A learning platform provides a safe environment that allows students to take online courses.
The online learning platforms are also referred to as “course marketplaces” because they enable students to buy and sell courses directly.
Some of these courses marketplaces feature online courses that you can create, but the vast majority are educational and provide university-level education only.
What to Look for When Choosing an Online Learning Platform
It is confusing to pick the best one for your needs among the dozens of educational platforms available online. I will give you a couple of quick tips so you can choose wisely.
Focused topics
Some of these learning communities specialize in a specific field (e.g. data science, coding, creative crafts). Then again, a custom-built e-learning platform may be a better option if you are looking to tailor your learning exclusively to one of these topics. DataCamp specializes in data science, CreativeLive offers creative courses (such as photography or design), and Pluralsight and Codecademy cater to computer engineers.
Languages
Your options for language courses other than English are going to be limited. Udemy, Coursera, and LinkedIn Learning also provide some courses in German, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Community
There is also a lot of variation among different platforms in terms of the community aspect. There are not many engaged, so it may be difficult to interact with the instructor and other students. A topic-focused platform (such as Pluralsight, Datacamp, or Skillshare) or online community will give you an engaged community.
Pricing
What is your budget? In that case, a free MOOC, such as Coursera or edX, may be an option. Is it more convenient to have a set fee per course (check Udemy), or would you prefer a subscription (check Skillshare or LinkedIn learning).
Assignments, quizzes and certificates
It is important to note that not every platform described here offers the same approach to following courses. You may be able to complete self-graded assignments, peer reviews, or take exams to earn a completion certificate. Be sure that you fully understand this before committing.
Course quality
There are some e-learning platforms that offer better courses (from a quality perspective). edX, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and Skillshare all offer (some) top-quality courses. The courses provided by organizations like Creativelive, Pluralsight and Datacamp, which offer topic-based e-learning communities, will also provide a bit more.
It is clear that there is a variety of options available, and each of them has strengths and weaknesses. Even though you might find it time-consuming to read every detail about each platform and tool, you should conduct some research on those you are most interested in before making a final decision.
You can try most platforms out before buying them, so make sure you give it a try!
At the end of the day, choosing the one that suits your needs and works well within your budget will be the best choice for you.
Pros
• Around 600 lectures and 1200 exercises.
• A built-in IDE, optimized for smartphone use.
• 500 hours or more of active learning.
• Assignment confirmation in real-time.
• An active Java community. Cons
• Provides Java-only courses.
• It isn’t geared towards advanced developers.
Pricing
It is free to download and use.
Conclusion
The time it takes to learn programming is not an issue if you are motivated. You can gain skills while on a bus or on the subway if you have an Android app. The range of learning platforms is vast. Taking the time to test these tools will help you find the perfect one to drive your professional growth and development.
