In the 21st century, you no longer have to attend classes at a brick and mortar location to gain the education that you need. In the age of the Internet, one of the best and most convenient ways to learn is online, and there is no stigma attached to it. There are many online learning websites where you can find a wide variety of courses, in all areas, whether you want to learn something new or strengthen a skill you already have. For example, if you’re going to learn a software development program, an online course is a great way to do it. If you wanted to boost your cooking skills, you could get training online. The top three online learning websites are Lynda.com, Shawacademy.com, and Teamtreehouse.com. Let’s take a look at each of them.

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1. Lynda.com

Lynda.com is an online learning website associated with LinkedIn that you can access on your computer, tablet or mobile device and has been in existence for over two years. To participate in the courses, Lynda.com offers a free month trial to test out what is being offered, and the site has subscriptions that are tailored to individuals, corporate, government and academic. The website provides courses in software development, web development, design, business, marketing and photography taught by industry experts, and the tutorials are presented in five languages to meet a global need.

The site trains over four million people across the globe and new courses are added over the course of the months. The wide variety of courses offered at the Lynda.com include Visual Basic Essential Training, Learning Java 8, Critical Thinking, Time Management Fundamentals, InDesign Secrets, Universal Principles of Design, Learning CSS, WordPress Essential Training, Introduction to Photography, Photoshop CS6 Essential Training, SEO Foundations, Google Adwords Essential Training, and much more.

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2. Shawacademy.com

Shawacademy.com is an online learning website that has produced over 4,000,000 graduates. They offer the public over 50 courses, with more courses always on the way. To start a 30-Day access, for less than the premium price, you receive interaction lessons and recordings, one class free, access for 30 days and weekly assignments. You can cancel the 30-day access at any time. Courses at Shawacademy.com are taught by leading experts in the industries offered with interactive webinars and engaging content.

Courses offered at Shawacademy.com are in photography, technology, health and wellness, finance, marketing, design, beauty, music, business, and language. The wide variety of courses at the online school include Photoshop, Cryptocurrency, Principles of Nutrition, Household Budgeting, Social Media Marketing, Web Design, Personal Beauty, Guitar Basics, Leadership and Management, English for Beginners, and much more. Upon completion of course material, a student can gain an Accredited Diploma that can be added to a resume, submitted to an additional school or just for the sense of pride in completing a program. Shawacademy.com offers a pathway to acquiring a diploma. For example, if a student wanted a degree as a graphic design professional, the path is Diploma in Graphic Design, Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design, Diploma in Photoshop, and Advanced Diploma in Photoshop.

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3. Teamtreehouse.com

Teamtreehouse.com is an online coding school for anyone who wants to learn a new skill in technology to build websites or create apps for iPhone, Android or the web. It offers a seven-day free trial to experience the site. The site provides over 300 courses, 278 workshops, 23 topics and it has over 50,000 current students. Its many students are taught by industry experts through on-demand videos, video tutorials, quizzes and interactive code challenges whenever a student wishes to access them. The program length for the site varies. For example, to get trained on Front-End Web Development, expect 150 to 190 hours of course material. At present, a student can submit a project every seven days for review.

The Techdegree, developed by industry professionals and offered by Teamtreehouse.com, is an opportunity not only to challenge yourself but prepare yourself for the 21st-century tech world. The fastest any student can obtain a Techdegree is in three months. But the time frame is anywhere from three months to 12 months. The training offered includes Front End Web Development, Full Stack JavaScript, Python Web Development, and iOS Development with Swift.

Going online for coursework is the modern-day way to earn an education. Not only do you save time, but online courses are typically cheaper than courses you would take at a brick and mortar location. Whether you want to take a class for fun, strengthen a skill that you already have, or get a degree to prepare yourself to work in that field, top online courses are accredited and hold as much weight as courses that are not online. All three of these sites Lynda.com, Shawacademy.com, and Teamtreehouse.com offer discounted ways to join and to decide if what is being offered is right for you.