A study by the UK Government has highlighted both the direct and indirect advantages of adults partaking in learning and continuing to develop their knowledge and skills. For example, the report discusses positives such as improved wellbeing, a greater feeling of purpose in life and an increased feeling of community and social trust.

It is normal to feel bogged down by everything life throws at you and it can be easy to find excuses to not focus on learning something new. However, the advantages of doing so are numerous and if we look hard enough then we can all find opportunities and the time to invest in ourselves. This article is going to provide you with 4 different online learning platforms, some are formal, and others are casual, so there is something for everyone. For the elderly especially, research has found that e-learning can lead to greater independence, help towards combatting loneliness and assist the maintenance of cognitive ability.

In other words, let’s all give it a go and try something new!

1. Open Learn

The Open University runs hundreds of free online courses ranging from Health, Sports & Psychology to Society, Politics and Law. You can learn at your own pace and choose courses of varying difficulty. All courses provide you with a certificate of completion so you can really show off what you have achieved!

2. Future Learn

This platform offers many worldwide university online courses and puts them all in one place where you can enrol and complete them at your own pace. Like Open Learn, you can search for courses by subject, length and level of expertise. You could take part in a short course on ‘An Introduction to Screenwriting’ or a longer course on an ‘Introduction to Forensic Science ‘. There really is a course to suit everyone. Most of the short courses are free to take part in and some provide you with a certificate upon completion.

3. Duolingo

Duolingo is a mobile app and online platform for learning languages from beginner level to advanced. It uses friendly and fun methods to help you to engage with the language, its vocabulary and grammar. You can practice written, reading and oral skills to help you on your next holiday, to communicate with those around you, or to help you take your first step towards fluency. No matter your goal, Duolingo can help you to take your first steps.

4. YouTube

YouTube is one of the world’s most used platforms with millions of videos and an abundance of content for the public to engage with for free. Whether you are looking for a funny cat video to turn your frown upside down or if you are looking for a group of videos to teach you a new skill, YouTube is the place to go. Simply type in the search bar what you are looking for, click and go. It is that simple. Sometimes, the sheer volume of options on YouTube can be overwhelming so here are a few recommendations. If you are looking to learn guitar for the first time or to develop your current skills then have a look at AndyGuitar or GuitarJamz. On the other hand, if you have a camera lying around that you have never had time to learn how to use properly then maybe now is the time to finally do so. Go over to CreativeLive and select one of their photography fundaments videos!

No matter our age, learning something new gives us a sense of purpose, pride and achievement as well as supporting our cognitive abilities. There is something for everyone, whether you are looking for a casual video tutorial or a 2-week educational course. Get stuck into your next challenge today!