What Makes Udemy Special and Unique for African Customers?
Udemy is an online learning platform that offers more than 100,000 video courses. It can also be described as a marketplace where online learning and instruction occurs. Udemy works on the belief that teachers do not have to be found within the four walls of a classroom.
The company connects learners from different parts of the world. It is a convenient platform for African students because it allows them to connect with other students and teachers from across the globe.
It is an excellent option for people who are looking to build and enhance skills because it helps to provide a variety of learning styles and provides lifetime access to learning sources. Currently, Udemy provides access to about 65 languages.
This extensive Udemy article of the Distance Education Guide Africa helps you to get familiar with Udemy and to start easily applying your online courses there.
Let's dive in.
Company Description
The company was established in 2010. It employs more than 510 employees who have vast knowledge in different subjects. The employees work as trainers and instructors.
The company has its headquarters in San Francisco but also has offices in Lodo, Denver.
Note that Udemy is an online course marketplace and not a learning management system. The offered courses are similar to massive open online courses (MOOC).Udemy Online Courses
Udemy offers more than 1300 courses to more than a million learners.
Some of the course categories that are offered by Udemy include:
• Personal Development
• Start my own business
• Finance and Accounting
• IT and Software
• Office Productivity
• How to start an online business
• Web Design
• Marketing
• Lifestyle
• Earn money online
• Health and Fitness
• Music
• Coding
The courses that are offered by Udemy are arranged into a range of modules and lessons. Some of these modules include videos, text notes, and tests in some cases. The courses on Udemy are created and offered by different people.
Anyone can create and sell a course on Udemy, hence the reason why it is referred to as an online course marketplace. You, however, have to meet some credentials provided by the company. The courses are also open for anyone to enrol.
However, note that the courses are not accredited and do not lead to a certification or a degree. However, they are an excellent way to gain some new knowledge. You can also use the platform to access knowledge that you would otherwise have to pay a lot of money to acquire.
On the platform, you have the freedom to choose the course you want to take, to mix things up as you like. Also, the knowledge you get from the platform can help you advance your career.
Online courses are an excellent way to gain some new knowledge!
Is Udemy Trustworthy?
A simple answer to this question would be: 'Absolutely.' Udemy is in no way a scam or an illegal business. The only issue with the platform is the lack of a Udemy certificate, which means that you cannot expect any academic papers from the process.
The company admits to this, and it is not a secret. This is already proof enough that Udemy is trustworthy. Additionally, Udemy offers courses at a meagre rate, not the case with online scam platforms. It would be naïve to expect a university degree or vendor certification or an Udemy certificate from a 20-dollar online course.
Another factor that proves the platform's trustworthiness is that the courses are introduced and taught by professionals. The company works hard to ensure that the people who introduce these courses are qualified to teach them. Some of the instructors are holders of degrees, master's degrees, and PhDs.
There are lecturers and professionals offering lessons on the platform as well. The professionals have up to a couple of decades' experience in the area that they are teaching, and the amount of experience they have makes them suitable instructors. The bottom line is that whether you are in Africa or any other continent on the planet, you can trust that you are not giving your money to scammers.
Which Fields of Learning Are Available?
Udemy offers more than 100,000 courses, created and taught by instructors from different areas and with various experience levels. For instance, some courses are offered by lectures in different universities, and some are taught by people who have worked in specific industries for many decades. This means that you can trust the knowledge that is provided by the instructors.
Below are some of the courses offered:
• Learn how to build a website
• Learn how to code
• Learn how to become a graphic designer
• Become an online marketing expert
• Become a health and fitness guru
• Become an IT and software developer
How to Choose between the Courses Offered on the Platform?
The fact that the platform offers more than 100,000 courses is both an advantage and a disadvantage. The advantage is that there are several options from which you can choose. However, the downside is that the process of choosing can be gruesome. Below are some tips for choosing the best course to take:
Consider the reviews
The first thing you need to do is read through many reviews to find out the course's ins and outs, and if they work for you. Note that not every Udemy review you read is accurate. Several fake reviews in the market are aimed at discouraging people from reaching out for the Udemy experience. You will, however, come across a genuine Udemy review here and there that you can believe in.
Look into the instructors
If you happen to come across a course that interests you, apart from reading reviews, you should also research the instructor. It would be wise if you found out about your potential instructor before signing up for their course.
