Lifelong Learning: Online Courses That Can Benefit Beijingers

A common refrain throughout last year's lockdowns was that everyone and their dog was picking up a new hobby. For me, the hobby was learning new things through online courses using Coursera. Since my journey into the depths of self-study began, I've finished almost a dozen other online classes, and have generally enjoyed each one. Aside from the process itself, I've also soaked up an immense amount of information, and even have some new certificates to add to my CV.

In the off chance that this latest outbreak sends us back indoors, Coursera is a great way to stave off boredom. Heck, even if the city summarily stamps out the flare-up, these online resources provide a wealth of education for any expat living in Beijing.

Below are a few course recommendations that I can personally vouch for. May they be a boon to your resume, juice up your knowledge base, spark your love of life, or simply add a new skill to help you navigate the everyday Beijing.

Coursera

First and foremost, Coursera is free to use, however, you do have to pay for a certificate of completion, which is optional. Nevertheless, the platform boasts more than 3,000 classes provided by over 200 leading universities and institutions.

The Science of Wellbeing offered by Yale University was my first course, but it was the subject matter that sparked my interest, not the elite school hosting it. I mean, who doesn't want to better understand the science of wellbeing? The fact that it had Yale's name attached was mere icing on the cake. The course was enjoyable and doubtlessly worth it, but for anyone who's spent time diving into the worlds of self-help, personal improvement, and healthy living, only about half of the information presented is actually new. Incidentally, The Science of Wellbeing holds Yale's title for “most popular class ever available online.”

What began as a simple exercise in fun and learning has since parlayed into a never-ending descent into the depths of academia, such that by now I have finished or am in the process of finishing 11 courses.

As a fashion major, the next course I pursued was Fashion as Design, offered by The Museum of Modern Art. Following that, I chose to explore some art courses by other stellar institutions such as the University of Melbourne, University of Maryland (College Park), and Università Bocconi, all of which bolstered my job as co-curator of a new art gallery.

Of course, I live in China, so it's only natural that I also took on a few Chinese language and culture classes, including Chinese for beginners with Peking University and Chinese Culture and Contemporary China with Nanjing University.

Next, I shifted back from professional to personal development and opted to refine my inner wine enthusiast with a course on wine tasting and culture from the University of California, Davis. The class was certainly fun and informative, but perhaps a sommelier's life is not for me, especially after I found out just how much wine is spat out and wasted.

Courses for those in the education field also abound, and a program by Arizona State University even offers a full teaching certificate. Tech-heads might enjoy Machine Learning by Stanford and Getting Started with Python by the University of Michigan, both of which were on Coursera’s Top 20 Courses of 2020. There are also online degree programs such as the Global Masters of Public Health (GMPH) from Imperial College London.

Needless to say, at this point, I am addicted to online learning, and have begun dabbling in more personal development with a few of the other top-rated learning platforms out there. For the uninitiated, here's what makes each one different, as well as a few interesting courses offered.

MasterClass

If you watch YouTube, then you've doubtlessly seen a MasterClass commercial featuring some of the most famous people in their respective industries. Unfortunately, if you're anything like me, you probably treated these as what they are – commercials – and quickly skipped past them. Well, at some point I caved and decided to see what the platform is all about. A few key takeaways are that new classes are added every month, it features more than 100 classes across 11 categories, the videos can be downloaded and watched offline, and the cost is relatively low at US 15 per month. A few new classes from the platform that you could try are:

Sex and Communication with author and sex therapist Emily Morse

Instructor Emily Morse has “made it her mission to normalize the conversation around sex, and share her judgment-free approach to discovering a more pleasure-focused sex life.” To be sure, this class is not just about sex but offers a deep dive into helping those in a relationship learn how to identify what they want, communicate their desires, and even discover some untapped sexual ideas.

Wilderness Survival with Jessie Krebs, former US Air Force SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape)

Jessie Krebs spent 30 years preparing people for the unexpected, and she's dedicated her life to sharing this knowledge with the world. Simply put, Krebs helps people master the “mindset and skills to safely explore the outdoors.” So, whether you want to explore Beijing's wilderness or anywhere else in the world, this course will help you “learn essential survival techniques…and embark on your next adventure with confidence.”

Skillshare

Another stalwart of the YouTube ad and video sponsor world, Skillshare encourages folks to grow, get inspired, and carve out their own creative journey. Some of the bells and whistles unique to the platform are the avid support of a creative community, zero commitments, thousands of classes, and 8-million-plus users.

A cool course for making some unique videos and keeping up with Beijing's social media savvy crowd is Animate With Procreate: Design and Animate Your TikTok Persona by Karen Jordan.

If you've got your heart set on longer content then Video on a Budget: Prepare for Your Shoot Without Breaking the Bank by Chrystopher Rhodes is right up your alley.

Udemy

Udemy moves beyond the realm of learning and invites users to become teachers in their own right. At its core, the platform is a place to not only gain knowledge but also share what you know. A few perks that the company highlights are, a niche place for self-taught developers, and the most classes of all these platforms, under the credo “learn anything, teach anything.”

In fact, searching "Chinese" yields 1,000 results from different teachers both based in Beijing and all over the world. Whether you’re looking to learn about the language, culture, or cuisine, there are hundreds of classes at different price points. Also, Udemy is a great place to nerd out, and you can literally teach yourself any new tech skill on this platform.

LinkedIn Learning

The career-oriented social media behemoth encourages its participants to, “Enable employees to develop in-demand skills to work smarter.” What makes this option particularly user-friendly is that it works with your LinkedIn profile to guarantee a personalized touch based on your job history and existing skill sets. The company says it’s set apart by its relevant content that is expertly produced by top professionals.

Much to my surprise, LinkedIn Learning doesn't start and end with professional development. They also have some great classes about music, covering everything from playing an instrument to producing tracks, and even audio mixing, with classes like Garage Band Essential Training and Audio Recording Techniques. LinkedIn Learning offers a free one-month trial, after which you can purchase individual courses or various other membership packages.

READ: Mandarin Monday: Work Out Your Mind and Your Muscles With This Gym Vocab

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