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Udemy provides a wealth of video courses produced by users. Here, teaches and educators from all fields are invited to put together their own courses which can be shared with the rest of the world online. By allowing anyone to create a course, Udemy opens up the possibilities for a highly diverse library that can benefit almost anyone who wishes to expand their knowledge or skills. Udemy encourages knowledgeable experts and teachers to share what they know so that others may benefit and expand their capabilities.

Udemy (as in “you academy”) was created to solve a problem recognized by its founders. They saw that despite access to the internet, many educators were severely limited by where they were. So many teachers had information to give but little means to reach out to those beyond their immediate area. Existing online courses were governed by large businesses that were more focused on making money than sharing information. Udemy was born as a solution to that problem. Here, teachers can share what they know with a limitless audience, who can access it whenever they want or need to.

Udemy is unique in two ways: its scope and its accessibility. Any teacher from any field can come here and post a course they created. On the other hand, anyone can come to the site and view that course. There is a constant exchange of valuable information that can help people expand their knowledge and abilities without money or physical location getting in the way. Udemy stands out in its focus on education rather than cashing in, as well as its ability to include a diverse collection of courses from anyone willing to share what they know.

The Udemy website includes no flashy graphics or distracting elements. It gets right to the point and lets the video courses take center stage. The logo is professional and the entire site is well organized. By looking closely at the layout and design, it is clear that Udemy is more about its content and what it can offer users rather than presenting eye candy.

A new user can start registering for Udemy as soon as they arrive. Simply fill in the requested fields under the large, blue “Join Now!” header. New users are asked to provide a full name, email address, password and short list of personal interests. Users who wish to find friends through their email contact list are given the chance to do so (this option can also be skipped). The next step takes users right to their account.

Udemy was created as a way to reach out to more people and give more educators an accessible place to share their knowledge. In order to do so, Udemy does not charge a membership fee. Users can create an account for free and put together and manage their own online course. This can include videos, but also actual live classes. The educator is given total control, with the ability to limit the number of attendees and schedule the date and time for each class.

Teachers in need of an affordable way to reach out to more students can get significant use out of Udemy. Those who wish to expand beyond their local area can interact with and provide instruction for anyone who has an internet connect, no matter where they are geographically located. Users who are interested in learning can also enjoy what Udemy has to offer, by increasing available courses in a way that anyone can use.

• Create an online course tailored to their trade, skill, or topic
• Access existing courses created by other users
• Share courses using Facebook, Twitter, Digg, StumbleUpon, Delicious, and email
• Upload videos and other media
• Schedule live sessions online that gives the instructor complete control over how many can attend and when the session begins and ends

Udemy video

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