times, meet for several hours to go over your notes.

3. Get to Know Your Professors

Most professor hold office hours during weekdays. It’s a good idea to attend office hours at least a few times during the semester. Take advantage of any one-on-one time with your teachers. They can explain things you didn’t understand in class or answer any questions you have about your grade or upcoming assignments. Professors are also more likely to help you if they see that you’re putting forth the effort to meet with them outside of class.

2. Prioritize Your Physical Health

College is a time in which students are often on-the-go. They may stop for fast food on the way to class or stock their dorms with unhealthy snacks. Eating too many empty calories will not only contribute to an unhealthy weight gain, but it will also not create the energy necessary to study and focus. Instead, you should limit yourself to only a couple of fast food meals per week. Keep fruits and veggies in your dorm or apartment. It is also important to get plenty of sleep each night.

1. Stay Organized and Disciplined

The importance of good organizational skills cannot be emphasized enough. Undisciplined and unorganized students lose sleep by having to cram and study for exams at the last minute. Being unorganized can also cause a student to misplace important things, such as lecture notes. If you want to succeed in college, invest in a daily or weekly planner. Either add a planner app to your phone, or buy a paper tablet to keep track of all the important dates for the semester. Begin by gathering your course syllabi. Go through each syllabus and write important due dates in your planner. This will help you see which weeks of the semester are busiest for you. It will also help you plan ahead.

College students are pulled in many directions. They have studying to do, parties and sporting events to attend, and jobs to do. While this is overwhelming to most students, any student can pass college successfully. It all begins with careful planning, taking care of one’s physical health, prioritizing study time and using campus resources when necessary.

Bio:

I am a young mother who loves kids, that is why I became a teacher. Education is one of my passions, along with caring for animals like my pupper Morris. In my down time I love to paint and practice my calligraphy.