With the boom of the information age, education has become more accessible than ever. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are an innovation that makes it possible for anyone with a computer and an internet connection to sign up for supplementary classes. These classes, I feel, are more in line with students’ sphere of interest. Your schedule is jam-packed with classes already, some you may enjoy or loathe. So here I am telling you that there are outside sources of education pertaining to a wide variety of subjects– beyond English and arithmetic.

However, if you were an individual who is looking for some remedial material, MOOCs are a reliable gateway. If one wanted to reacquaint themselves with a certain level of mathematics, they could do so! The online courses usually consist of prerecorded (or live) lectures as well as interactive activities that emulate a classroom setting. There is also often a forum in which instructors and other fellow students can consult with each other on the course’s content.

To give you an example, I’ll tell you about my experience with a college algebra course I took over the summer about a year ago. The website I got the course from is called Udacity. Here is the gist of how a course will look like to an average user:

Now, I’ve never completed a class (shame on me), but the conclusion of a course will be a print-out certificate of completion. Here is an example if you were take a course on an introductory class on computer science:

Did I mention that most of these courses are free? They are free to anyone willing to shell out some of their time to learn about something they really care about. Your high school cannot teach you everything, but that is no reason to curse it. Instead of shaming Stagg for what it lacks, shame yourself for not going out and exploring the world for yourself. It is the Digital Age and we ought to take advantage of this access to boundless information.

Now I am going to list the websites that provide these wondrous MOOCs. Had I the time to further explore them, I would. I trust that you will do better with these Massive Open Online Courses than I have. These sites are a bit restrictive on the freedom of pacing yourself. While there are a bounty of subjects and topics, websites will have an “open period” of when students can access the course. Depending on the workload, you may also be required to complete assignments (as you would in a traditional classroom). Don’t let that scare you though!

Udacity – This site provides students with information on App Development (for Android and iOS ), Web Development, Data Analysis, etc. (This site also provides “Nanodegrees” if you are looking for credentials to advance your career… for a price! But do not fear, if you finish the program within the 12 months from which you started– you get half your tuition back!)

Coursera – Prestigious universities from all over the world have produced courses from a variety of subjects such as Project Management, Graphic Design, Scientific Computing, etc. This site is a bit more diverse in terms of topics.

FutureLearn – Everything from Calculus to Brand Storytelling, this UK-led website can be viewed on multiple platforms (phone, tablet, computer).

edX – This website touts valuable certificates that will benefit you even if you’re in high school. Better than that, you may even complete a course and receive college credit (for a price). Institutions like Harvard and UC Berkeley provide courses on a multitude of topics.