There are countless free learning resources online, and I am curious if there is a website that compiles the top free courses, lectures, book recommendations, project ideas, podcasts, communities, and other learning materials for a specific subject.
Ideally, it would organize these into a recommended curriculum with suggested prerequisites, assignments, and project ideas.
Nothing elaborate, just a simple guide to help someone who wants to learn independently but doesn’t know where to start or what resources are available.
This is quite a lot of asking. You want a website that is entirely free, has all that information updated constantly for every resource available, and then some?
The best I can manage is this ongoing to-do list. Although I haven’t used them all, I have been gathering the resources listed below over the past few months.
Learning online can be overwhelming! Forget fancy websites, here’s the lowdown:
Find your people: Search online forums or communities about the topic. They often share favorite resources like courses, books, and websites. MOOC Mashup: Websites like Class Central or CourseBuff have tons of free online courses. Search by subject and see if they have any pre-made learning paths. GitHub’s Gems: Programmers love sharing! Search GitHub for “[Subject Name] Learning Roadmap” - these are free guides others made to learn that skill. Blog Bonanza: Many websites focus on learning. Search for “[Subject Name] Free Resources” or “Beginner’s Guide to [Subject Name]”. These will point you in the right direction.
One excellent resource that compiles top free learning materials across various subjects is Class Central. Class Central is a comprehensive platform that aggregates free online courses, lectures, book recommendations, project ideas, podcasts, and communities from different providers like Coursera, edX, and more. It organizes these resources into user-friendly lists and even offers curated guides and reviews to help learners find the best materials for their needs.
Class Central has been incredibly helpful in obtaining academic resources for self-study. For instance, when I wanted to delve into data science, I found a curated list of courses that included beginner to advanced levels, complete with prerequisites and project suggestions. This structured approach helped me navigate through the vast amount of information available online and follow a coherent learning path. Additionally, the reviews and ratings from other learners provided valuable insights into the quality and relevance of each course, making it easier to choose the best ones for my goals.