In this version you will find courses only in English, if you are familiar with the other two languages I invite you to consult the other versions where you will find another selection of different courses in these languages.
In these days of quarantine all over the world, with schools and universities closed, online education is the protagonist. Those who were unfamiliar with this type of learning, students and teachers, had to adapt quickly.
In addition to the official lessons proposed by the various educational institutions to allow their students to continue the current school year, today many platforms are expanding their free training offer for everyone.
These days of social isolation can be boring for someone, and a productive way of spending time is to improve our knowledge and skills on certain topics related to our profession or hobbies.
The ideal would be to take some time to reflect on what are our strengths to improve and what are the weaknesses and gaps to fill, in order to emerge stronger from this situation.
Find what you love and let it kill you.
Charles Bukowski
In a previous post, MOOC: Peace, abundance and freedom in education, I told you about the MOOCs (Massive Online Open Course) offered by the best universities in the world for free, having to pay only in case you want the final certificate.
Following the pattern of another previous posts, in which I proposed 26 MOOCs in Italian for makers in August and 55 MOOCs in Spanish for makers in August, some of which are still open, I will propose a selection of courses for quarantine makers that I have selected from the main platforms I know and that I usually use.
The importance and empowerment of being able to made almost anything had gone unnoticed by many, but thanks to the collapse of health systems due to coronavirus, makers have again gained importance, as explained in this post about Coronavirus Makers initiative .
We can all be makers!
In addition to technical courses on programming, Arduino, robotics, there are also courses of transversal knowledge and personal skills that can be useful not only for makers, but also for everyone.
If you don’t find someone who interests you in this selection, you can consult the links to the various platforms to explore as you like the wide catalog of free courses offered.
Because of this particular situation, many parents are at home with their children and are also teaching, I have added a section for makers parents and children.
This can prove to be a good opportunity to start family's little ones in programming, in robotics and to learn with them.
There are many educational resources for children aged 3 years and over, which can also be used by those who have no children and believe that it is very complicated and will not be able to learn.
You can also consult the education section to improve skills in this field and have better tools in educating children.
The project-based learning methodology, a pillar in the transmission of peer knowledge in the makers’ communities, is increasingly widespread in the field of formal education, therefore it can also be useful for teachers.
Tell me and I will forget, teach me and I will remember, involve me and I will learn.
Benjamin Franklin
Do you know other free course platforms or other courses that may be of interest and that you want to share with the community?
Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.
Thomas Huxley.
The economic resources of each person in each family can be an obstacle to online learning if they don’t allow the availability of Internet connection and devices such as computers or cell phones.
In Lanzarote, the government has set up a series of aids to guarantee all families with insufficient resources an Internet connection and access devices to allow students to follow the lessons online. Source Cabildo de Lanzarote
Tell us about your experience in your country from your student, teacher or parent's point of view.
MOOC FOR MAKERS IN QUARANTINE, AT YOUR RHYTHM OR OPEN FOR CONSULTATIONS
BASIC PROGRAMMING:
1.Basics of Computing and Programming
9 Weeks / 6–8 hours per week
NYUx
2.Android App Development Specialization
Approx. 4 months to complete / Suggested 8 hours/week
Vanderbilt University
There are 5 Courses in this Specialization that you can do individually:
- Java for Android
- Android App Components - Intents, Activities, and Broadcast Receivers
- Android App Components - Services, Local IPC, and Content Providers
- Engineering Maintainable Android Apps
- Capstone MOOC for "Android App Development"
3.Scripting and Programming Foundations
8 Weeks / 9–10 hours per week
