Educational websites have boomed in recent years. There are so many to choose from, and while their niches and purposes are all different, they all have one thing in common: to simplify and streamline access to learning.
Choosing the right educational website for your own learning needs can be challenging; each one is different from the last, and they all contain a plethora of educational resources that can make it appear difficult to know how to select one.
This guide introduces you to 20 of the top educational websites for students and other learners, informing you about their subject specializations, purpose, unique selling points, and how they impact the world of learning.
Coursera is best described as an educational aggregator. Its mission is to provide universal access to internationally recognized education, and the website does this through offering various accredited courses from organizations and universities from all over the world.
Courses are offered in many popular subjects such as arts, business, languages and sciences. The focus is on high-quality, flexible learning for people looking to upskill or change their careers.
Available via an arm of Google’s search engine, Google Scholar aims to offer a free database of academic journals, abstracts, citations and bodies of research.
While some of this is behind paywalls, the website has enabled a much more open approach to academic referencing. It’s a popular website for students and scholars who need up-to-date citations, and credible and professional references for their own bodies of work.
Since its launch in 2005, Quizlet has adopted a unique and flexible approach to learning, with 90% of its users reporting higher grades.
Quizlet focuses on academic subjects such as mathematics, languages and the sciences, and provides study aids such as flash cards, gamification, quizzes and multimedia to help students retain information and prepare for exams. Its aim is to promote effective study habits and improve students’ knowledge retention.
More than just an angry owl, Duolingo offers free courses in over forty different languages. Its clever app gamifies language learning, breaking it up into bite-sized chunks and promoting daily learning.
It aims to make language learning accessible to all, and offers a range of learning levels, from beginners learning words and basic grammar to people experienced with languages looking for advanced lessons in structure and formation.
Desmos is a mathematical and graphing software that is pitched to make mathematics more enjoyable and easier to learn. It offers interactive lessons and subject matter on many areas of mathematics and graphics, such as algebra, calculus, geometry and statistics.
The various tools are geared to simplify mathematical concepts, and teachers can use it to create engaging lessons. Desmos is free to use online.
Google Books is a free database of over 10 million books that Google has scanned and stored online. There is really no limit to the genres and subjects of books that it has processed.
With a purpose of making the world’s information universally accessible, Google Books primarily offers previews or abstracts but, in many cases, full access to the books. It’s used by both students and book lovers all over the world.
The non-profit Khan Academy aims to provide a free, world-class education to everyone, all over the world. It specializes in standardized, mainstream subjects, such as mathematics, humanities, arts and the sciences, and offers interactive lessons and exercises, as well as support with standardized test preparation.
It’s a favorite of students and people seeking continuous professional development.
JSTOR is a digital library of primary research academic journals and books, most of which are accessible by subscription, though some of it is free. Its aim is to aggregate trusted content for a wide audience, including for students and researchers.
Focusing on subjects such as the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and business studies, JSTOR’s archive is updated constantly and is regarded as one of the most credible out there.
WolframAlpha is an answer engine that answers factual queries by using externally sourced data.
Released in 2009, WolframAlpha can handle queries pertaining to all kinds of subjects from academic matters like mathematics or the sciences, through to society and business. It aims to make the world’s knowledge computable and can even solve mathematical problems and create data graphics.
Grammarly’s mission is to help people improve their writing communication. It’s a built-in writing assistant whose website, app and plugins use AI to help users fine-tune their writing in terms of grammar, tone, spelling and structure.
Grammarly will explain and justify its suggestions, meaning that people can learn and improve their own style of writing from using it.
Academic Earth is a free resource, offering video lectures and courses from top universities worldwide, in a variety of subjects ranging from the arts, humanities, business and technology.
Its primary purpose is to provide students with a world-class education from anywhere in the world, and it’s designed to support them in supplementing their studies or in exploring new subjects.
Also known as the Education Resources Information Center, ERIC is a free-to-use online body of information sponsored by the US Department of Education, focusing on mostly journals, articles and papers.
It’s designed for educators and policymakers, providing them with education information, research and practice, enabling them to improve their learning methods and to find out more about education practice.
As its name might suggest, Project Gutenberg is a website offering access to over 70,000 free eBooks and classic texts.
Founded in 1971, it’s the oldest digital library in existence and specializes in old or classic texts and historical documents, making them free for anyone to read. Books can be downloaded in many different ways, such as via PDF or converted to be read on e-readers like Kindles.
edX was founded by Harvard and MIT, and aims to make top-ranking courses from a variety of leading educational institutions available for everyone to use.
It hosts both single courses and full degrees in a variety of subjects including the arts, mathematics, humanities and the sciences, and offers flexible study options at a variety of learning levels and also supports research programs.
Widely known for its short TED Talks, TED is a non-profit aimed at sharing “ideas worth spreading”, sparking conversation from its talks and speakers.
Talks are available in a variety of subjects but focus on technology, leadership, communication, business, current affairs and science. The talks are free to view and are designed to disseminate original ideas and viewpoints in short, easy-to-access formats.
Codecademy offers free and interactive coding lessons in a variety of programming languages, including HTML/CSS, Java, Python and SQL.
The lessons are designed to be hands-on and allow students to practice what they’re being trained on, allowing for an impactful and memorable learning experience in subjects that are popular and useful — and can lead to rewarding careers.
ResearchGate is a research aggregator, allowing students and academics to access and share research papers and journals, as well as network to find collaborators on future research projects.
Aimed at breaking down the barriers to accessing and furthering research, ResearchGate supports all subjects and disciplines, and offers a handy one-stop shop for anything related to academia and research.
Alison is an online learning platform with a mission to enable anyone to study anything, anywhere, for free. It’s aimed at people looking to further their knowledge, learn something new, or seek education to help them change careers.
Courses are offered in a variety of useful subjects such as business, technology, languages and personal development.
Mental Floss aims to promote learning through entertainment and curiosity. It offers articles, quizzes and trivia on a variety of day-to-day subjects such as entertainment, history, pop culture, and other unusual or interesting topics.
The information is presented as an educational resource aimed at stimulating learning techniques and piquing interest in learning through its coverage of intriguing subjects.
Udacity offers free “nanodegrees” in a variety of technology-related fields such as coding, digital marketing, cybersecurity and cloud computing. Its purpose is to provide free learning in marketable subjects to those who are looking for vocational educational opportunities with a view to upskilling or changing their careers.
The nanodegrees are known to be of good quality and are paired with mentoring opportunities to ensure learners are prepared for their careers.
Final thoughts
Whatever stage you’re at with your learning journey, and whatever your education needs are, there are lots of useful websites that can cater to your learning needs. Each has its own focus on specific subjects, whereas others are good all-rounders. Some websites cater to experienced learners, and some are more focused on early education needs.
Shop around all these educational websites to see what they can offer first-hand; after all, many are free. Create a personal development plan to understand and strategize your own learning needs, plotting out your route to success. Use this information to find the best educational website for you and make using it part of your habitual professional development journey.
Which are your go-to educational websites? Let us know in the comments section below.
This article is a complete update of an earlier version originally published on July 4, 2020.
