The Best Websites for Learning Something New After 50

We live in an amazing time, where the worlds of learning and development are literally at our fingertips. We are experiencing what’s referred to as the open education movement, where all we need is internet access and a computer, tablet or mobile device.

What a contrast to years gone by. When I was a kid and wanted to learn something new, I’d head to the local library and locate the encyclopedias and books on the subject of interest. Remember having to learn the Dewey Decimal System for classifying books in the library? Painful. There was no internet and our learning experiences were limited to books at the library, through classes or the kid down the block.

Today, the opportunity to get smarter and rewire our brains is tremendous. Online courses are an awesome way to dip our toes into something different and new, or to expand our skills. Much of the content is absolutely free, but when not, the annual fees or class fees are a bargain given the payoff of learning. The courses vary in length depending on the focus and complexity of the topic.

Combing through the plethora of options is daunting and may feel overwhelming to you. I’ve collected the best sites that teach a diversified list of topics, as well as some specialized sites, too.

CreateLive

CreateLive is a top-notch educational website that offers many ways to learn, with on-air broadcasts, classes, interviews, podcasts, and articles. It offers high-quality instruction and a variety of formats to keep it interesting.

Class categories: Photo & video, art & design, music & audio, craft & maker, and money & life.

Sample classes: Outdoor & landscape photography, film & video, logo design, guitar, mixing music, calligraphy, jewelry, cake decorating, finance and entrepreneurship.

Number of courses: 2,100 +

Cost: Per class fee, or a monthly fee for full access to all classes

LinkedIn Learning

Formerly Lynda, LinkedIn Learning offers business-oriented and skill-based courses in a variety of subjects geared for one’s career and personal development. Owned by Microsoft, the instruction is typically high-quality.

Class categories: Business, technology, and creative skills.

Sample classes: Painting, Photoshop, leadership, iMovie, programming, Word, Excel, photography, drawing, and blogs.

Number of courses: Over 17,500 courses

Cost: Free trial for 30 days; annual fee beginning at $324.

OpenLearn

OpenLearn offers free learning from The Open University. The platform delivers bite-size learning experiences that include short courses, articles, quizzes and interactive games, and videos and audios. With such a wide variety of courses and sources, the quality varies based on the instructor.

Class categories: Money & business, education & development, health & psychology, history & the arts, and more.

Sample classes: Educational classes that run the gamut of traditional courses, e.g., environment, languages, math, etc. Content contributed by academics and guest contributors.

Number of courses: Thousands, exact number not available

Cost: Free

Skillshare

For the creative types, Skillshare offers a fun learning community for creators, matching anyone who wants to teach with anyone who wants to learn. Known for its interactive vibe, it reminds me of the Pinterest of training.

Class categories: Design, illustration, photography & film, animation, writing, business, and lifestyle.

Sample classes: Web design, knife cutting skills, portrait photography, video basics, creative writing, knitting, and baking.

Number of courses: Thousands

Cost: Free trial for 30 days; annual fee beginning at $167. Some free classes, but not full access.

Udemy

One of the larger platforms, Udemy offers a broad selection of courses, primarily in the business, technology, and personal development categories. Courses are rated, which is helpful in selecting a course.

Class categories: Design, development, marketing, IT & software, business, personal development, photography, and music.

Sample classes: Programming, machine learning, management, drawing, speed reading, mindfulness, and creative writing.

Number of courses: Over 185,000 courses.

Cost: Courses start at $15.99 each.

Coursera

If you’re in for the long haul, Coursera works with over 200 universities and other organizations to offer courses, specializations and degrees, with courses lasting roughly four to ten weeks. Founded by two Stanford University professors, the platform now has 82 million learners around the world. Students are able to self pace, with degrees and certificates available.

Class categories: Arts & humanities, business, computer science, data science, life sciences, math & logic, personal development, physical sciences & engineering, social sciences, and language learning.

Sample classes: Programming, machine learning, digital marketing, psychology, english, and robotics.

Number of courses: 5,000 +

Cost: Free courses and free trial. Prices vary by course, certificate and degree.

TED-Ed

TED-Ed is TED’s youth and education initiative. It provides short lessons and presentations on a multitude of topics in video format. Many of the videos are animated. These lessons are more YouTube-like and some weave opinions into their content.

Class categories: Arts, business, engineering, health, literature, math, philosophy & religion, psychology, science & technology, teaching, and thinking/learning.

Sample classes: You name it, it’s here.

Number of courses: Thousands.

Cost: Free

edX

A collaborative effort among over 160 universities, edX offers opportunities to access college-level courses with topics running the academic spectrum. Most courses are self-paced and typically require a weekly dedication of time. Some classes have a specific start date.

Class categories: Architecture, art, biology, chemistry, business communications, programming, data analysis, design, economics, education, electronics, engineering, environmental, nutrition, healthcare, history, humanities, language, law, literature, math, medicine, physics & science, and social science.

Sample classes: Drones, art history, cryptocurrency, cooking, beer, creative writing, and global warming.

Number of courses: 3,000 +

Cost: Varies by class, many are free.

 Open Learning Initiative

Open Learning Initiative offers free and low-cost learning from Carnegie Mellon University. Courses are available through the site’s independent learners section, and are self-paced and self-guided.

Class categories: Arts & humanities, business, computer science, language, life sciences, math, science, and technology.

Sample classes: Java programming, Spanish, French, chemistry, and cyber technology.

Number of courses: Limited, yet college-level quality.

Cost: Most are free or a nominal fee.

Specialty Learning Websites

In addition to websites that offer a wide variety of courses, there also are phenomenal sites that offer courses in a specific niche. If you’ve always wanted to learn to computer program or love everything tech, then check out Codecademy, Udacity, and SitePoint.

If you want to learn to play a musical instrument or hone your skills, check out Soundfly, Justin Guitar, and Pianu. My grandfather played the harmonica, so I’ve been reliving those memories by taking lessons on Harmonica.

If learning a language is your goal, check out Duolingo — the go to for language learning. And, in the world of arts, Drawspace and Mosaic Arts Online offer comprehensive courses for both beginners and more advanced.

In the words of author Brian Herbert, “The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.” Or, as Benjamin Franklin said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” What will you learn this year?