No matter what school you attend or what field of study you are following, it is easy to learn from some of the top scholars when you watch their online lectures. From words of wisdom on business, literature, science, technology, psychology, and more, you can hear what professors and experts from prestigious colleges and universities have to say. Take some time to check out these lectures in the quest to expand your knowledge.

Business

Find out what successful businesspeople and business professors have to say about business and entrepreneurship.

1. Trends in Venture Capital Interest. Beth Seidenberg discusses the future of VC investing at Stanford in this lecture.
2. Starcraft Theory and Strategy. Alan Feng from Berkeley discusses decision-making strategies by studying war within the game Starcraft.
3. Game Theory. Yale professor Ben Polak lectures on game theory and strategic thinking here.
4. Understanding the 21st Century Consumer. This lecture from Stanford features Janice Roberts sharing her views on how venture capitalists are beginning to invest in companies where they can be at the heart of technological innovation.
5. Economics of Free: A New Business Model. In another lecture from Janice Roberts, listen to what she has to say about the business model that depends on advertising as a source of revenue while giving product away for free.
6. Education, Discretionary Power and Emerging Entrepreneurial Societies. From Stanford, Pedro Aspe shares his thoughts on removing discretionary power of finance and economics from government officials.
7. Women and Entrepreneurship Introduction. Professor Linda Hill from Harvard Business School discusses the business school and shares real-life business models.
8. Introduction to Copyright Law. Keith Winstein shares all you might need to know about copyright law and how to protect your business in theses lectures from MIT.
9. Video of Cory Doctorow’s talk. Accomplished journalist, Cory Doctorow, speaks in this Cambridge Business Lecture on topics that range from Digital Rights Management to his experience in business.
10. Adding Value to Companies. Bill Campbell, former CEO of Intuit, speaks at Stanford about adding value to companies at all stages of their development.

Economics

Economic experts discuss the past, present, and future of economics at home and globally.

11. Understanding the Crisis in the Markets: A Panel of Harvard Experts. A panel of economic experts from Harvard describe developments in the US and world markets.
12. Financial Markets. Professor Robert Shiller of Yale lectures on the theory of finance and its place in society.
13. The Economics of Climate Change. Michael Hanemann asks his audience to consider the impact of climate change on policy and economics for years to come.
14. Financial Crises. This lecture series features economists and political analysts speaking on various financial crises.
15. Climate Change: Law and Policy. William Collins at Berkeley lectures on the political and economic ramifications of climate change.
16. The U.S. and the World’s Recession. Roberto Rigobon of Sloan School of Management explains current research finding on global inflation and recession.
17. The Coming Generational Storm: What You Need to Know about America’s Economic Future. From MIT, Laurence Kotlikoff talks about the poor state of Social Security and why Baby Boomers need to be nice to their children.
18. Origins of the Financial Mess. Princeton’s Professor Alan Blinder discusses the current state of the economy and what lead up to it.

Literature and Writing

These writing and literature lectures are led by some of the industry’s top scholars.

19. The American Novel Since 1945. Amy Hungerford shares her experience studying such writers as Flannery O’Connor, JD Salinger, and Cormac McCarthy in this series of lectures from Yale.
20. Virginia Woolf’s Nose. Hermione Lee has extensively studied the life and works of Virginia Woolf and speaks at Princeton on this topic.
21. Milton. Yale’s Professor John Rogers lectures on Milton’s poetry and its wide-reaching influence.
22. Modern Poetry. Professor Langdon Hammer lectures on a range of modern poets, including Robert Frost and TS Eliot, at Yale.
23. The Film Experience. Professor David Thorburn lectures in this literature class from MIT that explores film as a narrative vehicle.
24. Understanding Television. In another class lead by David Thorburn, watch video lectures that examine the evolution of television as a technology and as a system of representation for society.
25. Ian McEwan: Talking and Reading from his work. Ian McEwan speaks at Princeton about his work as an author.
26. Film as Visual and Literary Mythmaking. Professor Irving Singer of MIT provides several lectures on how film can support myths surrounding character, life, death, and human nature.
27. The Playworld and the Empire: The Twenty-first Century and the American Playwright. Playwright Paula Vogel lectures at Princeton on the role of drama in current society.
28. Writing About Race. Dr. Rebecca Blevins Faery leads this writing class with audio lectures featuring the essays written by students as the culminating project of this class that explores race and ethnicity in modern society.

Neuroscience

Professors and scientists from some of the top schools lecture here on neuroscience.

29. Grey Matters: Conscious and Unconscious Memory Systems. Dr. Larry Squire of UCSD discusses memory and memory problems in this lecture, including real-life examples of those suffering from memory issues.
30. How Social Behavior Changes the Brain. Dr. Russell Fernald lectures at Stanford on brain changes that occur based on social behavior.
31. Neuroscience and Behavior. Gerald Schneider lectures in this MIT class about the neural system and its functions.
32. Brain Structure and its Origins. These audio lectures from a class at MIT by Professor Gerald Schneider covers the limbic system, the hypothalamus, taste, auditory and visual systems, and more.
33. Music and the Mind. Aniruddh Patel of the Neurosciences Institute discusses the intriguing connection between music and the brain.
34. Grey Matters: Understanding Language. Professor Jeff Elman at UCSD lectures on research exploring how language is different from other animals’ forms of communication.
35. Structural Plasticity in the Adult Brain. As part of the President’s Lecture Series at Princeton, Elizabeth Gould speaks about how research on neurons can lead to solutions for brain illness or injury that have traditionally left those impacted with diminished brain capacity.
36. Health Matters: Behavior and Our Brain. Neuroscientist Terrence Sejnowski lectures on what scientists have begun to understand about the ways the brain contributes to what people like, how they behave, and what skills people have.
37. Animal Behavior. This MIT class provides audio lectures exploring adaptive behavior of animals and how this relates to humans.
38. Personal Identity, Neuroethics and the Human Brain. Dartmouth’s Michael S. Gazzaniga explores neuroscience, ethics, and personal identity in this lecture.

Health and Medicine

From global health to menopause and heart disease to sexual health, find out what professors are saying about the field of health and medicine with these lectures.

39. The Battle of the Diets: Is Anyone Winning (At Losing?). This Stanford lecture by Dr. Christopher Gardener examines the results of his study that looked at the effectiveness of four popular diets.
40. Is Evidence-Based Medicine a Barrier to Cost-Effective Care?. Dr. Alan Garber of Stanford lectures here on what role evidence-based medicine should play in coverage decisions.
41. The Mismeasure of Man. Dr. Ralph Horwitz of Stanford Medical School talks about how society’s desire for measurable results can often overshadow the complexities of medicine.
42. Genomic Medicine. Professor Isaac Samuel Kohane of MIT provides these audio lectures that examine genomic technologies and computational approaches to diagnosing and treating patients.
43. New Perspectives on Menopausal Hormones and Heart Disease. Dr. Marcia Stefanick, Professor of Medicine at Stanford, discusses the results of an ongoing study at Stanford that indicates hormone replacement therapy carries health risks previously overlooked.
44. Culture, Politics, and Community: Living Public Health in Nigeria. Professor Bill Brieger of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health lectures on tropical diseases in Nigeria and the social implications of treatment.
45. Hans Rosling shows the best stats you’ve ever seen. Be sure to watch this entertaining lecture given by Hans Rosling where he provides statistics of the developing world, including family size and life expectancy, and works to dispel common misconceptions surrounding these countries.
46. Sexual Health, HIV/STI, and Human Rights. Chris Beyrer of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health lectures on sexual rights and human rights.
47. Social Entrepreneurship in Medical Care. Tarun Khanna, a professor at Harvard Business School, discusses the power entrepreneurs have to implement social changes in the medical field, using a cardiac hospital in India to make his point.
48. Global Health Equity and the Future of Public Health. Paul Farmer at Wellesley College speaks about the future of public health.

