Today’s technology provides endless opportunities for anyone to continue their educational journey, whether it be learning a new language, brushing up on history or developing a new skill. Online learning platforms allow everyone, including older adults, to take on new challenges and expand their brains.
As you age, it’s important to stay healthy physically and cognitively. By continuing to learn and exercise your brain, you’ll keep your cognitive health in good shape and slow the progression of decline. And as you enter retirement, you’ll have the chance to continue learning and exploring things you are passionate about that you may not have had time for when you were working and raising a family.
Technology has made it easy to access online learning platforms from your computer or smartphone. If you have access to the internet, you can learn pretty much anything from anywhere. Many online learning sites are free or offer a paid version at a small cost. Depending on your interests, many sites offer diverse types of classes and lessons covering assorted topics. Here are some of our favorite online learning platforms:
1: Coursera: Working side by side with more than 300 of the top businesses like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and some of the best universities in the country, including the University of Pennsylvania, New York University and John’s Hopkins University, Coursera has a reputation for working with the best. They offer classes in business, computer science, language, art, health sciences and more. Whether you want to learn something new or master something you love, Coursera has the resources for you. You can take classes just for the love of education or work toward degrees and certificates from major universities, all from your computer.
2: Duolingo: This language learning platform, available online or through a top-rated mobile app, offers language learning for its users centered around real-life communication and not just learning grammar rules. The goal is to have learners holding conversations as quickly as possible, with daily reminders, missions and activities to help students stay motivated. Duolingo has created a research-backed teaching method to make lessons more enjoyable, digestible and easy to remember. They currently offer 43 different languages, so whether you’re brushing up on your French or starting fresh with Japanese, Duolingo has something for everyone.
3: MasterClass: This online learning platform for adults offers classes across many topics, taught by masters in their fields. Whether it’s cooking taught by Gordon Ramsay, filmmaking led by Martin Scorsese or even astrophysics with Neil deGrasse Tyson, MasterClass has something for everyone. The site is excellent for picking up new skills, learning new information on a topic you are interested in, mastering something you’ve been working on or just relaxing and enjoying the lectures.
4: One Day University: This virtual university has partnered with more than 200 of the country’s best professors to create online lectures across hundreds of topics. One Day University believes learning should be informative and fun, so their lectures are educational, engaging, and enjoyable. They offer hundreds of topics, some of their most popular being history, politics, art, business and even zoology. Lectures typically last about an hour and can be viewed anytime and anywhere with an active subscription.
5: Skillshare: This is a wonderful place to explore, learn and master creative skills like video editing, writing and painting, and even share some of the skills you’ve excelled at in your life. Skillshare teachers are professionals who want to share their talents and skill sets with a community eager to learn. Learners can pick up a new hobby or skill taught by real-world professionals.
This is a hub not only for learners and creatives but also for budding teachers. If you have a particular skill set you’ve mastered over the years, Skillshare is always looking to add new courses and teachers to its website. By teaching, you can share your passion with excited students while making some money too.
These are considered some of the best online learning platforms because they offer a wide variety of topics taught by professionals. No matter which website or course you choose, you’re bound to learn something new and interesting. You’ll even be able to connect with other users on the platforms and meet like-minded individuals, discussing what you learned, what you might not understand yet and what you’re going to learn next. You could even take a class with friends and then hold discussions over a cup of coffee or glass of wine. The benefits speak for themselves.
No matter what platform you choose, there’s lots of learning to enjoy and topics to explore. The Ormsby understands this and the benefits of continued education. That’s why they have a Life Enrichment team dedicated to helping their residents continue living vital, active lives. Learn more about The Ormsby by browsing our site or call 1-859-331-1490.
