Technical skills
Several online platforms have made their courses and webinars, free and available to all. Pluralsight is one such. Free interactive video sessions will be offered until this month-end. Some of the courses offered are python, JavaScript, Java, C#, web development and mobile development. There are multiple sub-courses within each course and the number of hours is mentioned on the website.For details, visit: pluralsight.com
Academic allure
It’s not often that you get to take up courses in an array of subjects from top schools abroad for free. The Ivy League Schools — Penn, Columbia, Harvard, Dartmouth, Yale, Cornell, Brown and Princeton — has made around 450 certificate courses available free of cost. The topics are categorised under personal
development, health and medicine, humanities, education and training, social science and art. For details,visit:class central.com
Kids’ corner
Learn from home’ has been the new catchphrase since schools and colleges shut down. BYJU’s is simplifying your daily lessons by offering free online classes on its learning app. All you have to do is pick a topic and reserve a seat. The classes are available for students from classes 4-12. There are video lessons, live sessions and revision sessions. For details, visit: byjus.com
Life skills
Udemy has released the Udemy Free Resource Center — a curated collection of more than 150 free courses to help students learn new skills during the lockdown. Here, individual learners and leaders can find key resources about adapting to working from home, hunting for a job, staying active and maintainingbalance while spending time at home. For details, visit: Udemy.com
For the joy of baking
This is the perfect time to don your apron and the chef hat, and step into the kitchen. Smriti’s Special, started by Smriti Iyer, is offering online baking classes. Expect egg-free, traditional, diabeticfriendly, cream cakes, jams and spreads. Each category has a syllabus and flavours covered under that. The price differs based on the topic. Five out of the 14 courses are being offered for free during the lockdown. These courses are easy and require minimum ingredients. Check out their website for more. For details, visit: smritisspecial.in
Get tech smart
Guvi, an incubated company by IIT Madras and IIM Ahmedabad is offering free webinars for 30 days until April 15. There will be two sessions — 11 am and 3 pm. The idea behind this is to help students and professionals add soft skills to their resumes. The video sessions address topics such as how to build your LinkedIn profile and increase your reach, blockchain and cryptocurrency, building blogs and other digital marketing skills. From April 1, they also have 10 paid courses on language and programming that’s available at an offer price. There is also plenty of video content on their YouTube channel in regional languages. For details, visit: www.guvi.io/ webinar
Corona check
Scientists who’re part of AACC Learning have come up with a course on COVID- 19. With rumours floating about the Internet, it is easy for anyone to be misinformed. This free course will cover aspects
such as the origin of the disease, how it is transmitted, complications, diagnosis and prevention. The module is available for healthcare and non-healthcare professionals. According to the website, more than 70,000 people have received their certificates after the completion of course. For details, visit: aacc.org
Drawing delights
Colours have the ability to transport us to another world. Deep Blue Stories is organising a 20-day art course with Bhagwan Shankar Chavan, an abstract artist who lives and works out of Cholamandal
Artists Village. There will be 10-15 sessions. The first batch started on April 5 and the next one is
expected to start by April 13. “There will be only 10-15 members per session to ensure quality learning. They will be taught the basics of drawing, intermediate drawing, and watercolours. We feel art can help us cope with the current situation. Participants can always practice during free time,” says, Deepthi Chavan, founder of Deep Blue Stories. The classes will be held daily from 4 pm-5 pm. Fee is Rs 10,000. For details, call: 9488672158/ 9449055647
Mind matters
One Future Collective, a Mumbai-based NGO has put together online certificate courses to help people cope with various aspects of the pandemic and other mental health problems. There are weekly and
monthly courses. The topics include mental health and crisis management, queer sexual health and pleasure, and introduction to feminist lawyering among many. “These are our regular courses that have
been moved online. About 25 per cent of the fee we receive will be donated to relief funds. We’re ready to help applicants with scholarship,” says Vandita Morarka, founder. Timing depends on the course. The
fee per course is `3,500. For details, visit: bit.ly/events_ofc or onefuturecollective.org
Play it write
Crea-Shakthi believes that creating art is the best way to fight the boredom that comes with the lockdown. The theatre club is organising a free online playwright workshop for children aged 5-14. The oneon- one classes began on March 27 and is expected to go on till April 20. “We have around 100 registrations. Assignments are sent through e-mail. Kids are encouraged to come up with interesting
characters and stories. We attend to their doubts through WhatsApp and video calls if need be. The original stories penned by kids will be compiled into a book by the end of the session. They’ve been actively participating and giving the best,” says Yugesh RV, head of contents, Crea-Shakthi. For details,
call 9940865718 or visit: books@ creashakthi.com