Science

Find lectures in chemistry, astrobiology, biomedical engineering, and more.

49. Organic Chemistry: Structure and Reactivity. Peter Vollhardt introduces organic chemistry in these lectures.
50. Fundamentals of Physics. Ramamurti Shankar of Yale lectures on everything from Newtonian mechanics to theromdynamics in this lecture series.
51. Astrobiology and Space Exploration. NASA research scientist Lynn Rothschild and several other authorities in the field speak on space and astrobiology here.
52. General Human Anatomy. Popular Berkeley professor Marian Diamond lectures on anatomy.
53. General Chemistry. Kristie Boering lectures from this class at Berkeley on the basics of chemistry.
54. General Biology I. Richard Malkin of Berkeley lectures on the basics of biology in this lecture series.
55. General Biology Laboratory. Enhance Malkin’s General Biology I lectures with these accompanying lab lectures.
56. General Biology II. Mary Power follows Malkin’s series and discusses biology in these lectures.
57. Introduction to Biomedical Engineering. Yale’s Professor Mark Saltzman provides several lectures on biomedical engineering here.
58. Molecular Biology: Macromolecular Synthesis and Cellular Function. From Berkeley, see what Qiang Zhou has to say about DNA, genome structures, RNA, and more.
59. Introduction to Astrophysics. Charles Bailyn discusses planetary orbits, exoplanets, the problem of Pluto, and more in this series of lectures from Yale.

Technology

Watch lectures here from some of the top scholars at the top technology schools.

60. The Fourier Transform and its Applications. Brad G. Osgood lectures from Stanford on recognizing when and how to use the Fourier transform for problem solving.
61. Introduction to Robotics. Oussama Khatib of Stanford lectures on how to model, design, plan, and control robot design systems.
62. Introduction to Computer Science I. From a Harvard class for majors and non-majors alike, David J .Malan speaks on the basics of computer science.
63. Introduction to Linear Dynamical Systems. Stanford’s Stephen Boyd lectures on the basics of linear algebra and linear dynamical systems as they pertain to circuits, signal processing, communications, and control systems.
64. Computer Science I: Programming Methodology. From one of the largest courses taught at Stanford, Mehran Sahami provides an introduction to programming.
65. Computer Science II: Programming Abstractions. Julie Zelenski continues the lecture series from Stanford with lectures on advanced programming topics.
66. Computer Science III: Programming Paradigms. Jerry Cain completes this series on computer science with more advanced topics.
67. Machine Learning. Andrew Ng provides a broad introduction to machine learning and statistical pattern recognition in this lecture from Stanford.
68. Understanding Computers and the Internet. No matter your level of understanding, you can appreciate these lectures from Harvard professor, David J. Malan, covering everything from hardware to programming.
69. Convex Optimization I. Stephen Boyd of Stanford lectures on recognizing and solving frequently convex optimization problems.
70. Convex Optimization II. Boyd provides more lectures here to follow up on the previous series.

Political Science

From the philosophy of politics to dispute resolution, find a wealth of information from these scholars.

71. Whither the Middle East?. Dennis Ross talks about the Middle East from his experience working there for the American government in his lecture at Princeton.
72. Introduction to Political Philosophy. Steven B. Smith of Yale lectures on the major thinkers from the Western political tradition.
73. Shaping China’s Choices. Professor Thomas Christensen of Princeton lectures on US-China relations and China’s increasing global power.
74. Politics, Strategy, and Game Theory. UCLA professor, Kathleen Baun, talks about the use of game theory and other strategies in relation to politics.
75. Russia: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Speaking at Princeton, Senator Bill Bradley speaks about Russia, where it came from, and where it’s going.
76. The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century. Journalist Steve Coll lectures at Princeton about the Bin Ladens.
77. Workshop on Deliberative Democracy and Dispute Resolution. dispute resolution professionals and political theorists discuss deliberative democracy in this workshop from the Harvard Law School.
78. Current Issues in International and Area Studies. Paula Goldman speaks about global poverty, the media as agent of change, citizen activism, philanthropy, and human rights in this lecture at Berkeley.
79. God and Country: A New Role for Faith in Presidential Politics?. This round-table discussion from Princeton focuses on the changing role of religion in presidential politics.
80. The World is Flat 3.0. In this lecture at MIT by NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman, hear about the update of his 2007 book as well as his following book.

Psychology, Philosophy, and Culture

Find out what leaders in the field of psychology and philosophy have to say in these lectures.

81. Media, Education, and the Marketplace. Shigeru Miyagwa as well as guest lecturers discuss media and learning in this class from MIT.
82. Death. This lecture at Yale from Shelly Kagan examines philosophical questions of death and the possibility of immortality.
83. Philosophy of Love in the Western World. Professor Irving Singer of MIT discusses the nature of love and sex from both a philosophical and literary perspective.
84. The Nature of Creativity. Watch the lectures from this MIT class that explores human creativity and innovation.
85. Feeling and Imagination in Art, Science, and Technology. Philosophy, psychology, and literature are the subject of these lectures from this class at MIT.
86. Sigmund Freud. Yale’s Paul Bloom lectures on Freud and his theories here.
87. Philosophy in Film and Other Media. These four lectures from MIT discuss how philosophy is handled in film, literature, and opera.
88. Philosophy of Film. Following up from Philosophy in Film and Other Media, this class provides lectures on how film techniques communicate philosophical meaning.
89. Evolution, Emotion, and Reason: Love (Guest Lecture by Professor Peter Salovey). Professor Peter Salovey from Yale lectures on love and attraction here.
90. Communication and Conflict in Couples and Families. Benjamin Karney and Thomas Bradbury of UCLA discuss connection and discord in relationships.
91. Happiness: Living and Thinking About It. Renowned psychologist and Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman lectures on a variety of topics pertaining to well-being here.

History

These history lectures by top scholars shouldn’t be missed.

92. Science, Magic, and Religion. This class taught by Courtenay Raia at UCLA offers a series of lectures that cover how science and religion have shaped history.
93. France Since 1871. John Merriman of Yale lectures on the social, economic, and political transformation and emergence of modern France.
94. Introduction to Ancient Greek History. Donald Kagan lectures on Greek civilization from the Bronze Age to the end of the classical period in these lectures from Yale.
95. The Civil War and Reconstruction Era, 1845-1877. Yales’ David Blight speaks about the causes and results of the Civil War.
96. Darwin’s Legacy. Several Darwin scholars from Stanford examine the impact of his theory.
97. Introduction to the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible). See three lectures from this class taught by Christine Hays at Yale that explores the Old Testament as a reflection of ancient Israel.
98. Seminar in Historical Methods. Anne McCants of MIT lectures on how 20th century historians write about the past.
99. African American History: The Modern Freedom Struggle. These lectures delivered by Clayborne Carson at Stanford cover African-American history from 1930 to present day by examining some of the major individuals involved in the quest for freedom and justice.
100. Nonviolence: from Ghandi to Martin Luther King. Berkeley’s Michael Nagler lectures on the history of strategic nonviolence from Ghandi in the east to the civil rights movement in the west.

Learning Chinese is more than just a popular trend right now — it is also a smart tool to have with the rise of China as an important economic power. If you plan to major in business and may be working with the Chinese in your career, or if you just plan to travel to China for pleasure, learning to speak Chinese will be a crucial element to making your experience more fully developed. Use these great resources to get started on your Chinese lessons right away.

