By Viktoriia Blavitska | Published: 21st April 2023
Online education has become more popular in recent years, with a wide range of courses available to suit various interests and learning styles. In addition to serious and academic courses, there are many fun and lighthearted ones. Here are five free online courses that cater to different interests and learning styles:
Please note that we have not been paid for this article as an advertisement. That's only our sincere recommendations:)
Music as Biology: What We Like to Hear and Why
Music is a universal form of human expression that has been around for thousands of years. It has the ability to evoke strong emotions, memories, and images in listeners, making it a powerful tool for communication and connection. But have you ever thought about why you like a specific genre of music? The course will explore the tone combinations that humans consider consonant or dissonant, the scales we use, the emotions music elicits and other interesting things.
Imagineering in a Box
Disney's Imagineering in a Box allows you to explore different aspects of theme park design, from characters to ride development. Get ready to bring your own magic as you design a theme park of your very own!
Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science
Top chefs and Harvard researchers explore how traditional and modernist cooking techniques can illuminate basic principles in chemistry, physics, and engineering. Learn about elasticity, viscosity, mayonnaise, baking, and more!
The Science of Well-Being
In this course, you will engage in a series of challenges designed to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits. As preparation for these tasks, Professor Laurie Santos reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind that lead us to think the way we do, and the research that can help us change. You will ultimately be prepared to successfully incorporate a specific wellness activity into your life.
Comics: Art in Relationship
Comics are one of the most popular and exciting ways to tell a story. This course offers a look at the fundamental building blocks of the comic book medium. Exploring panel-to-panel transitions, text-to-image relationships, and the intricacies of page layouts, students will examine new and innovative ways to bring their stories to life.
If you are interested in something really unique and special we would love to share also these five paid courses:
Taking Romantic Comedy Seriously
Romantic comedy is one of the most popular film genres. In this presentation, Professor Schreiber will explore the romantic comedy as it has evolved throughout American film history, looking at its evolution from the screwball comedy and women’s films of the 1930s and 1940s, the “feminist” films of the 1970s, and the “chick flick” films of the 1990s to more contemporary “post-romantic” films of the 2010s. These cycles will be discussed alongside historical, socio-political and cultural trends.
How to Watch Movies Like a Film Professor
Have you ever watched a film and thought about what's going on behind the scenes? This presentation will illustrate some remarkable examples of cinematic mastery through technical innovation and complex thematic construction. The films selected for this presentation accomplish their missions by eliciting some of the most memorable moments and performances ever captured on celluloid.
Poetry: How to Read a Poem
Humans have communicated their thoughts, ideas, and feelings through poetry throughout history. Whether you’re a poetry fanatic or you’re eager to learn, you’ll learn tools for approaching the study of poetry, ways to express your appreciation of poetry and ways to find new riches in your favourite poems.
Stealing Art: How Thieves Do It, and How They (Sometimes) Get Caught
Have you ever heard about the theft of an oil painting by Vincent van Gogh called The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring? If not, you definitely should watch this course! Robert Wittman, a world-renowned expert and FBI agent, will examine the historical aspects of art theft and other art crimes, including; frauds, forgeries and fakes. He will then detail the Van Gogh heist, including, how the painting could be recovered.
How to Listen to (and Appreciate) Great Music
We all love some form of music, but we will love it even more when we learn how to listen more closely. This course will explain and demonstrate the concept of active listening and provide techniques to get more pleasure from great music reflecting a wide variety of styles. In these lectures, you can listen to excerpts of music from classical, jazz, and popular traditions in order to "stretch your ears" and get more pleasure from the musical experience.
In conclusion, online courses can be a great way to expand our knowledge and gain new insights into various topics. Whether it's taking romantic comedies seriously, the science of well-being, becoming a more discerning moviegoer, drawing cool comics, or learning about the world of art theft, these online courses offer unique and intriguing opportunities for learning.