Learn a new skill and keep yourself informed over the summer with these Top 10 Education sites for 2015.

School’s Out!

Summer is quickly approaching, and students around the world are looking forward to taking a break from all the stress, tests, and homework. Just because school’s out doesn’t mean that you have to stop learning. The Internet has proved to be a valuable tool in the democratization of education. As long as you’re willing to put in the time, you can use the web’s infinite resources to learn new skills or get informed about interesting topics.

21st Century Education

Online education has become both increasingly popular and increasingly effective in recent years, and there are tons of free courses available in several different topics. Even classes at major universities have already started transitioning online. Although the traditional school system is slow to adapt, the future of education will inevitably be tied to technology.

Never Stop Learning

We created this list of the Top 10 Education sites in order to help you maximize your learning potential through helpful online resources. The sites on our list will help you learn a new craft, learn tricks of the stock market trade, learn how to code or learn a new language. The diversity of educational materials on this list is just one tiny example of how many opportunities there are to educate yourself online. Use these 10 sites as a starting point, but remember that it’s never been easier to be a lifetime learner.

World Science U

World Science U promotes scientific learning of all types. The site offers several different classes on science-related topics, with course titles like “Special Relativity” and “Space, Time and Einstein.” Some of the courses require math skills, but others are theoretical and more friendly for those without much scientific knowledge. The courses include interactive elements as well as videos and guides, making it a refreshing alternative to the typical video/lecture instruction that you can find in many online universities. The site also allows users to explore and discuss big ideas about quantum mechanics, black holes, string theory, and any other interesting scientific topics.

Soulcrafting

Soulcrafting began as a platform for people to book unique experiences with craftspeople in their communities. The original aim of the site was to give people an easy outlet to learn a new skill like word working or screen printing. The site has since taken a new direction, evolving into a space for home renovation. It could still be considered an education site, however, because it connects people with the same craftspeople and contractors that were initially on the site. It also helps you complete your home renovation project with ease and support from the Soulcrafting team.

Iversity

Iversity is an online university. Like many comparable platforms, Iversity makes education more affordable and accessible through free, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). The site is based in Europe, so many of its courses come from established universities (and some schools accept credit for courses completed through Iversity). Anyone in the world with an Internet connection, however, can access the courses. The site offers an amazing opportunity to take courses in almost any subject, enhancing your skills or letting you learn something new this summer.

Wall Street Survivor

Wall Street Survivor is on a mission to demystify investing. The site offers courses in digital investment and personal finance topics, which you can complete at your own pace. There’s tons of information (and tons of helpful videos like the one above) that can improve your knowledge of financial practices and markets. There’s also a community of learners with which you can exchange ideas and ask questions through Wall Street Survivor’s social connections. Financial literacy is important for everyone to obtain. There’s no reason not to take advantage of the helpful education offered by Wall Street Survivor.

Lingua.ly

The web has proved to be a valuable tool for language instruction. Although sites like Google Translate have made it so that learning a new language isn’t always necessary, it’s always beneficial to practice speaking a non-native language. Lingua.ly offers language instruction in a unique way, allowing you to read articles and stories throughout the web in the language of your choice with helpful translation tools. You can also play games and use flashcards in order to master the words you learn along the way. Although the service doesn’t teach you a language as in-depth as Rosetta Stone or Duolingo would, it is a useful additional tool to help you make the most of your language education.

Brilliant

There’s never been a better time to get involved in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) industry. Thanks to science and technology, we can use the web to help ourselves better understand those topics. Brilliant keeps people engaged with difficult math and science topics, having them both answer and ask questions about various topics. The site also contains a social element, so you can seek help from a community of supportive users. It’s the best way to become (or remain) brilliant.

Newsela

Newsela is one of the most interesting sites on this list because it both teaches children how to read and keeps them informed with current events. The site contains articles covering the major news stories of the day, but it has the ability to adjust based on reading skill level. This allows students to build up reading comprehension while gaining critical thinking skills by staying on top of the daily news. It’s a wonderful tool for teachers and other educators, as well as a well-written news site for everyone else to enjoy.

Bliive

While the rest of the sites on this list have proven that the web is a valuable tool for education, BLiive leads people to learn from each other. The site refers to itself as the “time exchanging collaborative network.” It encourages people to offer their time to teach people something new — anything goes, but useful skills or hobbies are typically offered. Once you give your time to someone, you receive a virtual currency called TimeMoney that can be used to “buy” an experience from someone else. The site is a bold experiment that can have some rewarding results if used correctly. It also shows us that the best education comes not just from a teacher, but from each other.

Code School

It’s becoming increasingly apparent that programming knowledge is the literacy of the 21st century. Thankfully, there are many resources on the web that can help you gain coding skills. Code School is one of them. The site allows you to learn things like Angular.JS, SASS, Rails, JQuery and Objective-C from the comfort of your home (or wherever you might be). There are several different language paths you can take on the site, and you’ll get out of it as much as you’re willing to put in. The platform’s combination of video lectures, actual coding and challenges makes it one of the most helpful coding instruction sites on the web.

Craftsy

Craftsy will help you unlock your creative potential. The site contains a huge resource of online courses, covering topics like Sewing & Quilting, Cake & Cooking, Yarn & Fiber Arts, Art & Photo and Home & Garden. If you want to get a little bit craftier, Craftsy is the site for you. All of the courses can be completed at your own pace, and they’re all taught by talented instructors who have excelled in their respective fields. There aren’t many sites out there that teach you how to work with your hands on real life projects like Craftsy does, so it’s worth checking out if you’re looking to gain some new skills.