WGUx
4.Programming for Everyone – An Introduction to Visual Programming Languages
8 Weeks / 2–3 hours per week
IsraelX
5.Video Game Design
6 months / 1 - 3 hours per week
RITx
There are 5 Courses in this Specialization that you can do individually:
- Video Game Design History
- Video Game Design and Balance
- Video Game Asset Creation and Process
- Video Game Design: Teamwork & Collaboration
- Gameplay Programming for Video Game Designers
6.Programming for the Web with JavaScript
4 Weeks / 6–8 hours per week
PennX
7.Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python)
7 Weeks / 2–4 hours per week
MichiganX
8.Introduction to Python: Absolute Beginner
5 Weeks / 3–4 hours per week
Microsoft
9.Make Your Own App
7 Weeks
8–9 hours per week
TUMx
10.Programming Foundations with JavaScript, HTML and CSS
Approx. 21 hours to complete
Duke University
BASIC ELECTRONICS:
11.An Introduction to Programming the Internet of Things (IOT) Specialization
Approx. 2 months to complete / Suggested 10 hours/week
UCI Division of Continuing Education
There are 6 Courses in this Specialization that you can do individually:
- Introduction to the Internet of Things and Embedded Systems
- The Arduino Platform and C Programming
- Interfacing with the Arduino
- The Raspberry Pi Platform and Python Programming for the Raspberry Pi
- Interfacing with the Raspberry Pi
- Programming for the Internet of Things Project
12.Arduino Programming, from novice to ninja
4 Weeks / 2–3 hours per week
IMTx
13.ITMOx's IoT: from hardware to practice Professional Certificate
4 months / 4 - 5 hours per week
ITMO University
There are 3 Courses in this Professional Certificate that you can do individually for free:
- A Subjective Introduction to the IoT
- IoT Networking and Fog Layer Devices
- Data Management, Data Security and Robot Operating System as a Common Tool for IoT
14.Control of Mobile Robots
Approx. 20 hours to complete
Georgia Tech
15.Building Arduino robots and devices
Approx. 23 hours to complete
Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
16.Introduction and Programming with IoT Boards
Approx. 7 hours to complete
Pohang University of Science and Technology
17.Embedding Sensors and Motors Specialization
Approx. 4 months to complete
Suggested 8 hours/week
University of Colorado Boulder
18.Digital Manufacturing & Design Technology Specialization
University at Buffalo
19.Introduction to Architecting Smart IoT Devices
Approx. 14 hours to complete
EIT Digital
20.3D Printing Applications
Approx. 17 hours to complete
University of Illinois
AI:
21. Professional Certificate in Applied AI
There are 6 Courses in this Professional Certificate that you can do individually for free:
8 months
5 - 9 hours per week
IBM
- AI for Everyone: Master the Basics
- Introduction to Watson AI
- AI Chatbots without Programming
- Python Basics for Data Science
- AI Applications with Watson
- Computer Vision Fundamentals with Watson and OpenCV
22.How to Win a Data Science Competition: Learn from Top Kagglers
National Research University Higher School of Economics
23.Machine Learning for All
Approx. 10 hours to complete
University of London
24.What is “the mind” and what is artificial intelligence?
Approx. 12 hours to complete
University of Colorado Boulder
24.Business Implications of AI: Full course
Approx. 18 hours to complete
EIT Digital
25.Innovations in Investment Technology: Artificial Intelligence
Approx. 7 hours to complete
University of Michigan
26.AI For Everyone
Approx. 9 hours to complete
deeplearning.ai
27.Machine Learning
Approx. 56 hours to complete
Stanford
28.Neural Networks and Deep Learning
Approx. 18 hours to complete
deeplearning.ai
29.Mathematics for Machine Learning Specialization
Approx. 2 months to complete
Suggested 13 hours/week
Imperial College London
30.Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and Ethics
Approx. 18 hours to complete
UC Davis Univesity of California
ENERGY:
31.Solar Energy Solar Energy
8 weeks / 6 to 8 hours per week
DelftX
32.Zero-Energy Design: an approach to make your building sustainable
7 Weeks / 4–6 hours per week
DelftX
33.Professional Certificate in The Economics of Energy Transition
3 months / 4 - 6 hours per week
DelftX
There are 2 Courses in this Professional Certificate that you can do individually for free:
34.Sustainable Energy: Design a Renewable Future
9 Weeks / 6–8 hours per week
DelftX
35.Our Energetic Earth
Weeks / 2–3 hours per week
University of Toronto
36.Sustainable Energy: Design a Renewable Future
9 Weeks / 6–8 hours per week
DelftX
37.Politics and Economics of International Energy
Approx. 20 hours to complete
SciencePo.
