If you like to learn at your own pace, and won’t need a slip of paper at the end of your education, then MIT’s Open Course Ware is the perfect place for you. It’s the brain child of the recently departed Charles Vest. MIT president L. Rafael Reif said it best:
“The simple, elegant, unprecedented idea that MIT should make all of its course materials available online to anyone in the world, free. Thanks to Chuck’s leadership, OCW has become a source of outstanding content for 150 million global learners, the model for the global OpenCourseWare movement, and the foundation and inspiration for everything we are striving to achieve with edX and MITx.”
Some engineering companies and licencing bodies require a more formal education. In these cases, taking an online masters is a great alternative for the busy professional.
One of the most popular engineering masters is in Engineering Management. If you are looking to move to a managerial role, or have just been promoted to one, this list is a great place to start you research.
If you want a more open course structure, then Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) maybe for you. Though not perfect, MOOCs provide students with a free online course to sharpen skills and interact with a huge student base.
Linkedin has started a service that lets employers know what courses you have completed.
4. Your Local Engineering Society
One goal of the global network of engineering societies is to ensure the ongoing education of their members. To that end, many have created online resources.
These may resources include white papers, journal articles, seminars, webinars, and even courses. IET for example has recently announced their own MOOC.
5. NAFEMSIf you are looking to learn all there is about simulation, then the International Association of the Engineering Modelling, Analysis and Simulation Community is a great place to start. They offer courses at a reasonable rate allowing you to learn the tips and tricks of the trade.
6. Khan Academy
The Khan Academy is a non-profit organization designed to bring education to anyone and everyone for free. Assessments, videos, and interactive material are all accessible through a large library.
7. National Science Foundations
Thanks to the US Department of Education’s “Race to the Top” program, NSF has provided educational resources for STEM students from kindergarten to grade 12. Even experienced engineers could be surprised at what they’ve forgotten from those formative years.
NASA has always been a leader in education. Without proper education the trips to the Moon and beyond would have remained a pipe dream.
In a series of webinars, engineering for change has been promoting emerging ideas from various practitioners. Real-life problems are used to show technical solutions to build the skills and knowledge of the viewer.
10. Google Scholar
One thing I miss most about school was the access to all the free journal articles I could ever want. Google scholar has made an effort to fill that hole in my life. However, free access to material is not guaranteed as Google Scholar may link you to subscription sites.
Of course, we can’t stop a top 10 list at just 10, so here are a few honorable mentions:
If you love an interesting lecture then you may find yourself losing your day to TED or TED-Ed. TED includes talks from world renowned scientists, engineers, educators, and leaders on various topics from the environment to human evolution.
TED-Ed collects lessons from professors all over the world to advance the education of our society by providing lessons beyond the classroom.
12. Youtube EDU
Though often thought as a time waster, Youtube has become a haven for many educators. Youtube EDU is a great collection of education videos. My favourites include CrashCourse, MinutePhysics, MinuteEarth, Veritasium, CGP Grey, SciShow, Numberphile, Vsauce, Smarter Every Day, ASAP Science.
13. Quirk & QuarksFor over 35 years, Quirk & Quarks has been educating Canadians on the latest and greatest in technology and science. Science journalist, Bob McDonald interviews guest scientists and engineers asking the questions you want answered.
14. StarTalk Radio
World renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson shares his knowledge by answering questions from the audience in his show StarTalk Radio. From the science behind the collision of galaxies to explaining where scifi’s get it right (and wrong), Neil and his team of comedian co-hosts will keep you entertained and teach you something.
15. Engineering.com Resource MaterialWe would be remiss of we didn’t mention the various resources on ENGINEERING.com. We have collected tons of webinars, white papers, and articles to ensure you are up to date in the engineering world.