Since the dawn of time, we as human beings have always been intrigued by the unknown. That thirst for knowledge has never perished and has only become stronger with the availability of information thanks to the internet.
It used to be that in order to acquire knowledge, people would have to recur to institutions of learning. This of course to date is still the best way of doing so but some individuals, me included, would feel that these institutions provide outdated or non-real world knowledge. Thanks to the internet, accessing this knowledge became much easier with websites providing documents and lectures that otherwise would be unreachable, all in one simple click. As we all know not all knowledge can be acquired by reading alone but rather visual representations and exercises, thus came video tutorials or video lectures.
Now that we have these two means of acquiring knowledge, some platforms were created that would better enhance the learning experience via video tutorials, practical exercises and downloadable reference material taught by people with certain master of their craft. These platforms provide a broad variety of areas of learning anything from software to everyday practical skills.
The way these platforms work are very similar to any institution learning experience: a teacher and a student. In this case the teacher is a person with the knowledge of a certain area that has the ability to prepare material for learning via video tutorials. The student then has the option to choose from a variety of courses that exist on the platform making the decision based on personal preference and the content of the entirety of the course.
As a web developer, it is absolutely crucial to stay up to date on the newest tendencies regarding web based technologies. These platforms offer a sure way of keeping up with these new technologies from different authors and distinct sectors be it design, mock up, programming languages, etc. In my personal experience I have come across two platforms that I would highly recommend given the versatility:
- Udemy: this platform offers a broad variety of courses for any type of user looking to enhance their skills for their specific sector accessible via their website or mobile app, being able to download complete courses. I have had a great experience with Udemy as they offer great deals on their courses and depending on the author, give very complete courses.
- Crehana: this platform is more focused on “creative learning”, offering courses for the creative mind, ranging from arts and crafts to software for content creators. As we all know, for a website it not only has to be functional but also drop dead gorgeous, so learning to utilize software like Adobe Illustrator for the purpose of creating material for your website is a must.
In my personal preference, learning a new skill set or updating existing skills being as easy and accessible to any user makes it inexcusable to not be up date with your profession. In my case I have bought online courses not only for professional purposes but also for personal projects like drawing and learning a new human language. All you need to be better is time, a computer or phone and a credit card, a better you is one course away.
Erik Torres is a Web Developer at Mijo! Brands, a leading creative marketing digital agency in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. Visit us at mijobrands.com or contact us.