38.Global Energy and Climate Policy
Approx. 13 hours to complete
University of London
39.Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities
Approx. 12 hours to complete
Lund University
40.Sustainability of Social-Ecological Systems: the Nexus between Water, Energy and Food
Approx. 32 hours to complete
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
“A” FOR STEAM:
41.Art and Design in the Digital Age
8 Weeks / 4–5 hours per week
IsraelX
42.Circular Fashion: Design, Science and Value in a Sustainable Clothing Industry
5 Weeks / 4–6 hours per week
WageningenX
43.Basic 3D Animation using Blender
4 Weeks / 4–6 hours per week
IIT BombayX
44.Creative Coding
14 Weeks / 8–10 hours per week
NYUx
45.Music Technology Foundations
6 Weeks / 2–3 hours per week
AdelaideX
46.How to Do Things with Memes
1 Weeks / 5–10 hours per week
DavidsonX
**
47.**Blockchain 360: A State of the Art for Professionals
Approx. 4 hours to complete
EIT Digital
48.Introduction to Virtual Reality
Approx. 17 hours to complete
University of London
49.Concept Art for Video Games
Approx. 14 hours to complete
Michigan State University
50.Fundamentals of Digital Image and Video Processing
Approx. 17 hours to complete
Northwestern University
BLOCKCHAIN AND CRYPTOCURRENCY:
51.Professional Certificate in Blockchain Fundamentals
3 months / 3 - 5 hours per week
BerkeleyX
There are 2 Courses in this Professional Certificate that you can do individually for free:
52.Professional Certificate in Blockchain for Business
7 months / 3 - 4 hours per week
The Linux Foundation
There are 2 Courses in this Professional Certificate that you can do individually for free:
- Blockchain: Understanding Its Uses and Implications
- Introduction to Hyperledger Blockchain Technologies
53.Professional Certificate in Developing Blockchain-Based Identity Applications
4 months / 2 - 3 hours per week
The Linux Foundation
There are 2 Courses in this Professional Certificate that you can do individually for free:
- Introduction to Hyperledger Sovereign Identity Blockchain Solutions: Indy, Aries & Ursa
- Becoming a Hyperledger Aries Developer
54.Professional Certificate in FinTech
4 months / 2 - 3 hours per week
The University of Hong Kong
There are 3 Courses in this Professional Certificate that you can do individually for free:
- Introduction to FinTech
- FinTech Ethics and Risks
- Blockchain and FinTech: Basics, Applications, and Limitations
55.Introduction to Blockchain Specialization
Approx. 1 month to complete
Suggested 10 hours/week
Association of International Certified Professional Accountants
There are 3 Courses in this Professional Certificate that you can do individually for free:
- Introduction to Blockchain: Evolution and Technology Concepts
- Introduction to Blockchain: Using and Securing Cryptocurrencies
- Introduction to Blockchain: Benefits, Values and Opportunities
56.Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies
Approx. 18 hours to complete
Princeton University
57.Blockchain Revolution Specialization
Approx. 2 months to complete
Suggested 13 hours/week
INSEAD The Business School for the World
There are 4 Courses in this Specialization that you can do individually for free:
- Introduction to Blockchain Technologies
- Transacting on the Blockchain
- Blockchain and Business: Applications and Implications
- Blockchain Opportunity Analysis
58.Blockchain Specialization
Approx. 2 months to complete
Suggested 11 hours/week
University at Buffalo
There are 4 Courses in this Specialization that you can do individually for free:
59.Blockchain Business Models
Approx. 20 hours to complete
Duke University
60.Supply Chain Finance and Blockchain Technology Specialization
Approx. 1 month to complete
New York Institute of Finance
EDUCATION:
61.Virtual Teacher Specialization
5 mesi-3 ore alla settimana
Division on Continuing Education
Consisting of the following courses which can also be carried out individually:
- Foundations of Virtual Instruction
- Emerging Trends & Technologies in the Virtual K-12 Classroom
- Advanced Instructional Strategies in the Virtual Classroom
- Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom
62.To Flip Or Not To Flip - Discover the flipped classroom methodology
Politecnico di Milano
63.Learning to Teach Online
Approx. 19 hours to complete
UNSW Sidney
64.Transmedia Storytelling: Narrative worlds, emerging technologies, and global audiences
Approx. 25 hours to complete
UNSW Sidney
65.Teaching Character and Creating Positive Classrooms
Approx. 17 hours to complete
RELAY/GSE
66.e-Learning Ecologies: Innovative Approaches to Teaching and Learning for the Digital Age
Approx. 19 hours to complete
University of Illinois
67.What future for education?
