'Learning is a social activity. It is much easier to stay motivated knowing that you are not alone.'
A great way to leverage this insight in the virtual space is to participate in a so-called Massive Open Online course, short MOOC. A MOOC is a free course in which a large number of participants get connected by going through the same online learning content. Some courses have fixed starting dates, some allow participants to start whenever they want.
A MOOC includes digital formats which allow for asynchronous learning (learning at your own pace) like videos, audios, pdfs or assignments and sometimes even for synchronous learning (learning together at the same time as others and sometimes teacher-led) through live webinars. Communication between participants is fostered through the chat. MOOCs are usually divided into different chapters and often conclude with an optional (paid) test to obtain a certificate.
The most known international MOOC platforms are Coursera, EdX, Udemy, Udacity, as well as FutureLearn. The largest German provider is called Iversity. Big universities like Harvard and Stanford also offer MOOCs.
My tip is to register for a MOOC of your choice and plan time (e.g. 1 hour per week) into your calendar. Otherwise you might never finish ;-)
Now, pick a platform and look for your first (or next) MOOC. Which one will you take?
