Here are 21 crazy cool online courses and how to study them

We must ride the wave of e-learning while it is at its strongest and now is the time because everyone is turning to their screens and adapting to the new way of learning during the lockdown. Since schools and colleges are yet to open for the new semester, e-learning is still going strong. Six million new students have joined BYJU’s this March, Coursera is experiencing a 62 per cent spike in their daily average users, Udemy saw a 200 per cent spike in enrollment rate from India alone; UpGrad has doubled its course capacity while Vedantu reported a 10-fold surge in student enrollments. Bottom line — e-learning is the norm du jour.

Sure, you can opt for cutting-edge online courses and learn about Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning which every MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) is offering. But the heart wants what it wants. Probably it wants you to learn how to find life’s purpose or learn all that there is to know about Harry Potter and, lucky for you, there are courses about all kinds of things nowadays, even death. Hence, Team Edex has combed the internet to curate a list of 21 courses for the whacky in you. Who says learning can’t be fun?

Biohacking Your Brain’s Health

Coursera | Free | 12 hours

This course focuses on methods to maximise your brain’s fitness with the help of nutrition, exercise, meditation and proper sleep. Through a carefully curated curriculum, they debunk myths about prescribed practices for overall health and uncover studies from the past few decades that reveal practical routines and interventions that are guaranteed to help improve your brain health 

• Week one of the course is all about ‘Nutrition and the Brain’. And week 2 dives into what exercise does to the brain
• The third week is all about ‘Meditation and the Brain’
• Don’t waste any sleep over how this course goes because you’re also going to learn everything you wanted to know about 
• this favourite activity

The Science of Happiness

edx | Free | 11 Weeks

Taught at the University of Berkeley, California’s Greater Good Science Center by Dacher Keltner and Emiliana Simon-Thomas, The Science of Happiness attempts to explore the root of happiness and meaning in life  

• The course promises that it will teach what happiness really means, why it matters to you and how to increase your own happiness. And if you are the giving kind, it also teaches you how to foster happiness in others
• You also learn why social connections, kindness, and community are key to happiness. And to sustain, it teaches you mental habits that help

Death. Seriously

Yale | Free | 50 minutes

What is more certain in life that the harsh truth that we are all going to die? But how do you live with the knowledge that your existence is under constant threat. Well, there’s a course for that! This programme examines a number of issues that arise once we reflect on our mortality 

• Let’s think of this course as a beginning of the end. Here’s your chance to start preparing yourself academically and emotionally for the inevitable 
• If immortality is more your style, the course explores whether immortality would be desirable 
• And if you reasonably fear the unknown, this course examines whether death is evil at all

Gorblimey! Study like Harry

hogwartsishere | Free | 9 lessons

A part of Hogwarts is Here, an unofficial part of the Harry Potter universe. Created by fans, for fans, you have the option to create a character and immerse yourself in Hogwarts by enrolling in online Hogwarts courses

• Defense Against the Dark Arts will introduce you to a foundation in your magical education and prepare you for future work in this subject
• You will have the opportunity to learn basic defensive and offensive spells. It’s also the ideal opportunity to familiarise yourself with  dark creatures
• This course is also your golden opportunity to learn the various dark spells that you've always been curious about

Calling Bullshit in the Age of Big Data

pcc.uw.edu | Free  | 12 weeks

Here’s a course that cuts to the chase. Based on the book Calling Bullshit: The art of skepticism in a data driven world by Cerl T Bergstrom and Jevin D West, the aim is to teach those who enroll about all the false information. The goal is to have the right answers for your ‘crystals-and-homeopathy’ aunt or casually racist uncle. 

• Each week-long modules explores a particular facet of bullshit
• With the help of prescribed reading material that has been written and researched by experts in spotting false information, the course speaks of concepts like truth, liberty and the importance of eternal vigilance
• You learn that correlation is not causation and how data graphics can be powerful tools in misleading people

Why We Post

uclextend | Free | 5 weeks

This online course is for those who are worried about the impact that social media has had on their lives and ask themselves, ‘What are the consequences of social media?’. With the help of this course, you can learn how to take a comparative and anthropological approach to social media and the way it is being uses around the world. Translations of the course are available in Chinese, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Tamil and Turkish on UCLeXtend.

• The course will allow you to view the idea of social media through a brand new lens which concentrates on the content posted, not just the capabilities of platforms. You will learn to examine the increasing importance of images in communication and the reasons why people post memes, selfies, etc
• Over the course of five weeks you will explore the impact of social media on a wide range of areas including politics, education, gender, commerce, privacy and equality

Disney imagineering for a heck of a ride

khan academy | Free  | 32 videos

Walt Disney and Khan Academy have crafted this roller coaster ride for anyone who is in love with theme parks. If you’ve ever been to a theme park and been inspired by the sheer imagination that has gone into it and wondered how it has come to life, this course will be just the thing you are looking for – from story development and conceptual design, to math, physics and engineering – to create a magical, immersive experience

• First, you learn about experiential storytelling and the difference between an amusement park and a theme park. They also explore how storytelling and theme can impact every decision made in the design
• What do you want to do in the themed land of your own creation? In this session, you are introduced to a range of possible attractions within your themed land
• Build your own character: In your final lesson, you decide who you want to meet in your land and how to create them