Take advantage of the sample
Most courses on the platform provide a sort of preview content option. This means that you can look at the sample and get an idea of what to expect. Through the sample, you can find out about the teaching style and who the instructor is before you pay for the course and make it official.
Which Are the Most Popular Courses? Fields of Learning?
Some of the most popular courses in the platform include:
Blogging for a living
This course features over 11 hours of content. It covers a wide range of areas, including how to set up a blog from scratch. It also offers additional content like how to establish streams of income while marketing as an affiliate. This is one of the most popular courses offered on the platform, and it features a 4.5 rating from reviews from more than 5000 students. It is an incredible course for Africans because it offers insight into establishing a successful blogging business, which is not the norm.
Work from home as a virtual assistant
This is also a popular course on the learning platform. The course was introduced by one of the most successful VAs in the market. The creator has been in the industry for more than a decade. It offers 56 lectures, which is an incredible amount of content for such a cheap course. The course costs less than 15 dollars.
Kickstart a freelance editor and proofreader career
This is also a top-rated course on the platform. It is also one of the most highly-rated courses on Udemy. This is the case because freelancing is one of the most popular job opportunities in the current economy, and there aren't any university courses that teach the ropes of freelancing. The course was created by a lecturer at a University in Canada. The lecturer has more than 12 years of experience. It covers a wide range of courses, including editing philosophies. It also covers areas on how to bid for a proofreading job. This is an incredible option for African learners because, according to statistics, most freelance editors and proofreaders are of African descent.
How to Open an Account?
The Udemy learning experience is like any other online learning platform experience. The courses are arranging into a series of modules and lessons. To access the Udemy learning experience, you have to open an account.
Below is the Udemy login process:
- Visit the official company website, and then clock on the signup button on the right part of the top. You can also use the Udemy app.
- You will be required to provide information like your name, email address, and create a password.
- Proceed to select whether to opt-in or out of promotional emails and recommendations from the company
- From there, click the signup, and you are good to go.
You can also log in with your email and password as quickly as you do with other accounts. You can also log in with Apple, Facebook, or Google by clicking a log and then selecting continue with either of the platforms mentioned earlier. You will then be provided with instructions that you have to follow to complete the process.
If you choose to sign up using your Apple, Google, or Facebook account, you will not be required to create a password. You will be allowed to use the login details you used when creating the Facebook, Apple, and Google accounts. The Udemy login process is quite effortless, whether you are using the Udemy app or website.
How Expensive are the Courses?
The typical price of courses is between 12 and 50 dollars. However, some courses can go as high as almost 200 dollars. Additionally, some instructors offer their services for free. You can also find some incredible discounts and Udemy coupon code to use. With the Udemy coupon code, you can access some of the most popular and exciting courses on the platform at amazingly low prices.
Generally, the courses offered at Udemy are incredibly cheap. The reason why this is the case is that the platform encourages the instructors to do so.
Note that the platform offers a money-back guarantee. If you have paid for a course and have access to it for its lifetime. This means that you also have access to the content upgrades and assessment tests, depending on the course and the instructor.
However, between the first 30 days you find out that you do not want to proceed with the course for some reasons like the accent of the instructor and disappointment in the course among others, you can ask for your money back. The refund policies are very prompt. This is an advantage for the students but not for the instructors.
Instructors complain that the rules are so broad that they feel they are being ripped off. However, the policy also drives in more business because people find it a proof of the legitimacy of the company.
How the Udemy Coupon Codes and Discounts Work
Udemy coupon codes and discounts are aimed at helping people access the courses at lower prices. Udemy offers very often discounts on the online courses.
You can access the codes on coupon sites, and some will be recommended to you by the company if you accept the recommendation emails.
If you are lucky, you can access a Udemy coupon code for each course you choose to take.
Which are Common Udemy Experiences?
According to more than a million learners that have taken courses on the platform, Udemy is worth a try. Below are some examples of what users have to say:
"I have completed several courses on the platform so far. Through the cheap courses, I have gained a lot which has helped me progress in my career and earn new skills. For this reason, I give the platform 4 stars. The one issue I have is that I had to let go of some courses because they did not do it for me. It didn't hurt that I got all my money back."
"There are a lot of questions surrounding the legitimacy of the platform. However, I have had an incredible experience on the platform. the courses are so informative, the instructors are knowledgeable and the platform is easy to navigate. I've also enjoyed discounts on most of the courses I've taken."