People learn in different ways with various qualities and pace. Learning is a complex process influenced by many factors such as genetics, age, environment, level of development, and brain maturity. Some of us might have never been good at math, or art, or business and, therefore, we have thought that maybe we don’t have the talent for it. In most cases, however, it is the learning itself that improves learning, because there is a reciprocal relationship between brain maturity and learning process; That is to say, brain development improves learning and, in turn, learning improves brain development. By understanding this bidirectional process, we realize how important it is to stablish a lifelong routine of learning to reach our full potentials. What you learn does not have to be always related to your field of study or your job duties; You can also turn the learning process to one of your hobbies, devoting a portion of your spare time to it. But why should we strive for learning new skills or expanding our knowledge when it’s not necessary for our study or job?! Here are at least three reasons and, in my opinion, the most important ones:
- For improving the health of your brain; Although the maturity of the brain ends usually at the age of twenties, a continuous shaping and reshaping of neural connections happens during life span due to the plasticity of the brain structure. Learning influences brain development and brain health. And the development of brain not only improves the learning process, but also our behavior.
- To update our knowledge; New technologies and discoveries are booming in the world and the new world demands us to keep up with it. This is important for every one who wants to have an engaging life in this world.
- Learning can be a joy-giving process; Realizing that you could be very good at something that you never thought you can even do it, is really joyful.
There are many potentialities in each one of us some of which might have never been recognized. The only way to discover these hidden potentialities is by trying to learn new things. Every time that you start learning a new skill or knowledge, see it as a new adventure to discover a part of yourself, to face with new versions of yourself with the abilities you never believed you already had. A learning adventure like any kind of adventuring, however, can be disappointing and time-consuming if you don’t have the right map and a proper plan. A right map should always show you various possibilities for reaching your destination so that you can check the resources (transportation systems in this case) for every possibility. This is also the case for your learning adventure. It will cost you so much time and money if you have to search for various possibilities and courses in different places, or by googling, to check their materials. Although many online courses provide a free trial at the first, it is difficult to realize whether the course is really what you are looking for just by going through a portion of it; especially when we are trying to learn something about which we haven’t any idea. Even when it’s not for adventuring, meaning that the purpose of learning is known at the first, and even if you know exactly what courses with which contents you are looking for, different teachers and institutes have different styles and not all of them match with your taste and level of abilities for learning. So, in any case, it is very important to find one place (platform) which can offer you all the possibilities so that you can save your time and not be disappointed right at the beginning.
The edX is the platform which offers you all you need for a joyful and productive learning adventure. There, you can find all the opportunities of learning in various fields in one place. For example, if you aim to improve your analytical skills, you don’t have to go through a tiring process of searching to find various possibilities; All have been provided for you just in one page where with a quick look, you’ll find out what is the topic of every course and which university is offering it. Another advantage of learning with edX platform is the free registration option that is provided for every course; When choosing a course, you will face with two options; Either you start learning with the purpose of acquiring a certificate which will cost you money (really nothing compared to the rich content and the prestigious certificate you can add to your resume); The free option, on the other hand, will allow you to access the same content but in a limited time and without doing any scored assignment. This free registration option is a good opportunity to check the whole materials and see whether the course meets your needs and interest. And if it does, you’ll always have the chance (before ending date of the course) to upgrade your registration by paying for a certified one. In this case you will have access to all the materials even after the end of the course plus a certificate by doing the assignments. Sometimes a collection of some courses from a top university are offered as MicroMasters programs; They are more professional opportunities to advance your career in the related field or start a path toward a master degree. After successfully completing these series of courses and acquiring the certificate of that micromaster program, you will gain some credits recognized for a master degree. That means, if you afterwards apply for an on-campus or online master degree in that university, you would have already passed some of the courses required for a full MSc in that field. This program is especially helpful for those who decide to start a serious study as a master student, but not sure about the field of study, university, or content. Since every course in the program has a free registration option, you can start a desired program, possibly leading to a master degree, with confidence knowing that you carefully checked the content and materials, as well as the style of teaching (which says so much about the target university).
There are many types of learning opportunities in different levels, toward a bachelor or master degree as well as a professional career preparation, at edX platform. This diversity improves the probability of finding a course that you’d certainly like. Always keep in mind; an effective learning process should reveal your potentialities. It’s never too soon or late to start learning, because there is only one moment that matters for decision making and that moment is “now”. Start here and step into your joyful adventure.
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