Find your Chi

Coursera | Free | 6 weeks/34 hours

Are you deeply impacted by everything that’s going on around you? Has that added to your stress and anxiety? Then look no further than this online course on understanding mindfulness by Leiden University. By definition, mindfulness is the state in which a person is aware of their surroundings but isn’t overwhelmed by it. It is just what one needs during these troubled times

• You’ll probably be more mindful and you will stop panicking 
• You’ll be calmer when the next disaster hits

Make Some Music

Udemy | D360 | 20 hours

Impressed by the background music while playing PUBG? Ever wonder what goes behind making music for video games? This course will unravel that and teach you how to compose catchy soundtracks for all kinds of games, from GTA to Candy Crush. Master different types of software like FL Studio and Audacity to make game music

• Some fine tunes  
• A boosted résumé with new software skills
• Decode PUBG further, this time even it’s music and those shots

Know the Future

Harvard University Online | Free  | 1 week

Everyone wants to know what’s in store for them. Predicting one’s future has been around since ancient times — from the Oracle of Delphi to bone burning in China. In this course from Harvard University Online, delve into the past and learn how divination evolved through the ages — from ancient omens to modern astrology

• How humans predicted the future
• How different cultures attempted to know their future
• Connection between the different divination techniques

Click and Shoot

Skillshare | Free  | 15 minutes

Whether you are the dedicated photographer in your circle of friends or an Instagram model, this course will help you pose like a pro in front of the camera. Taught by a professional portrait photographer, you’ll be churning out model-like images in no time irrespective of the camera

• Answer the million dollar question – Where to keep your hands?
• How to look gorgeous and natural without filters
• How to shoot features like eyes and lips in real-time

Touch and Learn

edX | Free  | 10 week

In this course from Harvard University, history can be seen through artefacts, artworks, statues around you and specimens in a lab. There’s a reason why museums are arranged the way they are and this course shows you why. It is a sharp departure from textbooks and you can learn about the eras of yore by studying, interpreting and organising stuff

• Analyse and interpret historical findings
• Impress your peers with knowledge about art and artefacts
• Why and how museums are curated in a certain way

Be a Better Person

Coursera | Free | 4 weeks/7 hours

Ever had an existential crisis and wonder what you’re doing on this planet? This course by the University of Michigan tries to answer some of those questions. Listen to people’s lives and how they found their calling — from someone famous or someone ordinary — and participate in activities that’ll throw some light on yours.

• Why you were put on this earth  
• How you can make your life better
• Develop some serious long-term goals (we’re hoping)

Stop Being Lazy

Unacademy | Free  | 27 minutes

Have you been stalling cleaning up the bookshelf or studying a chapter you need to? You, my friend, are procrastinating and this course will help you understand why that is and how you can overcome it. Overcoming procrastination can make you happier and you can learn how that works through this course

• Finish your work on time
• Be more productive
• Actually get stuff done sans procrastination

Love them do

Rochester.edu | Free | Self-pace

The Beatles have fascinated many generations and if they have made a place in your heart too with their classic songs, like Hey Jude, then this is for you 

• Details of their early days and success in the UK, pop maturity, psychedelia and more
• You will also understand their influences, recording techniques and music culture
• Be a walking, talking encyclopedia on The Beatles
•  

You in the Digital World

Coursera | Free | Instructor-led 

In this day and age of cyber crimes, we all need to be aware of our digital footprint. Offered by The University of Edinburgh, it helps you understand privacy and social media 

• How to have an effective online presence, how your digital footprint matters and how to be an online professional
• Most importantly, you will understand if you want to be more private online
• It’s easy to understand and is a beginner level course

The Power of Women

Coursera | Free | 10 courses, 10 weeks

Ready to take your start-up to the next level? The course 10,000 Women offered by Goldman Sachs informs you about leadership, finance and other aspects

• Fundamentals of customer, competition, funding, negotiation and so on
• Chance to connect with global business owners
• Having access to the alumni community, you can avail fellowship schemes, additional training and more

Love thy Pet

Udemy | Rs 1,600 | 33 minutes

How many times have you looked at your cat or your dog and wondered, ‘I wonder what it is thinking’? Then, the course Communicate with your Animal Telepathically on Udemy is made for you

• It will change the way you think about animal friends
• It will teach you about the different ways your animal tries to communicate with you
• It will help you reciprocate the love to your pet

Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Develop[Her] | Rs 37,603 | 6 modules 

We often hesitate to ask for the salary we deserve. This course, called Become a NegotiatHer, can help you talk about your salary like a true professional

• Understanding your worth, preparing talking points for negotiations and also scripts
• Learning to identify leverage points, analysing what you expect and giving a realistic number
• Learning to finally step up and ask for what you want

The Wolf of the Movies

Masterclass | Rs 15,550 | 4.35 hours

How would it be to get a peek inside the brains of Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese? On MasterClass, you can opt for the course Martin Scorsese teaches 

• Gain knowledge of Scorsese’s early days, shooting low-budget films, edition, colour and other elements
• It is a deconstruction of the art of filmmaking
• It will also certainly change how you watch movies

With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility

EdX | Free | Five weeks

How can philosophical principles be boring if they are taught through the stories of superheroes? One of the courses on EdX is Power and Responsibility: Doing Philosophy with Superheroes offered by SmithsonianX and Harvard Division of Continuing Education

• Fundamentals of philosophy, the relationship of superhero identity with ethics and moral philosophy and more
• You don’t even need to like superheroes to take up this course
• Understand and discuss philosophical ideas through superhero movies