Posts published on May 22, 2018

5 Useful Online Courses To Supplement Your College Education

BY SYLVIA KOHL

Even if you’ve managed to find your way into a college of your choice, it doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed to receive the education you need. More and more often students find that traditional college programs don’t cover all the areas of knowledge they need to succeed in the hectic modern world; however, there is a way to get this knowledge alongside your basic course without taking up more work than you can realistically deal with. Online courses take a fraction of the time you need to take similar courses in college, concentrate on a single subject and have proven their efficiency. So which one should you take in 2018?

1.    An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python via Coursera

Programming jobs unfailingly show up in all lists of the best-paid vocational choices for the last couple of decades, and there are no signs that they intend to leave them. And even if your primary area of knowledge has nothing to do with them, having at least basic experience in coding improves your chances of landing a high-class job. Python is widely believed to be the best programming language to learn first, and this course is ideal for students with little to no prior knowledge of coding.

2.    Digital Marketing Course via SimpliLearn

SEO and digital marketing are, undoubtedly, among the most promising and lucrative careers currently available. Continually developing and changing search engine mechanisms mean that demands on effective website promotion are altering at breakneck speeds and specialists who understand how the world of SEO works are never going to be out of work. Digital marketing certification training at SimpliLearn will be either an excellent foundation for a future career in this area or a supplement for a typical business or marketing course.

3.    Introduction to Programming for Musicians and Digital Artists via Kadenze

As new and new aspects of our lives become digitalized, many areas that previously hardly could have been associated with programming start benefitting from it and acquiring new possibilities. Music and sound design is one such area. This course teaches the basics of programming as related to music and sound computation, providing actionable and practical skills for musicians willing to take a high-tech approach to their work.

4.    Machine Learning via Coursera

Machine learning has been rapidly developing for at least a decade and became increasingly visible over the last few years. To put in a nutshell, it deals with the task of teaching computers to change their behavior and act without being directly programmed to do so. This course deals with the most promising machine learning methods and provides the knowledge necessary to effectively apply them to solve the most common problems in this area. Machine learning expertise is likely to explode in demand over the next few years, so starting to move in this direction will quickly pay off.

5.    The Science of Everyday Thinking

There are many courses aimed to teach you specific disciplines and set of skills, but this one is going to improve the very toolset you use to learn these things: you mind, thinking and psychology. The course deals with many issues influencing our everyday thinking, why people tend to believe unreasonable things and make stupid decisions. After completing it, you will be better equipped to think independently and make more informed choices.

While you’ve probably already decided what you are going to do in your life, broadening your horizons and acquiring new skills and abilities can never harm you. We hope these courses will help you just as much as the main course you are taking.

Sylvia Kohl is an IT teacher with more than 8 years of professional experience. Her main spheres of interest are e-education and she convinced that learning process doesn’t stop after years in school and university.