Below are a few providers of free training. They are listed for reference only and no endorsement is implied. You might want to:
- Visit one of these sites and decide to use a training item for yourself, then post a review. (See Review Guidelines.)
- Visit one of these sites and nominate at training item for review by one of our subscribers. (See Nominated Training Items.)
————————————————————-
ALISON – The Free Global Learning Experience
“… the world’s leading free online learning resource for basic and essential workplace skills. ALISON provides high-quality, engaging, interactive multimedia courseware for certification and standards-based learning. All courses on ALISON are accessible for free to individual learners.” We have reviewed the following ALISON course: Basic IT (computer) Skills (ECDL/ICDL), Financial Literacy
“A bit at a time, in your own time.” Learn French, Spanish, German, Italian, and many more languages online. We have reviewed the following item from this website: BBC Real Chinese: Intro to Mandarin
Suggested by Edie More, who says: “This website offers really good handouts for teams working toward changing ‘the way we have always done it’ in whatever field, program, activity or project they are expanding/changing.” Don’t be put off by the term “manifestos” which is used to describe the articles or items provided by this website. The items may be revolutionary, but in a kind and gentle way! This site is different, worth checking out! We’ve reviewed these items from the site: How to Be Creative and Drawings that Will Change Your Life.
CNET has a reputation for thorough, dependable product reviews by experts. These experts also provide some of the best free multimedia training available on high-tech products, software, and more. We’ve reviewed the following CNET online courses: HDTV 101, Fix Your Flat Screen: LCD TV Calibration, CNET PC Troubleshooting Tips, Tutorials, & Classes, Digital Music in the Home, Hybrid Car Buying 101, Wireless [computing] Basics, Build Your First Blog, Podcasting 101, Convert & Edit Home Videos with Your PC, Windows Vista Learning Hub.
“We use a simple format and real-world stories to make sense of complex ideas.” Brilliantly simple videos and provocative ideas. We’ve reviewed these items from the site: RSS in Plain English, Blogs in Plain English, and Google Docs in Plain English, Social Networking in Plain English, Social Bookmarking in Plain English.
Freebies include a library of security advice articles and personal safety videos. The site provides “…practical advice about security, crime, loss prevention, and avoiding liability” from expert Chris E. McGoey, CPP, CSP, CAM. We reviewed this item from the site: Violent Crime Prevention: Don’t Be a Victim.
At Drawspace.com you will find more than 150 lessons that will take you from the very beginning drawing skills (including seven lessons related to the prerequisite skill of how to see) to the advanced methods of the masters. To read our detailed review, click here: Review of Drawing Lessons at Drawspace.com
Lots of free information, recipes, and much more. The Cooking School tab has more than 120 lessons (articles) that can help any beginning cook get started with confidence. We reviewed this item from the site: How to Make a Watermelon Basket.
250 free pool (billiards) lessons from “Jimmy Reid, Professional Pool Player and Holder of More Than 40 Billiards Titles.” We reviewed this item from the site: Free Pool Lessons – Bridges.
Topics include: Hazard Communication, Forklift Safety and Operation, Personal Protection Equipment, Back Safety, and more related to OSHA training. We’ve reviewed the following item from this website: Personal Protection Equipment.
This is a collection of “…video lessons and articles from GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers.” See our review of this website: Golf.com Lesson Finder (Golf Lessons).
Do-it-yourself help for almost any home improvement project imaginable. Topics range from large projects (e.g., getting a home built using a contractor or building a garage), to medium-sized projects (e.g., landscaping or building a fence), to small (e.g., repairing toilets and faucets). We have reviewed these items from this website: Ceramic Tile – Installing Wall Tile, Home Additions: Do-It-Yourself Project Help.
Free online classes from HP include 5 classes on Digital Photography, 5 classes on Digital Entertainment (including HDTV), 4 classes on Security Solutions, 4 classes on Home Office, and 3 classes on Personal Interests & Hobbies. According to the site, “HP online instructors are subject matter experts who enjoy teaching and interacting with students. Among them are award-winning authors, technology leaders, and professionals.”
