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Time for some Lockdown Learning!

People buy calculators for all kinds of reasons, most commonly for use in mathematics and science classes at school. Then in later life, you might ask them if you can borrow a calculator to do some mundane arithmetic and they'll hand over a scientific or programmable model. And when you compliment them on the array of functions they usually say something like: "Oh, I've no idea what all those buttons do".

So if you've forgotten your school mathematics, or if you never quite got the hang of it, now might be the ideal time to do a bit of catching up. After all, you're probably stuck inside if they just re-introduced lockdown in your area. You can't go in to work, but you need to keep your skills sharp. This is not the time to be watching daytime television or Youtube videos. It's the perfect time, perhaps the only time, when you can finally level-up on those mathematics skills.

And the good news is it's never been easier to learn a new skill using the huge number of options for online learning. There are quick, free courses that can be done in an afternoon, and then there are more intensive (and expensive) professional courses that lead to a qualification you can put on your CV or on LinkedIn. These might be delivered by academics or professional trainers. Some of these courses can lead to an industry certification or even an academic qualification such as a university degree.

Welcome to the world of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) which are delivered asynchronously online by means of recorded videos and other static resources and automated assessment tools. Most include some element of learner support, which may be little more than a forum for learners to interact, or a full support package with tutorials with the course authors.

Basic Mathematics from LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is part of the LinkedIn professional network. LinkedIn bought the online course publisher Lynda.com in 2016. At about the same time, LinkedIn was itself acquired by Microsoft.

Compared to many other online learning providers, LinkedIn Learning content tends to have high production values, an approach that was pioneered by Lynda Weinman, the founder of Lynda.com.

Users can buy individual courses or use a subscription to access LinkedIn Learning content. And the great news is that you can get a 30 day free trial when you follow this link.

Here are some of our favourite introductory mathematics courses. If it all passed you by during the school years, they'll get you up to speed.

Online Courses to Level-up your Mathematics Skills from Coursera

We've partnered with Coursera to bring you a list of some excellent mathematics and related courses, delivered by professors and lecturers from top universities and also some large technology companies. If you missed going to university or did the wrong course, they can even be an opportunity to get a degree (minus the life-changing rite-of-passage). Coursera was started in 2012 by two computer science academics from Stanford University. There are thousands of courses available including free and paid courses.

Most of the paid courses give you the option to see an introductory video to get a feel for the content, or in some cases start a free trial period. Many allow you to watch the entire course for free, and at any time you can choose to pay a modest fee to enroll fully for an assesment and certificate. The majority of the lecturers have excellent presenting skills. But as anybody who has been to university knows, not all academics are good teachers, so it's good to be able to watch a preview before making a commitment.

Top for Mathematics on Coursera