Did you know that the demand for online courses has increased lately? This is because quite a number of universities are in the business of introducing free courses with certificates to promote distance education in South Africa.
So, enrolling in one of the free online courses in South Africa is a great step to excelling in your career.
Hence, this article is on the free online courses you can actually be a part of and have certifications to show for them.
Kindly go through the table of contents below to get an overview.
Table of contents
- What Are Online Courses?
- What Are Free Online Courses?
- Why Study An Online Course?
- What Are The Requirements You Need To Enroll For A Free Online Course In South Africa?
- How Long Does It Take To Complete A Free Online Course With Certificate In South Africa?
- Which Universities Offer Free Online Courses With Certificates In South Africa?
- What Are The Free Online Courses With Certificate In South Africa?
- #1 Becoming a changemaker: Introduction to Social Innovation
- #2 Understanding Clinical Research: Behind the Statistics
- #3 Severe to Profound Intellectual Disability: Circles of Care and Education
- #4 Innovative Finance: Hacking finance to change the world
- #5 Climate Change Mitigation in Developing Countries
- #6 Research for Impact
- #7 Writing your World: Finding yourself in the academic space
- #8 Doing Clinical Research: Biostatistics with the Wolfram Language
- #9 Climate Adaptation in Africa
- #10 Teaching Children with Visual Impairment: Creating Empowering Classrooms
- Conclusion
- References
- Recommendations
What Are Online Courses?
It is important to know what online courses mean before delving into the topic properly. So, online courses are sets of instructional experiences using the digital network for communication, knowledge, and dialogue.
While various institutions offer some, others are handled and taken by some professionals in their chosen fields.
Regardless of who engages you in an online class, productivity as the end result is what really matters.
Generally, online courses are offered through a website and can be viewed on your tablet or any available gadgets. This grants you and other participants access to these courses anytime and anywhere.
Asides the fact that there are different forms to these online courses, the general attribute to all is that they are intended to impart knowledge to the participant.
These forms include educational videos, audio files, images, worksheets, or other documents. Most online courses also have discussion forums, community groups, or messaging options, enabling some way for students to converse with each other and or the tutor.
Online courses could either be offered for a fee, partly free(paid certification) or entirely free.
What Are Free Online Courses?
Free online courses are those that you undergo to acquire knowledge at little or no cost at all. Sometimes, your desire to have a certification to back up your online course tutelage prompts you to make payment for the certificate.
Generally, there are several types of free online courses such as MOOCs, free market place online courses, and so on.
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are free online courses available for anyone to enroll. Basically, MOOCs provide an affordable and adjustable way to learn new skills, further your career, and deliver quality instructional experiences at scale.
Currently, millions of people around the world use MOOCs to learn for a couple of reasons. This includes career development, changing careers, college preparations, supplemental learning, lifelong learning, corporate eLearning & training, and more.
Also, MOOCs brought about learning on a whole new level from what it used to be.
Free Online Course: Communication Skills for University Success
Why Study An Online Course?
There are a million and one reasons why you should take up free online courses in South Africa. Even though you may not know, I am here to tell you that the basic reason you should consider taking these courses is that they are convenient.
Who doesn’t want what is not packed up and always collides with their schedules? Most times, the timing is safe-paced. This means you decide to run the course at what time you feel is best for you.
It advances your resume and increases your chances of job engagements. There is nothing interesting as your would-be employer knowing that you utilize every opportunity that comes your way to groom yourself intellectually.
Also, IT IS FREE! With this, you don’t need to bother about how to pay some fees and get your textbooks. Even though in some cases, you will need to pay a certain amount for you to be awarded a certificate. But then, it is absolutely free.
Here are more reasons why you should give studying online a try:
- First, online learning provides you with an array of programs and courses to choose from. Irrespective of your qualification, you can choose to enroll in any course. In addition, you can also earn every academic degree online, from a career certificate to a doctorate.
- Also, they provide a comfortable learning environment. For example, you can decide to study in your panties since there are no physical class sessions.
- Online courses support career advancement. For instance, students can take online courses and even complete entire degrees while working, while in-between jobs.
Latest NASA Free Online Courses
What Are The Requirements You Need To Enroll For A Free Online Course In South Africa?
You do not need to break the bank to enroll in online courses, especially the free ones. Most items you need can be easily owned in a home or an office or gotten at rates that are affordable.
Below are the basic things any online student should have in his or her possession:
- A working computer or phone.
- The right operating system.
- Useful software.
- Web browsers.
- Reliable internet access.
To avoid your gadgets giving you issues and in any way obstructing your online course, make sure to pay attention to your processor, RAM, and memory to ensure your computer can keep up with your education.
You will also need a good office suite and a web browser in order to take most online courses. Do well to download and install important software when needed and update your web browser efficiently.
Furthermore, you’ll need a constant internet access to keep up.
How Long Does It Take To Complete A Free Online Course With Certificate In South Africa?
One of the benefits of these free online courses is that they can be completed within a short period of time, unlike traditional education. While some free online courses can take as short as a day or even some hours to complete, others can last as long as 6 to 9 months or even 12.
Most free online courses in South Africa that take months to complete may require some level of commitment from its participants. Say 3- 4 hours, 2-6 hours as the case may be. The time range differs among the free online courses and the learning platforms.
However, it is important to note that the online learning platform and course providers fix the average or estimated completion time for each program. However, the pace of completion depends on your level of commitment.
Best Wharton Free Online Courses With Certificates
Which Universities Offer Free Online Courses With Certificates In South Africa?
Several universities in South Africa and various online educational platforms offer free courses with certificates to their participants.
Here is a list of some universities in South Africa that offer free online courses with certificates:
- Wits University
- University of Cape Town
- Oxfam International
What Are The Free Online Courses With Certificate In South Africa?