MIT OpenCourseware Classes

These free courses from MIT are an excellent way to begin your self-taught lessons in Chinese language and culture.

1. Chinese I. This is the first of two semesters that introduce the basics of modern Chinese.
2. Chinese II. Continue your Mandarin lessons from the beginning course with part two.
3. Chinese III. The third class in this series continues building the basics of reading, writing, and speaking Mandarin.
4. Chinese IV. This class is designed to build from the prior three in order to strengthen skills in reading and listening.
5. Chinese V (Regular): Chinese Cultures & Society. After taking the first four classes, move on to this one that focuses on building skills beyond the textbook.
6. Chinese VI (Regular): Discovering Chinese Cultures and Societies. Continue your practice in Chinese through an exploration of Chinese culture and society.
7. Smashing the Iron Rice Bowl: Chinese East Asia. Learn about the Chinese culture throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and how those eras have impacted modern-day China.
8. Traditional Chinese Literature: Poetry, Fiction, and Drama. Get a basic understanding of the major Chinese literary movements in English. Then you’ll be ready to start reading them in Chinese once you become proficient.
9. Communicating Across Cultures. Discover some of the challenges people face when they interact or begin relationships with people from other cultures. The awareness you will learn from this class will come in handy whether you visit China or build any professional or personal relationship with the Chinese.
10. Introduction to Asian American Studies: Literature, Culture, and Historical Experience. Learn how it is from the other side of the fence with this class that addresses many of the issues Asian-Americans experience in American society.

YouTube Videos

Watch these YouTube videos to hear the spoken words and practice saying them yourself.

11. Chinese Lesson #1. Learn a few basic words in Chinese and learn how to write them, too.
12. Chinese Lesson 2: Time. Get the basics on talking about time in Chinese.
13. Chinese Lesson 4 – Day of the Week (Monday- Sunday). This video lesson teaches you the pronunciation of the days of the week. Take a look under the "more info" section to see how to write the words, also.
14. Chinese Lesson 5 – Seasons. After watching this video, you’ll know how to say the four seasons.
15. The Travel Linguist – Mandarin 101. Learn a few basics with this video that offers ten important words in Chinese.
16. China-8.com Chinese Lesson – Hotels: At the Front Desk. Practice checking into a hotel in Chinese with this lesson.
17. Learn Mandarin Chinese Lesson 1 – Introduce yourself. The beginning of a series, this lesson teaches the basic greetings and how to introduce yourself.
18. Learn Mandarin Chinese Lesson 2 – Greetings. Learn a few simple greetings in Chinese here.
19. Learn Mandarin Chinese Lesson 4 – Courtesy. Being polite is important in any language. Find out how to say courtesy words such as "I’m sorry" and "Excuse me."
20. Learn Chinese Mandarin Lesson 8 – In the restaurant. Watch this video to learn how to order in a Chinese restaurant and how to ask for what you might need.
21. Learn Chinese Mandarin Lesson 11 – Family Members. This lesson teaches you how to say and read the words for various family members in Chinese.

iPhone Apps

Take your lessons with you anywhere when you use these iPhone apps to help you learn Chinese.

22. Free Translator. Use this free translator, which uses Google Translate, to help you translate to Chinese.
23. AccelaStudy. Learn Chinese with this app that provides vocabulary, quizzes, flashcards, and more.
24. Free Chinese Essentials. Work on recognizing and understanding Chinese with this free app.
25. KTdict C-E. This free app is a dictionary that goes from Chinese to English.
26. iCED Chinese Dictionary. This dictionary will help you find Chinese words and their meanings.
27. DianHua Dictionary. Not just a dictionary, this app will help you study and learn Chinese too with such features as flashcards and writing practice.
28. Mandarin Chinese Free. Use this translator to learn basic phrases in Chinese.
29. FREE Chinese Audio FlashCards. This app is a great way to drill yourself to see how much you are learning.
30. FREE Chinese (Traditional) Audio FlashCards. Another flashcard app, this one uses traditional Chinese.
31. iSpeak Chinese Lite. This app strengthens your speaking skills as you learn Chinese.
32. 50 Chinese Words. Learn to write 50 Chinese characters with this tool that shows animated strokes, has audio, and even offers flashcards.
33. Learn Chinese – ChinesePod. Get audio lessons and study tools to help you learn Chinese.

iTunes Podcasts

Subscribe to these podcasts to get Chinese lessons brought right to you.

34. Mandarin Chinese. Get video podcast lessons from Emory College Language Center here.
35. Chinese – SurvivalPhrases. This podcast teaches you phrases that will help you get by in a restaurant, when greeting people, and more.
36. World Learner Chinese. Expert teachers of Chinese as a second language lead these lessons.
37. ChineseClass101.com. These fun, self-paced lessons will have you speaking Chinese in no time.
38. Learn Chinese & Culture. Get at least three podcasts each week that teach Chinese language through lessons about Chinese culture.
39. Think and Talk Like Chinese. Each of these podcasts include a few vocabulary words in Chinese as well as information about China.
40. Chinese Tutorials. These video podcasts let you see and hear the lessons as you learn.
41. Learn Mandarin Chinese with ChineseLogic.com. Subscribe to these podcasts and learn Chinese through lessons that range from pop culture to traditions.
42. Two-Minute Chinese Lessons. Anyone can devote two minutes to learning Chinese, and these podcasts fit the bill.
43. Let’s speak Chinese!. This podcast isn’t current any more, but offers a few past lessons for learning Chinese.
44. Learn Chinese with Video Podcast. With 63 past episodes, you’ll have plenty of video podcasts here to get your Chinese going.
45. Slow Chinese. Practice your listening skills with these audio podcasts, then visit the website for practice on writing skills.

Online Translation Tools and Dictionaries

Use these tools to reinforce what you are learning, to practice your skills, or test your progress.

46. Bing Translator. Translate a Chinese web page into English with this tool.
47. Google Translate. Google can help you translate anything from a word to an entire web page with this tool.
48. Yahoo! Babel Fish. This tool is similar to the Google Translate tool and can handle a word, phrase, or an entire web page.
49. Windows Live Messenger. Learn how to do the same thing with Windows Live Messenger here.
50. Google Talk. Read this blog post to learn how to translate your Google Talk chats into Chinese, then go back and study them to see how much you are learning.
51. SpeakLike. Purchase this service to have any email, chat, tweet, or blog translated for you.
52. Freelang. Not only can you find dictionaries and get words and phrases translated, you can also find common expressions, language-learning software, and more.
53. English-Chinese Online Dictionary. Type in the English word and get a Chinese translation with this simple tool.
54. Chinese-English Dictionary. Type in a Chinese word; select whether it is simple, traditional, pinyin, or English; and get the translation.
55. Chinese-English Talking Dictionary. Enter either Chinese or English words and get information about the word, see stroke order for the Chinese character, learn etymology of the character, and more.
56. English Chinese Dictionary and Chinese English Dictionary. Find seven different dictionaries to help you translate from Chinese or from English.

Online Communities

These online communities are a great way to connect with native Chinese speakers and practice your Chinese first-hand.

