Low Cost to Free Resources to Learn Technical Concepts & Software
One of the great things about technology is that it has made it easier to share information, find information and learn. I myself have taught myself new techniques in updated software releases, CSS, some PHP, and a few other technical concepts using online resources. Some were free resources and some were paid, but the pad resource that I used (Lynda.com) was nominal compared to what I could have paid to attend a class to learn the same thing. Another added benefit is that I was able to learn at my own pace and at my leisure.
If you are pretty technically inclined and do not need a classroom setting to learn, here are some resources to check out to learn technical concepts and software:
Lynda.com
My favorite resource over the years has been Lynda.com. For $25 per month, you can watch all of the video tutorials you want on your computer, phone or tablet. Courses are organized into chapters and then further broken down into chapter sections. The section videos are just long enough to pick and learn what that video is teaching, but short enough for someone like me with a short attention span. Because of the way courses are organized, it makes it easy to pop in find a video specific to what you need to learn how to do, without having to watch the entire course. For instance, if you are already familiar with and use Photoshop, but do not understand smart filters; you can find a video within a Photoshop course that specifically goes over that function. On average, the videos that I have watched are about 6 minutes in length. For $37.50 per month, you can access the resource files that are used within a course. One of the best things about Lynda.com is that there is no contract and you can cancel your subscription at any time and reactivate it later if you need.
Udemy
Udemy touts itself to be the world’s largest destination source for online classes. I have not used Udemy myself, but it has been referred to me a few times to learn different programming languages. It has also been referred to me as a place to offer a course of my own. So, if you are looking to teach a course and looking for a third party external source to host the material and distribute it; Udemy might be a good resource for you as well. Courses range in price because they are offered by a myriad of individuals. You can also price shop for different courses because there tends to be a lot of duplication with the course topics. I recommend looking at price, course content and reviews/ratings for the instructor, when making a decision.
YouTube
Of course the post would not be complete without the inclusion of YouTube. You can learn a little something about just about anything on YouTube. From hair and makeup tips, how to play the piano (one song at a time) and of course design and coding concepts. There are a plethora of users with dedicated channels on various topics and of course, it’s all free! Keep in mind, that you may get what you pay for with some users. However, there are a lot of competent and talented instructors with video tutorials on the ‘tube.
Colleen Eakins is a dynamic and creative individual that possess a knack for great design. With over 15 years of experience in the field of graphic design, Colleen is able to effectively brand her clients with great design pieces. Her motto is: “Anyone can make a pretty picture, but is it effective? Will it make your customer buy your product or use your services? My design tries to answer with a YES!”