“… the web’s mother lode of free irrigation information! … from filters to sprinklers to pumps, if it’s irrigation related you’ll find at least some information on it here. Start with the irrigation tutorials! They’re all FREE! … not affiliated with any … equipment manufacturer or supplier.” – Jess Stryker, Irrigation Consultant We’ve reviewed this tutorial: Landscape Sprinkler Irrigation Design.
Jeff Levy is a radio talk show host who focuses on topics for new computer users. These short, highly focused lessons for beginners are all about how to use their Windows & Mac computers more effectively.
In its beta form, the site currently [12/07] offers “Over 75 FREE web-based courses for business and other organizations.” According to their introduction: “LatitudeU is charting a new course in learning. We believe that everyone has something to Teach the World™! LatitudeU.com gives you the power to share your knowledge with the world.” We reviewed this item from this website: Listen for Understanding, How to Get Everything Done, Applying for Veterans’ Aid and Attendance Senior Care Benefits, Community Research & Development (Market Research)
Offering many free items, “LearnOutLoud.com is your one-stop destination for audio and video learning. Browse over 15,000 educational audio books, MP3 downloads, podcasts, and videos.” We have reviewed the following item from this website: Alpha Break, As a Man Thinketh , 50 Things I’m Going to Do Today, and Introduction to Your Mind.
“…free online courses and free tutorials in a variety of computer, certification, business, lifestyle, and fun topics!” We reviewed this item from this website: How Do I Pick a Hybrid Car to Purchase?
“acoustical liberation of books in the public domain… LibriVox provides free audiobooks from the public domain.” We have reviewed this item from this website: The Heavenly Life (James Allen) .
Microsoft Office Online Training
“Free self-paced training courses” on most Microsoft Office Products. Excellent depth and instructional design. We have reviewed this item from this website: Get to Know Your Outlook Calendar.
“MIT is committed to advancing education and discovery through knowledge open to everyone. OCW shares free lecture notes, exams, and other resources from more than 1700 courses spanning MIT’s entire curriculum.” We reviewed this item from this website: The World is Flat: Tom Friedman at MIT.
“MyTutorials.com contains the web’s best tutorials in thousands of topics authored by experts just like you… If you’d like to write a tutorial, find one you’d like to write and click the “Add a Tutorial” button…”
“The ‘front page’ always features free videos, for example, while Webrangers has resources for ‘kids of all ages,’ and the Interpretation and Education site provides “curriculum, fun and games, a guide to park Junior Ranger programs and a host of other fun and educational media.” See also 1st comment below. We have reviewed this item from the National Park Service: Reptiles & Amphibians of Everglades National Park.
“Open Yale Courses provides free and open access to seven introductory courses taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University. The aim of the project is to expand access to educational materials for all who wish to learn.” Note: Plans are to add 30 more courses and materials over the next 3 years. (This note written 12/23/07.) We reviewed the following course from Open Yale Courses: Introduction to Political Philosophy, Fundamentals of Physics.
ProProfs.com: Educational FREEWAY by Professionals & Professors! “ProProfs.com Academy is a free and open online resource for students, professionals and professors on various programs of study.” We have reviewed the following item from ProProfs.com: ProProfs Online FREE SAT Exam Study Center.
“Connexions is: a place to view and share educational material made of small knowledge chunks called modules that can be organized as courses, books, reports, etc. Anyone may view or contribute… 4851 reusable modules woven into 291 collections.”
St. Petersburg College Video Online (telecourses)
46 telecourses available from St. Petersburg (Florida) College Video Online. We’ve reviewed the following telecourse from this website: Introduction to Oceanography (Atmosphere & Weather).
“…Our goal is to provide an online community for sharing instructional videos. We seek to fill a need for a more educationally focused, safe venue for teachers, schools, and home learners. It is a site to provide anytime, anywhere professional development with teachers teaching teachers. As well, it is a site where teachers can post videos designed for students to view in order to learn a concept or skill.” We have reviewed this item from this website: Make Classroom Posters with Excel.
“Wikiversity is a community for the creation and use of free learning materials and activities.”
——————————————————–
OER Commons — Not training materials, but supports broader education, “OER Commons is a teaching and learning network, from K-12 lesson plans to college courseware, from algebra to zoology, open to everyone to use and add to.”
Open Courseware Consortium – Not training materials, but supports broader education: “Universities working together to advance education and empower people worldwide through open courseware.”
——————————————————–