57. italki. Connect with other members to practice your Chinese or locate a native-speaking Chinese teacher at this site. Some services are free and others require payment.
58. Chinese Pod. This service provides lessons, study tools, and communication with teachers. While the service isn’t free, you can get a free trial to get started on your lessons.
59. xLingo. Connect with others to practice your Chinese in forums, on a blog, and even create flashcards.
60. Livemocha. Livemocha offers free tips, online lessons, and a community for practicing. They also offer audio and video lessons and professional tutors for a fee.
61. VoxSwap. Participate in chatrooms and forums or, for a more personal experience, connect with individuals to practice your Chinese.
62. MyHappyPlanet. Communicate with members or use lessons designed by members to strengthen your Chinese.
63. UniLang. This online language community provides plenty of opportunities for meeting others, practicing Chinese, and even translating.
64. Language Exchange. Find a language partner and chat in the text chat room, get lesson plans, and more.
65. LingoPass!. This community sponsors a structured conversation group as well as general and business forums.
66. eChineseLearning. Learn from live teachers in China with this service. Use the free trial if you don’t want to purchase anything.
67. Twitter. Find Chinese speakers to practice your newfound language skills or follow feeds such as @Chinese_Voice.
68. Chinese social networking sites. If you really want to find native speakers and are feeling confident in your skill, read this article that describes how you can join Chinese social networking sites to practice your language skills.

Web Resources

These websites offer tons of resources, tools, and more to help you learn Chinese.

69. BBC Chinese. The BBC sponsors this site that provides guides, games, and more to help you learn Chinese.
70. Mango Languages. If you have a library card, then you can access Mango Languages for Chinese lessons.
71. Learning Chinese Online. Get everything from pronunciation to learning numbers to Chinese grammar here.
72. CSLPod. Sign up for a free account and get lessons, podcasts, and more.
73. Peace Corp Mandarin in China. Click on these lessons from the Peace Corp to start learning Chinese, and be sure to sign up for the podcast to keep learning.
74. Chinese-Tools.com. This site offers 31 lessons in Chinese to supplement any other lessons you are taking.
75. Chinese Lessons with Serge Melnyk. Listen to the mp3 or read the PDFs with these simple lessons.
76. Learn Chinese Online. Find words and phrases, grammar lessons, and writing practice here.
77. Learn Chinese Online. Sharing the same name as the previous site, this site is different and also offers tons of great resources for learning Mandarin.
78. Chinese Learn Online. Choose from one of three methods to get your lessons here (one is free and the other two are low-cost).
79. Conversational Mandarin Chinese Online. Work through this book by Tianwei Xie online or download it for a fee.
80. On-line Chinese Tools. From flashcards to dictionaries, this site provides plenty of tools to help you learn Chinese.
81. ChineseForTravel.com. Find lots of video and audio files here to help you learn the basics of Chinese you may need while traveling.
82. Chinese Learner. This site provides grammar, writing help, reading, speaking, and even a lyrics to a few Chinese songs.
83. Learn Chinese Online: Free Beginner’s ‘Introduction to Mandarin’ Tutorial. Work your way through this tutorial to learn the basics of pronunciation, characters, and grammar.
84. Min Multimedia Learn Chinese. Learn to read, write, and speak Chinese at this site for free. You also have the option to become a member for only $10 a year.
85. freechineselessons.com. Get two basic lessons, seven additional lessons, and links to other resources to help get you started.
86. clearchinese.com. You will find 15 downloadable mp3 lessons here to help you understand basic phrases.
87. Learn Chinese. This site provides Mandarin lessons in mp3 format as well as some writing lessons and additional information about China.
88. Chinese-Course.com. Use this flashcard system to learn Chinese in as little as 5-10 minutes each day. Both free and low-cost options are available.
89. Popup Chinese. Find simple lessons here after signing up for a free account.

Writing Chinese

Learning to write Chinese doesn’t have to be difficult when you use these tools and resources.

90. Skritter. While you will have to pay for the full version of this tool, practice writing your Chinese characters with this easy-to-use tool.
91. Arch Chinese. This program will cost $20 for one year, but offers a system designed for English speakers new to writing Chinese.
92. How to write Chinese characters. Learn the basics of stroke and component order to understand how Chinese characters are drawn.
93. Chinese Language Program. Get a ton of lessons on reading and writing Chinese here.
94. Learn Chinese Everyday. Each day you can learn how to write a different Chinese character at this site.
95. Write in Chinese. Click through the many pages here to see a Chinese character written and translated for you.
96. Chinese Numbers 1 – 12. Designed by 3rd graders, anyone can use this tool to learn how to write and recognize the first twelve Chinese numbers.
97. Learn to Write Characters. Click on any character to see the stroke order so you can practice the correct way to write Chinese characters.
98. Type in Chinese On-line. This tool has you type in English to receive a Chinese translation.
99. Chinese Input Method. Use this tool based on pinyin to write Chinese on your computer without needing special software.
100. Type Chinese. Here is another pinyin tool to help you write in Chinese.

By Katheryn Rivas

With unemployment at high levels in many places around the nation, finding a job is difficult for many. Of course, those just emerging with their college degrees and who don’t have a large amount of experience may find an even more daunting job market out there. Young job hunters shouldn’t lose hope, however, as these blog posts offer advice and inspiration created just for people in your situation who have a lifetime of career potential ahead of them.

General Advice

Here you’ll find all kinds of job hunting and career advice to get you started.

1. The Job Seeker of the Future: Learn what skills and attributes employers will be looking for in the coming years through the advice found on this blog.
2. Young Job Seekers Need 20-20 Vision: This blog post will help you forge the right direction for a career with staying power.
3. Career Advice for College Grads: Find all kinds of helpful advice from other college grads in this post.
4. 5 Things College Teaches You About Work (and 5 things it doesn’t): See what your college education taught you in terms of work and things you’ll have to learn on your own.
5. From Ivy League to Unemployed: How College Grads Should Approach the Job Hunt: Even those at the top of the educational ladder aren’t secured jobs at graduation. Learn what you can do to help make that battle a little easier from this post.
6. Meeting Employers Through Job Fairs: Job fairs can be great places to network and potentially even meet future employers, so check out this post for some advice on making the most of them.
7. Non-obvious guide to finding a great job: Not everything about job hunting is immediately evident, as this post points out.
8. 3 Golden Keys to Job Hunting for New Grads: Learn some ways that you can increase your chances of success in your job hunt through this post.
9. How to Successfully Search for a Job: Check out this article to learn how to make your job hunt a little easier.
10. College Grad Job Search – Are You Prepared?: Whether you’re graduating soon or have already graduated, chances are you’re not quite prepared for the harsh realities of the job market. Not to worry, this post offers some solid advice to get you started.
11. 7 Ways to Kick-Start Your Job Search: Get your job search up and running with a few pointers found on this site.
12. The 15-Point College Grad Job-Hunting Study Guide: Use these job hunting crib notes to make it a little easier to search for and find your first real job.

Resumes

Make sure your resume is up to snuff by reading through some of these helpful posts.

13. Students and Grads: Resume Boot Camp: This post will show you how to give your resume a total makeover.
14. The Purpose of a Resume- for New Grads: Here, learn what the true purpose of a resume is and discover how you can tweak yours to meet it.
15. 12 Eye-Catching Resume Tips: Read through this post to learn how to make your resume into one that will stand out in sea of other applicants.
16. The Power of a Well-Written Resume: This post will show you the true benefits of creating a resume that wows.
17. Resume writing for recent grads: a mini-how-to: Geared towards people your age, this post aims to show you how to write a good resume.
18. Sometimes Even New Grads Need More Than One Page: While in the world of resumes, shorter is often better, learn why going over a page can sometimes help you.
19. Resume Tips: How to deal with a low GPA: If you didn’t do as well as you’d have liked in college, learn how to make up for it on your resume here.
20. The benefits of getting a second (or third) opinion on your resumé: Here you’ll learn why you shouldn’t just create a resume and send it off without getting someone else to look at it first.
21. Drafting the Perfect Resume and Cover Letter: Get free advice on creating a stellar resume from this post.
22. Reducing Resume Clutter: If your resume looks something like your bedroom floor during finals week, then learn how to tidy it up here.
23. Powerful New Grad Resumes and Cover Letters: 10 Things They Have in Common: This post will show you what the best resumes are doing right and how you can adjust your own to compete.

