Five Free Online Classes to Enjoy

Looking for free learning opportunities? Many Coursera classes can be audited for free. We highlighted useful courses for continuing education. Below are a few suggested classes for health and science learners.

Learning How to Learn by Dr. Barbara Oakley and Dr. Terrence Sejnowski

Offered by Deep Teaching Solutions via Coursera at https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn

This course breaks down the science of learning itself, and how to become a better learner. The diverse techniques taught in this course can be applied to almost any program of study. You will learn how to maximize what you retain in your memory from learning and skill-building activities.

Clinical Epidemiology by Dr. Diederick E. Grobbee and Dr. Arno W. Hoes 

Offered by Utrecht University via Coursera at https://www.coursera.org/learn/clinical-epidemiology 

This course begins with a brief intro to epidemiology, then delves into specific aspects of clinical epidemiology. It discusses diagnostic research, prognostic (predictive) research, and intervention (therapeutic) research. The course demonstrates how research can help answer questions that are raised at every stage of the clinical process. This class is best for those who already have some background in clinical research or epidemiology, and want to refresh or expand their knowledge.

Writing in the Sciences by Dr. Kristin Sainani

Offered by Stanford University via Coursera at https://www.coursera.org/learn/sciwrite

This course teaches how to edit your work and distill complex jargon into elegant and simple sentences. It is a great class for researchers who are writing manuscripts for journal publication or articles for the public, and who would like to communicate their findings as clearly as possible. It is equally useful for copy editors and writers who would like to learn the fundamentals of plain language writing. 

The Science of Well Being by Dr. Laurie Santos

Offered by Yale University via Coursera at https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being 

Want to be happier? This class focuses on misconceptions about happiness and how we can overcome the aspects of the mind that create unhappiness. The class also focuses on rewiring behaviors and habits to create more well-being. 

Foundational Skills for Communicating about Health by Dr. Brian Zikmund-Fisher

Offered by the University of Michigan via Coursera at https://www.coursera.org/learn/foundational-skills-communicating-health 

This course teaches students how to tailor communications to a target audience, craft strategic and concise messages, and apply different types of narrative structures. It focuses on concerns specific to health communicators, as well as more general communications topics, and covers a range of communication mediums. It's a good choice for healthcare providers, scientists, medical writers or anyone interested in health communications.