Leaning into Online Learning

Professor Laurie Santos teaches her happiness course to hundreds of Yale students. (Photo: Yale University)

Two years after I graduated from Yale, I was living in New York City and started to hear murmurs about a new course-offering in the university’s psychology department. Called “Psychology and the Good Life,” the class was about happiness, focusing on questions like: What really makes us happy? How can we live more fulfilling lives? With over 1,000 students enrolled – meaning one in four Yale undergraduates – it soon became the most popular course in Yale’s 317-year history. 

I understood why the course became so revered on campus – who doesn’t want to feel less stressed out? But I never would have predicted that a course about happiness would become a global phenomenon. 

Yet here we are today, with more than two million people around the world having enrolled in the free, online version of the class (under the name "The Science of Well-Being") since it was created by Professor Laurie Santos. Enrollment has seen a particularly sharp uptick since the coronavirus pandemic forced so many of us to self-isolate and perhaps feel a renewed urge to find meaning and fulfillment. 

While I have yet to take the course, other Houstonians are raving about it. Marci Bahr, Upper School Community Service Coordinator at St. John’s School, says she gives the class “high-honor marks” and appreciates that it is grounded in scientific research. 

“I think it’s especially good for our somewhat materialistic society as it debunks several myths,” she says. “It reminds me of the sign I put up in my office: ‘The most important things in life are not things!’” 

Along with The Science of Well Being, a number of other online courses are growing in popularity right now. Most are self-paced, pre-recorded lectures you watch on your own time. Some are practical, like courses about managing your personal finances; others are light-hearted, like one about learning interior decorating.

Ericka Graham takes an online course from Rice University's Glasscock School of Continuing Studies. 

Read on for more details on free online classes you may want to check out:    

The Science of Well Being
Time to complete: About 19 hours (self-paced) 
The course includes lecture videos, readings and even quizzes to help keep you on track. Topics include misconceptions about happiness, overcoming biases, and what really makes us happy. 

Learning How to Learn   
Time to complete: About 17 hours (self-paced)
You might think you already know how to learn, but there are many learning techniques we can use to better retain knowledge. Considering that more than two million people have enrolled in this course on Coursera, this seems like a great course to take before you embark on further learning. See more free course offerings from Coursera, an online-learning platform, here.

Psychology, Biology and Politics of Food 
Time to complete: About 30 hours (self-paced)
When I discovered at Yale that I could take a class about food and get course credit, I was in. Ultimately, this ended up being one of my favorite classes, and it completely changed the way I look at food. The course studies the way eating affects health and wellness, and it also discusses the politics of farming, nutrition policy and sustainable agriculture, plus the effects of food marketing, the global obesity epidemic, malnutrition and more. See more free online Yale courses here.

Modern Art and Ideas  
Time to complete: About 13 hours (self-paced) 
Offered by the famous Museum of Modern Art in New York City (MoMA), this course is an approachable exploration of modern art. Erica Lee, a local artist who graduated from the University of Texas, said “it’s a great way to engage with an amazing art collection, learn a little bit of history and develop discernment when it comes to viewing modern art.” See additional course offerings from MoMA here. Find a list of virtual museum experiences here.  
 
McGill Personal Finance Essentials Course  
Time to complete: About 4 hours (self-paced, but enrollment only available at certain times of the year) 
In partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada and The Globe and Mail, a Canadian newspaper, McGill University launched this free online financial literacy course last year. The course has eight modules, covering subjects such as investing, debt/borrowing and real estate. 

OpenRice Courses 
Time to complete: Varies by course (All are single session and can be viewed live or recorded)
Rice University offers free live online courses to the Houston community through OpenRice, an initiative by the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies. The beauty of these classes is that they are only a single session. Houstonian Ericka Graham said she enjoyed taking “Reframing Leadership in Times of Crisis” earlier this month. Upcoming offerings include “Nonpartisan Advocacy in Partisan Times,” “Navigating Unprecedented HR Challenges” and more. 

Interior Design Basics: How to Perfect Your Space
Time to complete: 2 hours (self-paced) 
Taught by an interior designer based in Denver, this course offers tools to transform your space, regardless of your style or budget. You’ll learn how to identify your personal style, curate a color palette, create a sense of rhythm and choose pieces you actually really like. Given how much time we are spending at home these days, this seems like the perfect course to take. 

Vegetable Gardening
Time to complete: 4-6 hours (self-paced)
This course mostly made my list because my dad, an avid vegetable gardener, is insistent that everyone who has the space should grow their own vegetables. He says it’s easy and fun and environmentally sustainable. This four to six hour on-demand course teaches you to do just that. 

General Assembly’s Free Fridays 
Time to complete: Most courses are 1-2 hours (live) 
General Assembly is a global education company specializing in training, staffing and career transitions. They offer tons of classes and trainings in areas such as marketing, business and coding. Now through the end of June, they are offering “Free Fridays,” where some of their most popular workshops are free . Upcoming workshops include Social Media Strategy Mapping, Intro to Data Analytics and Public Speaking. See the schedule of upcoming courses here.

Editor’s note: Have you taken a free online class you loved? Comment below!