Job Search

These bloggers offer some tips on how to make the job search process a little less painful and a lot more productive.

24. How New Grads Can Take Charge of Job Search Rejection: Hearing "no" is never fun, but this post will show you how to put rejections to good use.
25. Job Hunting 101 For New Grads: Learn the basics of job hunting from this post.
26. Tales of a Disgruntled Graduate: A View from the Front Lines of the Post-College Job Hunt: Get some perspective from the job searching world from another grad who’s already been there and done that.
27. Nine practical tips for graduate job seekers: This blog post is full of helpful advice for new grads on the hunt for work.
28. Job Seekers: Where and How to Find Jobs: Use this post to direct your job hunting energy in the right direction.
29. Five tips for young job-seekers during a recession: Recessions aren’t the ideal times to be searching for jobs, but this post offers some ways to make the best of the situation.
30. How to Organize Your Job Hunt: As this post will show you, keeping yourself organized during a job search can make the process a lot easier and smoother.
31. Mary Jeanne Vincent: In job hunt, sell what you have: Get some tips on getting the jobs you can from experts in the working world.
32. Who’s Hiring Recent College Grads: Resources for Entry-Level Job Seekers: Find out where you can access the greatest number of jobs right now from this post.
33. 7 Job Hunting Mistakes New Grads Make: We’re all human and we all make mistakes, but this blog post will help you try to avoid some of the big ones that can cost you a job.

Interviewing

If you’re lucky enough to make it to the interview, make sure you don’t blow it by reading these blog posts ahead of time.

34. 7 Common Interview Questions for the New Graduate: If you’re not sure what to expect at your first interview, review your answers to these common questions to prepare.
35. When Job Hunting, Dress for Success: This post explains what you should wear to your first interview.
36. Answer Strategies to Common Interview Questions: Learn how to answer interview questions with ease using this post.
37. On a Job Interview, Tips for Handling Tough Questions: When you’re asked a difficult answer at an interview, you don’t want to just freeze up, so use this post to teach yourself methods for navigating the worst and hardest questions out there.
38. Interview tips for grads: Get some basic interview tips to use through this post.
39. Interview Tips: How to Captivate and Impress a Hiring Manager: Here you’ll find great advice on making a memorable first impression.
40. Job Interview Cues that Say "Hire Me": Make sure you’re sending out the right kind of vibes at the interview with advice from this post.
41. Get Hired with These 7 Interviewing Tips: Use this post to give you some help navigating the interviewing process.
42. Tips for a Successful Phone Interview: Those finding work out of state may find themselves subject to a phone interview. If you’ve never done one before, make sure to read this post for advice.
43. How to Perform Well on a Job Interview: Get a few tips on making your first job interview your last for awhile in this post.
44. Prepare for Job Interview: Avoid the mistakes most applicants make!: Don’t make major blunders your first time through. Use the helpful advice found on this post instead.

Motivation

Finding a job can be a long and sometimes frustrating process but these posts offer hope and motivation to weary job hunters.

45. College grads finding job search tough, but not impossible: Get some hope for your job search in this post.
46. A Simple Job Search Motivator: This post aims to get you motivated to keep on searching for jobs.
47. 20 Motivational Songs for Your Job Search: Few things can get you pepped up quicker than good music, so check out these selections for motivated job hunting.
48. How to Stay Motivated During a Daunting Job Search: Job searching isn’t always fun, but this post offers some advice on keeping motivated even while facing big obstacles.
49. Open Letter to College Seniors and Recent Grads: Stop Whining: Some people need a little harsher take on motivation, and this blog post is just that.
50. Welcome to the Real World: My Best Advice for New Graduates: Get some advice to keep you going in this post.
51. 5 Reasons Why Doing What You Love Can Optimize Your Life: Learn why you should stick to finding a job doing something you love, even with all the obstacles, with help from this post.

Choosing a Career

Not sure where to even begin applying for jobs? These blog posts will help you choose a career direction after graduation.

52. Many college grads find work outside line of study: If you’re having a tough time finding a job in your major, consider another field. As this post will show you, it’s not at all uncommon.
53. 10 Tips for Successful Career Planning: Get some advice on planning out your career from this post.
54. One Strategy to Find Out What You Want to Do: Not sure how you want to progress with your post-college career? This post will give you some ideas on how to discover your passions.
55. Career Planning Advice: This post offers some great tips on planning your career over the next five, ten, or twenty years.
56. How to Make the Most Money With your College Degree: If money is your objective, then consider the career moves suggested in this post.
57. The Emerging Professional: Finding Your Passion: This post will help guide you towards your true career passions.
58. How to Doggedly Pursue Your Dreams in the Face of Naysayers: Here you’ll find inspiration to pursue the job and career you love no matter what others around you say.
59. Backing Your Career Passion: This post explains that many people are unhappy at their jobs, but offers solutions to find a job that truly meets your desires.
60. Writing a Career Action Plan: Why You Need One: If you don’t have one of these plans, learn more about what they do and why they’re important here.
61. College grads hit the road to find their dream jobs: Read this post to find out one way young grads are following their career dreams.

Using Technology

As part of a generation who has grown up using computers and technology, the opportunities the web has to offer should be part of your arsenal of job hunting tools. These posts will show you the way.

62. A Dozen Online Job Hunting Tips: Learn how to best scour the web for job opportunities with a little help from this post.
63. Build A Brand For Yourself to Make Your Job Hunt Easier: Don’t know what that entails? This post will explain in detail what you should be doing to create a personal brand.
64. How to Use Facebook for Job Search: Facebook is a great place to keep in touch with friends, but you can also use it to find work, as this post discusses.
65. Top 10 Benefits of Using Twitter during a Job Search: Make Twitter a valuable job hunting tool with advice found here.
66. How I Found My Job Using LinkedIn — A Windmill Networking Success Story: Online business networking may be new to you, but this post gives you a pretty good reason to consider diving in.
67. How To Go About Finding A Job Online: Check out this post for ideas on how to make the most of the millions of jobs listed online.
68. Leveraging Technology for your Job Search: If you know how to use technology, why not use it, as this post suggests, to help you find work?
69. Don’t Screw Up Your Job Hunt: Manage Your Online Reputation!: When you were in college, posting photos online of your drunken revelries seemed like a good idea, but now that you’re looking for work, they could come back to haunt you. Learn how to manage your online reputation here.
70. In the job hunt, beware of scams: Unfortunately, the online world is full of job scams. This post will teach you what to watch out for.
71. Social Media Job Search: Try using social media as a job hunting tool with help from this post.

First Jobs

Many students will be finding their first real job after graduation, and these posts offer some advice on doing it right.

72. 5 Tips to Prepare for that First "Real" Job Interview: If you’ve never applied for a serious job before, this post can help you get ready for success.
73. How to get your first job (as a recent graduate): Learn some tricks on getting that first job after college with this post.
74. Job for Pending College Graduate: Those who are graduating soon can plan ahead for job hunting with this post.
75. College Students: Finding Your First Job: Read through this site to find out how to best navigate the search for your first big job.
76. Making a First Impression: Starting a new job or looking for one can be nerve wracking, but you’ll learn some ways to make a good impression here.
77. Your First Days Working at a New Job: 20 Tips to Help You Make a Great Impression: This post will teach you how to wow your employers in your first few weeks of employment.
78. How To Behave At Your First Job: If you’ve never held a job anywhere but in fast food, this blog post can help you learn the rules of the workplace.
79. Interview Tips for the First Time Job Seekers: Make your first interviewing experience a pleasant one with tips from this blog.
80. Starting Your First Job: You got your degree, you got a job, now what? This post offers a little help for those new to the working world.
81. 5 Tips for Your First "Real" Job: Learn what you should be doing to get and keep post-college jobs.

