VICTORIA -- People all across the world are self-isolating and trying their best to stay busy.
Whether it’s watching Netflix, picking up old habits or working out, the digital world is exploding with new opportunities. That includes educational ones, many of which are being offered online for free.
After returning home from Australia, I have been isolated to my 500-square-foot apartment in Victoria since March 18. Anyone who has travelled overseas is required by law to self-isolate and stay home for 14 days.
Ivy League schools such as Brown University, Cornell University, Harvard University and Princeton University are all offering online courses for free on ClassCentral.
Courses range in topic from poetry, to law, to engineering. Yale University’s sought-after happiness course is also being offered for free.
Scholastic Canada has launched Learn At Home, which provides day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking and growing. There is also COVD-19 articles and resources for talking to your children about the global pandemic.
“We have heard that many of your students are worried about the new coronavirus,” reads a statement on the website. “We’ve created this collection to help you ease their fears and empower them with age-appropriate information.”
A woman living in Campbell River is still working full-time, but is taking advantage of her time at home by taking cooking courses online.
Stephanie Bremer works as the manager for fire administration at Campbell River Fire Rescue and is juggling being home with 14-year-old twins.
She is taking courses through MasterClass, which does have a yearly cost. She said it is important to have something to focus on during difficult times.
“I find in times that are challenging you really need an outlet so you can be engaged and learning something but still distracted from the things that are not so great right now,” said Bremer.
