Now that it has become routine for many people to work from home, and physical distancing continues to be encouraged and necessary due to the global pandemic, many people have adjusted their routine and found new patterns to how they work, learn, and balance their private life. Collaboration has become more challenging, and opportunities to take part in ‚classic‘ learning scenarios have had to be replaced (for now).
But that doesn’t have to mean you can’t continue learning! Rather than spending more time on Netflix, why not try out an online course? There is a variety of ways to keep your brain stimulated right from home. Many options are even highly interactive, using virtual classrooms and video conferencing to keep participants involved, while other methods offer time flexibility and can be done alone. We’ve gathered our top 5 recommendations of how you can continue learning from home – formats fit for professionals adapting to working from home, or for those just looking for a new challenge. Why not use this opportunity to try something new?
1. Question What You Think You Know with Top-Rated Educational Podcasts
If you’re looking for something flexible that doesn’t require much participation, then podcasts are perfect. There are thousands to choose from, and you may listen to podcasts regularly already, but it’s sometimes hard to choose between all the options available. Consider adding some educational ones to your list of favorites, and tune in once or twice a week to get your fill of content. It’s not that different than listening to a university lecture – but you can do it while doing dishes, jogging, or lying in bed at night!
Don’t know how to choose? Here’s an excellent list of top-rated educational podcasts on College Info Geek (written by Thomas Frank) categorized by topic – everything from economics or finance, to self-improvement and career advice, there’s something new to learn for everyone! Some of our favorites on the list: You Are Not So Smart (David McRaney), EconTalk (Russ Roberts) and Hackable? (Geoff Siskind and Bruce Snell).
Find the full list here.
2. Get Your Start in Coding
If the last few weeks haven’t shown us where the future of work is headed, we’re not sure what will. Coding knowledge was already a sought-after skill over the past years, and if you were ever questioning learning at least a little about it, now is your chance! Le Wagon, the #1 ranked coding bootcamp worldwide by SwitchUp, already works with GBS offering in-person workshops and trainings for our students on campus. Now they are offering the possibility to join live online events for free, teaching you a variety of basics to get started with coding from home! Choose between 1-2 hour sessions in HTML & Web Design, UI Design with Figma, learning Python, and more.
They’re offering plenty of dates through the end of May. See an overview of sessions and sign up here.
3. Keep the University Feel with Institutional Open Programs
The closure of campuses doesn’t mean you have to give up the university experience! With a number of universities now having switched to fully online programs for the time being, this has made it easier than ever to join a full university course conveniently from home. More than just access to the materials or watching pre-recorded sessions, join a full class of students, take part in engaging discussions, and become part of an existing community. We know we’re a bit biased with our recommendations on this one, but why not check our wide range of finance-related courses from our long-running Master in Finance program, which can be taken individually or as part of a full certification? We’ll be expanding our Open Programs soon to include courses from our MBA programs in Digital Transformation Management and Pharma Business!
Find the full list of open programs here or take a look at our Certificate Programs:
- Certificate in FinTech Management
- Certificate in Risk & Regulation
4. Take Part in an Interactive Experience with Remote Workshops
If you’re looking for something more personal, consider joining a remote workshop led by professionals. There are plenty of these online, in many different formats. LinkedIn Learning can be tested for one month free, for example, and can be a great resource offering full courses. Another great source particularly in the realm of Digital and Product Design is with Digitale Leute. The ‚DL Summit‘ hosted every year in November in Cologne is a hit – GBS has attended twice – and hosts an array of fantastic speakers. This year, they’ve launched remote events which can be attended online and are hosted live by international experts. In addition, their website also offers 33 excellent podcast episodes (see number 5 above!) which are worth listening to.
Workshops range from free to a few hundred dollars for each session. Take a look at DL's offers. We recommend the upcoming free session Remote Product Management for insights in helping your team go remote!
5. Read Up on the Latest Academic and Expert Opinions
Now that you have more time to spend reading at home, you have the perfect opportunity to read up on some of the latest academic opinions in the field. Our recommendations suitable for anyone interested in our fields of expertise:
- Digital Business: check out CDO Insight for ‚everything of importance for Chief Digital Officers‘. With loads of articles from the German business world, you’ll be best informed on developments in Digital Business.
- Pharma Business: Read a comprehensive collection of abstracts in a unique collection of practical examples from the field with Advances in Pharma Business Management and Research. This recently published collection is our very own – it summarizes the work of our Pharma MBA students done during their Master Theses. The free eBook can be accessed here.
- Finance: Access the Frankfurt Institute for Risk Management and Regulation’s FIRM Yearbook 2020 for a wide range of expert articles by respected authors here.
That’s it! We hope there’s something to spark your interest and helps you continue learning, whether it’s just during these weeks of social distancing and Corona uncertainty, or new inspiration for the future. One thing we’re sure of is, there’s never an excuse to stop learning.