Experience Boosters

You may not have a lot of work experience, but check out these posts for advice on finding other opportunities to bulk up your resume.

82. Internships Lead To Full Time Jobs: If you’ve never done an internship, this post can give you a pretty good reason why you might want to consider it.
83. Good College Student Resume Experience: Learn some great ways you can add experience to your resume from this post.
84. 3 Ways Unpaid Internships Pay: You might not make money, but here you can learn why unpaid work could pay big in the end.
85. Top Part-Time Jobs: Use Your Degree to Make Ends Meet: Even if you can’t get a full-time job, this post shows how you may be able to find some part-time work to hold you over.
86. Developing Leadership Skills: Read through this post to find some interesting and valuable ways to boost your leadership skills.
87. Tips for Every College Grad on Non-Profit Jobs: The tips on this site are geared towards students hoping to work in the non-profit sector, but many could apply just as easily to those in a wide range of other fields.
88. I don’t need an internship.: If you’ve ever found yourself uttering this phrase you may need to read this blog post.
89. 5 Steps to Achieving Maximum Benefit from Your Degree: Learn how to make the most of that big investment in college with help from this post.

Inspiration and Help

These posts offer young job hunters advice on de-stressing, making the most of their time and successful self-marketing–among other topics.

90. College Grad Job Prospects – A Little Good News: While the economy may be in a downturn, this post shows why it’s not all bad for young job seekers.
91. The 49 Best Ways To Find A Job In Today’s Horrible Economy: Get some pointers on making a go of it even when competition is tough.
92. Should You Always Accept "No" In Your Job Search?: Rejection in a job search is inevitable, but this post discusses whether or not you should always accept it as the final word.
93. 4 Tips for De-Stressing Your Job Search: Having a job is important, but this post will show you that lowering your stress and finding time for fun is as well.
94. Don’t Burn Bridges in Your Job Search: You never know where life will bring you, and this post will stress the importance of leaving doors open for yourself.
95. Inspiration: Go from Unemployed to Entrepreneur: Get inspired through this post to take matters into your own hands and start your own business.
96. Success Stories: Check out this post for some great job hunting and career success stories.
97. 10 Inspirational Online Business Stories: Coming from a generation brought up with technology, why not use that built-in expertise to start your own online business like the people in this article?
98. Inspiration for your job search: This post offers some advice and inspiration to help you keep your head up while job hunting.
99. Ten Ways to Market Your Liberal Arts Degree: Liberal arts degrees can be notoriously hard to find work with, but this post will show you some tricks on how to sell your knowledge to employers.
100. Use your qualification: Don’t waste all those years at college when you’re applying for jobs. This post will explain how to make the most of your qualifications.

By Katheryn Rivas

While the big names like Google and Yahoo will likely always rule the search engine market, sometimes you want something a little more focused when it comes to finding what you need on the web. That’s where these niche search engines come in handy. Using these tools you’ll be able to search through everything from academic research articles to deals on video games, making your life at college easier in a myriad of ways.

Research

Use these great search engines to aid in your research for papers, projects and more.

1. Google Scholar: With Google Scholar you can search through thousands of guaranteed scholarly (and appropriate for use in a paper) articles and research reports.
2. WorldCat: If you need a book and they don’t have it at your local library, use this tool to find out where the closest location you can find the book is.
3. Scirus: Using this search tool you can browse or search through loads of great scientific articles–great for last-minute research.
4. HighBeam Research: This tool searches through numerous sites to find the articles that you’re looking for.
5. iSeek: Students and teachers alike can find great information using this site that searches through only trusted resources.
6. Librarian’s Internet Index: Make sure you’re finding reliable, truthful information by using this search tool.
7. Vadlo: This search engine allows users to search through thousands of resources in the life sciences and biomedical fields.
8. Virtual Learning Resource Center: You’ll find a great collection of resources on this site to help you complete your projects in everything from economics to art history.
9. Open Library: If you don’t have time to run out to the library, you can find online resources to use for free using this search engine.
10. Online Journals Search Engine: Use this search engine to find great scientific journal articles.

Getting Answers

Check out these search engines for help finding answers to your important questions and organizing information.

11. Answers.com: Ask a question and other users will post their answers on this helpful site.
12. AskMeNow: Use this search site to find answers from experts on a wide range of topics.
13. Powerset: This tool uses Wikipedia to answer your question, bringing up the most relevant information.
14. Lexxe: Simply type a question into this site to get search results that best answer it.
15. Online Conversion: You can convert just about any unit to another using this great tool. Simply search to find the conversion you need.
16. Tablefy: This site will allow you to compare just about anything from products to websites and give you the information in an easy to use table.
17. MetaGlossary: Using this tool, you can find the meaning of millions of phrases, terms and acronyms.
18. BrainBoost: Try out this question-answering engine to see if you can’t find just what you’re looking for.

Med Students

Whether you’re already in med school or planning to head there when you graduate, these tools offer great search capabilities for all kinds of health-related information.

19. PubMed: This site lets you search through the holdings at the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.
20. MedScape: Find all kinds of useful health-related articles through this site.
21. OmniMedicalSearch: This medical site lets you search for articles, news, photos and more.
22. Healthline: Check out this basic site to find information on a variety of medical conditions.
23. Healthfinder: Here you’ll find a collection of government health resources that you can search through in both English and Spanish.
24. Antibiotic Guide: If you need to know anything about an antibiotic, you’ll find it using this search site from Johns Hopkins.
25. Medical Student.com: Designed with students in mind, this site is full of searchable information that can help you in your studies.
26. PDR.net: Use this search site as a starting point to learning more about prescription drugs of all kinds.

Law Students

Search through all kinds of legal history and information using these tools.

27. Everybody’s Legal Glossary: This searchable resources puts legal terms into plain English so that you can understand them.
28. Catalaw: Catalaw is a site that brings together the world’s law catalogs and lets you search through them.
29. FedLaw: This site will help you find everything from the meaning of acronyms to forms and legal restrictions for businesses.
30. Supreme Court Decisions: If you need to look up a Supreme Court case, this site makes it simple.
31. LawGuru: Using this site, you can ask any kind of legal question and get answers or find out what kind of law offices are open in your area.
32. Hieros Gamos: Find law firms, jobs, legal information and just about anything else related to the law by searching this site.
33. Meta-Index for U.S. Legal Research: This site makes it easy to search for Supreme Court decisions, legislation, regulations and more.
34. World Legal Information Institute: Search through this database to find information related to legal cases from around the world.

Business Students

Keep up with the markets and the big names in business with these search engines.

35. Business.com: You’ll find a wide range of business information through the search engine on this site.
36. DailyStocks: Keep up with the ups and downs of the market by searching for specific stocks on this site.
37. Inomics: Sign up for this site to search through a wealth of economics-related information.
38. Zapdata: By becoming a member of this site, you can search through businesses from across the nation and get great leads and connections.
39. Bloomberg: Use this site to learn more about economic and financial news and to follow the markets.
40. BPubs: Search through a variety of business publications for articles that interest you using this site.
41. ThomasNet: Look up companies, product names, brands and more and find all the information you need on this site.