Here are some courses that may be of interest to you.
- Becoming a changemaker: Introduction to Social Innovation
- Understanding Clinical Research: Behind the Statistics
- Severe to Profound Intellectual Disability: Circles of Care and Education
- Innovative Finance: Hacking finance to change the world
- Climate Change Mitigation in Developing Countries
- Research for Impact
- Writing your World: Finding yourself in the academic space
- Doing Clinical Research: Biostatistics with the Wolfram Language
- Climate Adaptation in Africa
- Teaching Children with Visual Impairment: Creating Empowering Classrooms
This free 6-week online course is offered by Coursera and requires a time commitment of about 2-3 hours weekly. Also, it will require you to pay a token for the verified certificate.
At end of the course, you will have created your own strategy for social innovation, and you will have begun to promote the concepts, mindset, skills, and relationships that will enable you to start and emerge as a changemaker.
#2 Understanding Clinical Research: Behind the Statistics
Created by the University of Cape Town, this course offers an easy entry into interpreting common mathematical ideas without getting into nitty-gritty mathematical formulae.
Also, you will be granted the option of obtaining a certificate of completion which you become eligible for if you complete the course requirements successfully.
Here is a list of things you will learn as a participant of this free online course with certificate in South Africa
- Getting things started by defining study types
- Describing your data
- Building an intuitive understanding of statistical analysis
- The important first steps: Hypothesis testing and confidence levels
- Which test should you use?
- Categorical data and analyzing the accuracy of results
#3 Severe to Profound Intellectual Disability: Circles of Care and Education
This 4-week free online course in South Africa is particularly aimed at caregivers who work at a special center or in a private home. Therefore, each person in the circle of care and education plays a relevant role and will definitely be grateful for the availability of this course.
At the end of the course, you will gain a greater understanding of intellectual disability, levels of severity of intellectual disability, and the history of intellectual disability. Also, you will start to understand how you can support children and youth with severe to profound intellectual disabilities so that they can reach their full potential and become participating members of society.
#4 Innovative Finance: Hacking finance to change the world
Created by the University of Cape Town and delivered by Coursera, this online free course in South Africa lasts for about two weeks and requires a maximum time commitment of 2-3 hours weekly.
Furthermore, it deals with processes using examples and real case studies from social entrepreneurs, non-profits, development funders, impact investors, governments, foundations and more.
By the course’s end, you’ll be able to hack finance for social change.
#5 Climate Change Mitigation in Developing Countries
Taught by Harald Winker, this free online course explores the challenges faced by developing country governments wanting to grow their economies in a climate friendly way, and addresses the complexity inherent in lifting societies out of poverty while also mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
Furthermore, you will gain insights into the complexity of how countries from South Africa pursue development goals while addressing climate mitigation.
At the end of the course, you will be offered the option of purchasing a certificate of completion, which you become eligible for if you successfully complete the course requirements.
#6 Research for Impact
Availing yourself a time commitment of 3-4 hours weekly during this 6 weeks free online course with certificate, you will learn the following:
- Understand the key interwoven elements of Research for Impact in the context of development and adaptation research.
- Identify the suite of activities involved in Research for Impact
- Appraise opportunities in your research plan through a Research for Impact lens and identify challenges applying a Research for Impact approach
#7 Writing your World: Finding yourself in the academic space
This online free course provides useful and practical insights on how to develop the academic skills needed to be a competent academic writer.
More so, it offers you the opportunity to practice and to develop your own writing style.
#8 Doing Clinical Research: Biostatistics with the Wolfram Language
This free online course with certificate empowers you to do statistical tests, ready for incorporation into your expositions, research papers, and presentations.
Not only will it advance your career, but it will also put you in the position to contribute to the advancement of humanity through scientific research.
Also, this course follows the modern trend of learning statistical analysis through the use of a computer language. Interestingly, it requires no prior knowledge of coding.
#9 Climate Adaptation in Africa
This free online course explores why climate change adaptation is important in the African context.
The course examines adaptation theoretically and practically through the four sectors that are critically important for climate-resilient development in Africa: Water Security, Agriculture, and Food Security, Ecosystems and Ecosystem Services, and Rebounding Cities.
#10 Teaching Children with Visual Impairment: Creating Empowering Classrooms
Created by the University of Cape Town and delivered by Coursera, this free online coure teaches you how to make your classroom, the content, your teaching, and the assessments accessible through curriculum differentiation strategies.
By the end of the course you will have the necessary tools to create empowering classrooms where you can teach children with visual impairment in an inclusive, accessible, and attuned space.
Below is a list of things you will learn by enrolling in this class.
- Demonstrate an understanding of children with low vision and blindness.
- Identify ways to create an inclusive classroom for children with visual impairment.
- Identify ways of infusing the Expanded Core Curriculum into teaching.
- Apply curriculum differentiation strategies.
Frequently Asked Question
There are a number of courses that you can learn online for free. Some of the most popular options include Coursera, edX, and Udacity. These platforms offer a variety of courses in a range of subjects, including business, computer science, data science, and engineering.
There are a number of companies that offer free courses. Some of the most popular include Coursera, edX, and Udacity. These companies offer a variety of courses in a wide range of subjects.
Yes, online courses are recognised in South Africa. The Council on Higher Education (CHE) is the government body responsible for accrediting higher education institutions and courses in South Africa. CHE has a list of accredited online courses on their website.
Yes, you can put free online courses on your CV. However, it is important to make sure that the courses you list are relevant to the job you are applying for. Additionally, you should list the name of the course, the institution that offered it, and the date it was completed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many free online courses being offered in South Africa. This is a great opportunity for people who want to learn new skills or improve their current skills. I urge everyone to take advantage of these courses and learn something new.
