The Internet gives you almost infinite possibilities when it comes to your personal development.
The courses you can complete to gain new skills or improve the ones you have come in all shapes and sizes and there are dedicated websites with tens of thousands high-quality courses. As you can see, finding the right option for yourself can be a daunting task.
This is why we’ve prepared this handy guide which will help you decide which e-learning options are best suited to your needs and how to start your e-learning process.
Ranging from courses on soft skills to technical stuff, online classes provide a wealth of useful information and are a great way to help you build your career and boost self-development. Still, there are often time and financial constraints which mean that you need to plan your moves carefully.
We’ve got a couple of good tips on how to navigate in the e-learning world, so don’t worry, you won’t be left in the dark.
Ready? Let’s unveil the secret to selecting a course that resonates with you.
First off, identify your goals and prepare a development plan.
That’s the most important thing you should do before you even pick a particular course.
Identifying Your Goals: Before diving into any course, pinpoint what you want to achieve. Ask yourself the following:
- What are your learning objectives?
- How much can you spend?
- How much time can you allocate?
- Is your aim professional development or personal enrichment?
These are the most crucial questions at this stage. Be clear in what you’re aiming for, as this will aid you in picking the right e-learning options.
As far as pricing is concerned, most of the courses are commercial in nature, so you’ll need to pay top dollar for them.
However, there is a possibility that instead of purchasing one expensive course, you might find a couple of cheaper (or even free) options that will give you a similar or even the same amount of knowledge for less.
There are also free samples which might at least give you an idea of what a particular course is about and its quality. The point is: there are ways to make things a lot cheaper, especially when you factor in various sales and promos.
You can also find free content on YouTube, which is a great alternative. But remember:
- This way, you won’t get the certifications that might come in handy when looking for a job.
- It’s super easy to get distracted with all the other videos you can find there.
- You know YT has a way of getting you deconcentrated.
Research your options. Pick the right platform and review the course’s contents carefully.
Once you’ve decided what you’re looking for and determined what your available resources are, it’s time to set out and search for some training options.
In general, there are many reputable e-learning platforms where you can go for excellent quality courses, including LinkedIn, MasterClass, One Education, Amphy and Alpha Academy, each offering a wide selection of products that cater to varied audiences.
Before you pick a course, spend some time reviewing the content. In particular:
- Read the description of the material to find out what you’ll get upon your purchase and which topic the course covers. Aim for varied content, not just video-based lectures. Is there a way for you to interact with the course’s creator, ask questions, receive feedback on your progress?
- Determine if the course is on the right skill level for you. Make sure that what you’re getting is not too easy or difficult for you at the current stage in your development process. Watch some sample videos and demos to get the general idea of what the course is like.
- Read user reviews, which might be even better when it comes to determining if a particular course is worthy of your attention or not.
- Review the course creator’s credentials. See if they offer certifications. In general, look for educational institutions or experts with established reputation for the best results and most bang for your buck.
- Check out other recommended products to find good alternatives or extra knowledge on a particular topic.
This will help you determine if a particular e-learning option is something worthy of your attention and well-earned money or simply a waste of time and funds.
What are other things that you should consider?
The best options are the courses that give you freedom in how you attend and complete them. Fortunately, most of them let you finish them at your own pace without you having to stick to a strict timetable (unless you factor in some online courses at universities, for example). This really helps you manage your time and adjust your learning to cater to your needs.
There is also a bunch of way if a course you’re about to begin is a credible one. It’s not to say that you’ll encounter fakes, as most online education platforms probably have a good way of moderating the content that ends up on them, but the quality might be subpar or the training provider might promise you things that are improbable, to say the least.
First off, see if the teacher commands respect and looks credible. Look for those who guarantee good results, but only if you put in a lot of hard work into completing the course. As you know, what’s good in life doesn’t come to you easily.
Next, see if they have a proven track record of success and find out if they excel in their field. You want to learn from the best, after all.
Third, testimonials. Check them for authenticity. Are these genuine comments or just bought reviews? Compare these testimonials with other user reviews.
Fourth, check if the course creator offers customer service in case you have any issues or if there’s a money-back guarantee if the product does not meet your expectations.
Fifth, sometimes it’s better to pay more and become a member of a thriving community of learners striving for excellence rather than spend less, but on a subpar course that will leave you feel like you’ve been scammed.
Final remarks
As you can see, choosing the right course for yourself might be a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
In general, what you have to do is some soul searching in order to determine what your skills currently are and how you would like to develop them. Your time, money, and energy are precious resources that shouldn’t be squandered on subpar products, but there are many ways for you to check if a particular course is worthy of your attention and hard-earned moolah.
And remember: completing a course is one thing, but you got to do all the heavy lifting on your own. Without your dedication and hard work all e-learning is pointless.