All-In-One

These search engines will allow you to conduct big, personalized searches.

42. WikiSlice: This site will let you search through wikipedia for a given term, giving you all the articles that reference it.
43. Dogpile: Use this search engine to search through Google, Yahoo, Bing and Ask all at once.
44. MetaCrawlerWeb: Save yourself some time and search through all the big search engines at once on this site.
45. mamma: Whether you’re looking for web results, video or images, this site brings you the best results from the biggest search engines out there.
46. Myriad Search: Search through several major search engines on this site, with the option to customize your results.
47. HotBot: Choose from several search engines to use on this meta site.
48. SurfWax: This site will help you make the most of your searches, offering custom tools for searching Wikipedia, RSS feeds, news, shopping and more.
49. Clusty: With the option to limit searches to topics like blogs, images, Wikipedia and more, this site makes finding what you need a whole lot easier.
50. Copernic Agent: Find what you’re looking for in a snap using this customizable search tool.

Images and Visual Displays

If you need images for a project or just for fun, these sites make it easy to find what you’re looking for.

51. Image Toss: Use this search tool to find great images.
52. Picsearch: This site will let you search through billions of images to find what you need.
53. Fagan Finder: An indispensable tool for searching for images, this site lets you search through stock photos, search engines, photo sharing sites and more.
54. TinEye Reverse Image Search: Have an image but don’t know where it came from? This search site can help.
55. Pixsy: Use this site to search through tons of pictures and images to find what you’re looking for.
56. Netvue: With this site you’ll see images and animations displayed beautifully so you’ll find just what you’re looking for.
57. Creative Commons Search: Find images you can use for free on this site.
58. Middlespot: Search through the images on this site and collect them using the site’s tools so you can use them later.

Media

Find videos and music galore using these search engines.

59. Last.fm: List your favorite bands on this site, and the search feature will direct you towards other artists you might like.
60. Dailymotion: On this site you’ll find thousands of videos you can look through each day.
61. YouTube: As the best-known video-hosting site on the web, this search tool is a best bet for finding the videos you need.
62. FindSounds: Whether you need a new ring tone or just want to entertain yourself with funny sounds, you can find just about everything you need here.
63. Blinkx: Search through tons of videos on this site.
64. SeeqPod: Use this tool to search through millions of songs, and you can even listen to samples of your results.
65. RadioLocator: Search through this site to find the best radio stations in your area.
66. SkreemR: Find a wide range of MP3 files through this search engine.

Entertainment

Find fun things to do in your college town using these helpful entertainment search sites.

67. Gnod: Find music, books and movies that meet your interests using this search engine.
68. ConcertFinders: Try out this site to find out what concerts will be happening in your area.
69. FestivalFinder: If you want to attend a music or any other kind of festival this summer, consider using this tool to find out more information.
70. Fandango: Look up information about movies and find show times and tickets on this site.
71. Restaurant Row: Enter in your city, a type of food or a restaurant name and find all the information you need for a dinner out.
72. TV Guide: Find out what’s playing on your TV by searching through the listings on this site.
73. Zvents: Discover fun things to do in your neck of the woods by searching through this site.
74. Goby: Simply type in what you’d like to do, where you’d like to do it or when you’re free, and you can find all kinds of fun activities.
75. IMDB: Settle your movie trivia debates using this excellent movie and television information database.

Shopping

If you’re a college student on a budget, take advantage of these shopping sites to find great bargains on just about anything you could need.

76. Like.com: This site is home to some of the best deals and selections on the web from sites made for women, men, home and more.
77. Slifter: Find out where to buy products in your neighborhood using this online tool.
78. Pronto: This site searches top stores for great deals and trendy fashions to save you the trouble of doing it on your own.
79. The Find: Search for a product using this site and it will tell you where to get the best deal and if there are coupons available.
80. retrevo: Those in the market for new electronics should try out this site for finding great deals.
81. BizRate: Here, you’re able to search for items, price compare and buy them from the site with the best deal.
82. Shopzilla: This site is the ultimate comparison shopping search engine. Simply type in what you’re looking for and it does the rest.
83. AuctionMapper: Use this site to totally hack the listings on eBay, get the best deals and find what you’re looking for.

Life

These search sites will help you find a place to live or a job to pay for that place.

84. HotPads: If you’re in the market for a new apartment, then this site can help you find some great new digs.
85. Rent.Com: Find a place to rent that’s within your budget using this search site.
86. Apartments.com: Use this site to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck in your college apartment.
87. MyNewPlace: This site lets you search through millions of apartment and rental listings.
88. Internship Programs: Try out this site to secure yourself an internship for the summer or after college.
89. indeed: If your graduation is looming, start looking for work now using this job search engine.
90. JuJu: Search by field, location, or company on this site for a job that will make use of your college degree.
91. Careerjet: This site scours numerous other websites for the best job listings, letting you search through them from one place.

Miscellaneous

If you’re still looking for a different kind of niche search engine, give one of these a try.

92. Snopes.com: Before you get freaked out about that forward your grandma sent you, take a look at this search site to see the real deal behind the often sensational stories presented in urban legends and around the web.
93. NewsLookup: Use this search site to find news from anywhere around the world and on any subject.
94. AlltheWeb: Find the news you need using this search engine.
95. Rollyo: This search engine is what you make of it, meaning you can customize it to fit any niche you’re trying to search through.
96. Wink: If you’re looking for a person, use this search engine to find out their phone number, address or email.
97. Spock: This site will help you connect with old friends from high school you may have lost touch with.
98. Technorati: Use Technorati to scour the blogging world for posts and sites that match your interests.
99. SearchBug: Find people, companies, services and more using this helpful online tool.
100. Soople: This site is the ultimate search tool, allowing you to do basic things like search Google or more advanced things like find a library book.

By Katheryn Rivas

Online education has increased by more than 20 percent in the past two years, indicating that students have embraced this unconventional mode of education.  Outside factors have contributed to this rise, including the recession (and the subsequent need for students to save money), the rising costs of college, and even the H1N1 scare.  Additionally, the increase in the number of traditional colleges that have begun to offer online courses has contributed to the rise in the number of online universities as this has become a popular way to earn an education.

The economy has led to a higher demand for educated workers and the amount of college students within all types of universities has risen in the past year.  While much of this increase is due to the rise in online universities, it is also indicative of an economy that is shifting toward a better educated public.  Online education has simply become the best fit for students who need a further education to attain a job and cannot compete with the rising costs of traditional colleges.  Online universities have in a sense saved these students and offered them a cheaper alternative to attending college.

While online universities initially did not have the best reputation, the passing of the federal bill a few years ago helped boost the credibility of online schools and helped work towards a higher number of accredited online universities.  Since this growth of online universities has resulted in 1 in 4 students taking online courses, traditional schools have tried to compete with online universities, offering full degree programs through distance learning.  With so many options to choose from, the possibilities nearly seem endless for students of online education, possibilities which were not an option only five years ago.   

The growth in online learning is only the first step in a shift in education.  The next few years are bound to indicate a further rise in the availability of online courses, as online education spreads throughout the world.  The sour mood of the economy has led to a surprising beneficial rise in this sector of education, something which economists could not have predicted.  Students are now able to work and attend classes at their leisure, a feat which was very difficult to do in traditional schools.  The easy availability of online universities has now allowed students to pick a school that caters to their schedule and their budget, as they are able to take classes from the comfort of their own home and create their own schedule. 
 

Many of us have not taken an English class since high school and are lost when it comes time to write a big proposal for work or a letter to a client.  Not to fear! The flexibility in online education has created a niche for online writing classes that offer free lectures to interested parties.  These lectures include ones that are delivered from current authors, from university programs, and lectures about famous authors. 