Approx. 18 hours to complete
University of London
68.Get Interactive: Practical Teaching with Technology
Approx. 18 hours to complete
University of London
69.Exploring Emerging Technologies for Lifelong Learning and Success
Approx. 10 hours to complete
University at Buffalo
70.Serious Gaming
Approx. 15 hours to complete
Erasmus University Rotterdam
MAKERS PARENTS AND CHILDREN
71.[Robotics With Raspberry Pi: Build and Program Your First Robot Buggy](https://www.futurelearn.chere are 6 Courses in this Professional Certificate that you can do individually for free:om/courses/robotics-with-raspberry-pi)
6 hours
Future Learn
72.Scratch for parents
Web with resource for parents
Scratch MIT
73.Raspberry Pi Education
Web with resource for parents
Raspberry Pi
74.Scratch: Programming for Teachers
8 Weeks / 3–4 hours per week
**DelftX **
75.Code Yourself! An Introduction to Programming
Approx. 18 hours to complete
The University of Edinburgh
76.Teaching Programming in Primary Schools
8 hours
Future Learn
77.Prepare to Run a Code Club
8 hours
Future Learn
78.Understanding Maths and Logic in Computer Science
6 hours
Future Learn
79.Programming 102: Think Like a Computer Scientist
8 hours
Future Learn
80.Build a Makerspace for Young People
6 hours
Future Learn
PERSONAL SKILLS:
81.What, Why & How. Your Road to Entrepreneurship (2nd edition)
6 weeks (Estimated 30 hours of study)
Universidad de Cantabria
82.Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects
about 3 hours of video, 3 hours of exercises, 3 hours of bonus material
University of California San Diego
83.Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies
11 hours
Duke University
84.Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving
3 Weeks / 4–6 hours per week
RITx
85.Mindfulness and Resilience to Stress at Work
4 Weeks
BerkeleyX
86.How to Write a Novel: Structure & Outline
6 Weeks / 4–6 hours per week
UBCx
87.Biohacking Your Brain's Health
Approx. 10 hours to complete
Emory University
88.Positive Psychology: Resilience Skills
Approx. 15 hours to complete
University of Pennsylvania
89.Work Smarter, Not Harder: Time Management for Personal & Professional Productivity
Approx. 3 hours to complete
University of California Irvine
90.Beyond Silicon Valley: Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitioning Economies
Approx. 19 hours to complete
Case Western Reserve University
PEACE, ABUNDANCE, LIBERTY:
91.Governance of Disaster Risk (3ª edición)
9 weeks (estimated 21 hours of study)
Universidad de Extremadura
92.The Science and Practice of Sustainable Development
11 Weeks / 8–10 hours per week
UqX
93.Circular Economy: An Interdisciplinary Approach
6 Weeks / 16–24 hours per week
WageningenX
94.Drones for Agriculture: Prepare and Design Your Drone (UAV) Mission
3 Weeks / 2–5 hours per week
WageningenX
95.Sustainable Cities
9 Weeks / 4–6 hours per week
SDGAcademyX
96.Nature Based Metropolitan Solutions
6 Weeks / 4–6 hours per week
DelftX
WageningenX
DelftWageningenX
97.Storytelling for Social Change
5 Weeks / 1–3 hours per week
MichiganX
98.Power and Responsibility: Doing Philosophy with Superheroes
5 Weeks / 1–5 hours per week
SmithsonianX
99.Paradoxes of War
Approx. 33 hours to complete
Princeton University
100.Epidemics, Pandemics and Outbreaks
Approx. 7 hours to complete
University of Pittsburgh
Main platforms:
I love this platform!
I really appreciate the project-based learning methodology of this platform, which allows you to have a personal portfolio with the work done during the courses and the opportunity to collaborate with various non-profit organizations and expand it more.
The English-speaking community is the largest one and you can ask it for help in this language.
I had the goal of doing them all and I started with the first Responsive Web Design certification last year and, for lack of time, I left it when I was almost about to finish it.
One of my goals of this inactivity at work, which in the Canary Islands should last until December for those like me who work in sectors directly related to tourism, is to finish them all.
I will have to start over because I have forgotten most of the things I learned. I made a short video tutorial on Dtube and an introductory post of FreeCodeCamp for the Italian community some time ago. You can read the post in Italian but the video is no longer available (thank goodness, my communication skills were rather improved). Maybe I will motivate myself again to record some videos with my progress on this platform.