Determining what type of lecture will best improve your writing is important to picking a lecture.  Many lectures that are offered help individuals improve their writing through every type of outlet, whether they are focused more on rhetoric, on creative writing, or even science writing.  These lectures get their audience to move away from the standardized junior high style of writing which so many individuals still rely on, and instead move them closer to a more professional style of writing. 

One lecture which every person should take when looking to improve their writing is one which caters exclusively to essay writing.  This is a style of writing that is easily adaptable to any type of career and can be manipulated to any subject matter.  After listening to this type of initial lecture, you should move on to a lecture that is better suited for the writing you will be doing at work.  There are now lectures that are available for nature writing, science writing, social media writing, film, and many more.  Each style of writing is similar in its underlying structure, although each lecture can teach you how to attract the reader and draw them into the message you wish to send out.

Social media has become one of the top ways to communicate to a large audience through short articles, and lectures can help you hone in on your writing skills and adapt them to a different medium.  Social media in particular involves a drastically different style of writing than ordinary essays; online articles need to be able to jump out and grab the reader, while other essays in journals or papers cater to a different type of audience.  Determining who your audience will be is the best way to determine what type of writing style is the best one for you, and after this initial step, you will be able to expand your knowledge of English and the written word.

Lectures are only the first step to improving your writing; after this point, you need to immerse yourself with the type of writing style you wish to learn and write as much as possible.  The easy accessibility of online lectures is only one way the internet has changed the way many of us learn new subjects.  Many top level schools offer these free lectures and may in fact encourage you to try out a further online class after this first step. 

Whether you want to be a teacher, principal or even an educational policy-maker, learning all you can about the field and how to be a more powerful leader while you’re still in college is essential. These blogs will fill you in on the latest news, provide inspiration, and ensure that you are up-to-date with the latest educational technologies so you can be the best education leader you can be.

Education News

Read through these sites for great updates on education.

1. DetentionSlip.org: Visit this blog to get daily updates about what’s going on in the world of education.
2. Educated Nation Higher Education Blog: Get higher education news and ideas through this helpful blog.
3. Eduwonk: This blog doesn’t just contain news, but commentary and analysis on it as well.
4. Open Education: If open courseware is something you have an interest in, you can keep up with the latest developments here.
5. The Gradebook: Find out more about educational problems and successes through this blog.
6. Edwise: On this blog you’ll find a good deal of news as well as opinions on this news.

Subject Specific

These blogs focus on subjects like math, writing and language arts.

7. The Exponential Curve: This blog presents some great ideas for high school math teachers hoping to assist their below-level students.
8. Division by Zero: Here you’ll find a math-focused blog with some ideas on teaching and using academic technology.
9. Two Writing Teachers: Get inspired by this blog about two writing teachers who are using their skills to help students in different parts of the US.
10. Langwitches Blog: While focused mostly on writing and reading, this blog also offers some great general information for all educators.
11. Best Practices for Legal Education: This blog focuses on improving the way lawyers are educated in this country.

Inspiration and Innovation

Get inspired and discover new ideas through the help of these bloggers and teachers.

12. Cool Cat Teacher Blog: Use this blog to get a better idea of how to implement and use technology in the classroom.
13. The Innovative Educator: This blog is a great place to look for fresh ideas on how to teach students course material.
14. The Next Generation of Educational Leadership: Here you can read about and connect with other educational leaders.
15. 2 Cents Worth: Check out this blog for some thoughts on the process of learning at large. It could influence how you teach.
16. Education Innovation: This blog offers some ways to improve education through creativity and innovation.
17. Ozge Karaoglu’s Blog: Full of tech tools that can help in the classroom and ruminations on educational issues, this blog can be a great read for teachers of all kinds.
18. Teaching Ideas and Resources: Find some great tips and tools for improving your classroom performance on this blog.
19. Teacher Reboot Camp: Visit this site to find ways you can continually challenge and push yourself to be a better teacher and leader.
20. Free Resources for Education: See what kind of useful resources are out there for teaching and helping your students learn through this blog.
21. Andrew B. Watt’s Blog: On this blog you’ll find a discussion of lots of technological resources that could work well in the classroom.
22. Thumann Resources: Blogger Lisa Thumann shares her ideas on how to bring education into the 21st century in this blog.
23. Darcy Moore’s Blog: Bookmark this site to get updates on using Web 2.0 in the classroom.

Educational Policy

These blogs take an in-depth and sometimes unforgiving look at current educational policy.

24. Thoughts on Education Policy: PhD student Corey Bower shares her insights into educational policy on this blog.
25. Education Policy Blog: Learn ways that educational groups can change educational policy here.
26. Bridging Difference: With women who are often at odds on educational policy sharing this blog, it’s a great place to go to see both sides of the debate.
27. Educational Equity, Politics & Policy in Texas: While this blog may contain information specific to Texas, many of the issues are problems nationwide.
28. The Quick and the Ed: A variety of policy analysts work together to write this incredibly informative blog.
29. Edpresso: This blog is home to news and commentary on proposed and real educational reforms.
30. What’s Working in Schools Blog: Get ideas on reforms that are working in other schools and ways that you can improve your own performance from this blog.
31. Brian McCall’s Economics of Education Blog: Check out this blog to learn about the economic issues that sometimes cloud educational policy.
32. Teacher Beat: Visit this blog often to keep up with the latest teacher and education related policy changes.

Educational Technology

Visit these great blogs to learn about ways you can integrate technology into your courses.

33. Weblogg-ed: On this site you’ll get a number of great ideas on using the web as a learning tool.
34. Gate’s Computer Tips: Educational professional Jim Gates offers his tips on making the best use of computers on this blog.
35. NCS-Tech: Visit this site for K-8 educational technology resources, commentary and lesson ideas.
36. Nik’s Learning Technology Blog: If you teach EFL or ESL, you’ll find some good ideas on using technology to aid your teaching here.
37. Edgalaxy: Nerdy teachers of all subjects can find great tech-based solutions to classroom issues on this site.
38. Emerging Ed Tech: Read through this blog to see some of the technologies that are or will be aiding the teachers of the future.
39. Moving at the Speed of Creativity: Find news on the ways technology is shaping communication and the classroom on this blog.
40. Open Culture: This blog will save you the trouble of searching for the best educational and cultural resources on the web as they’ve already compiled and reported on them here.
41. Learning with ‘e’s: Here, one teacher shares her thoughts on learning technologies and the digital revolution.
42. Box of Tricks: Technology and education is the focus of this image- and video-filled site.
43. Dangerously Irrelevant: This blog focuses on technology, leadership and, of course, education in our nation’s schools.
44. Digital Education: Check out this site for the latest news on how technology is being used in the K-12 classroom.

E-Learning and Online Education

On these sites you’ll find advice, tips and tools for online learning.

45. E-Learning Queen: This blog covers numerous aspects on online learning from distance training to instructional design.
46. eLearning Technology: Dr. Tony Karrer is the CEO/CTO of TechEmpower and is considered one of the leading educational technologists, so check out his blog for news and advice.
47. The Rapid eLearning Blog: This blog will help you learn to better navigate the world and resources out there for e-learning.
48. Jane’s E-Learning Pick of the Day: Jane Hart of the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies writes about a different e-learning topic each day on this blog.
49. openthinking: Find more information on open education on this blog, as well as plentiful commentary and insight.
50. 21st Century Teaching and Learning: Here, blogger Michelle Pacansky-Brock shares her thoughts on using technology in higher learning and online colleges.