How to Expand Your Knowledge Using the Internet

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

Your computer, tablet, or smartphone holds a wealth of information. If you know what to look for, you have access to an unlimited number of learning resources. You can read any book, listen to any song, and watch any film you want. If you want to pick up a new skill (like learning another language or studying life sciences), you can enroll in an online course to meet your needs. When used correctly, the internet is a tool that can greatly expand your knowledge.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Learning a New Language

PDF download Download Article
  1. Some online educational resources offer basic language classes for free. Other websites, like universities, offer comprehensive language courses at a low price. Find a language course that best fits your need and begin studying to increase your comprehension.
    • Most people learn best when hearing or speaking the language aloud. Supplement your language learning with audio clips, or practice your skills with a native speaker. [1]
    • Open Culture, Coursera, and EdX all offer free foreign language courses. [2]
  2. You may feel unsure how your skills are progressing if you're learning a language alone. By hiring a tutor, you can practice your language skills and receive comprehensive feedback. Depending on your needs, you can communicate with your tutor by email, phone, or video conference. Many tutors offer language classes at an affordable price. [3]
    • Choose a native speaker for your tutor if possible. They will be best at teaching you grammar, pronunciation, and conversational skills.
    • Popular websites for finding language tutors include: [italki.com iTalki,] [tutor.com Tutor.com,] and [verbling.com Verbling.com.]
    Advertisement
  3. Online, you can access flashcards, practice sentences, and worksheets at little-to-no cost. You can also interact with other language learners via forums. Use study resources to further cement your knowledge of the language, especially if you're struggling in your online course.
    • Video sharing sites, like [youtube.com YouTube] and [vimeo.com Vimeo,] also have language-learning tutorials and videos in foreign languages.
    • Improve your language skills with apps. Language-learning apps can turn practice time into a fun and educational game. Popular language-learning apps include DuoLingo, Memrise, and Livemocha. [4]
  4. Few activities are as beneficial for language-learning as listening to a native speaker. You may not be able to travel to your country of choice, but you can listen to native speakers. Watch a foreign film and analyze the language. Look up the lyrics to a foreign song beforehand and listen to it several times. With every repetition, you'll recognize more words. [5]
    • When watching a foreign movie, try one without subtitles. You may find yourself relying too much on the text instead of the audio.
    5. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Enrolling in Online Courses

PDF download Download Article
  1. Email a local university to see if they offer independent study courses, where you learn at your own pace online. Most colleges will let you take their courses without applying for a program. Independent study can be a great option if you're too busy for scheduled classes.
    • How much you learn in an independent study course is up to you. You will benefit the most from the course if you maintain strong motivation.
  2. Plenty of online resources offer free study materials in mathematics, sciences, humanities, and other subjects. An educational resource site might have practice exercises, videos, and other coursework to help you learn. You can use educational resources as a supplement to your courses or as a primary source of learning.
    • Khan Academy is a volunteer-run nonprofit offering study guides for computer programming, math, science, history, economics, and other subjects. Their courses have been translated into dozens of languages, including English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. [6]
  3. government. The Small Business Administration (SBA) was created by the United States government to advocate for and assist locally-owned businesses. To further their mission in building and growing small businesses, they offer free online business classes like "Understanding Your Customer," "Establishing Values for Your Business," and "Introduction to Pricing."
  4. Many respected universities (like Stanford, Yale, UC Berkeley, and Harvard) offer free online lecture series on a variety of subjects . Some courses even let you interact with the professor as you learn, though most will only include lecture links.
  5. MOOCs offer educational courses to anyone who wants to learn, with no limit on class attendance or geographical location. Most MOOCs are structured similarly to university courses, though they don't usually offer academic credit. Through MOOCs, you can receive free distance learning at little-to-no cost. [7]
    • MOOC professors are usually established in their field and provide accurate, enriching content for students.
    • One downside of MOOCs is that, because of the large class size, you don't typically get to interact with the professor. Messages or questions are usually addressed by other students, and grading is often automatic. [8]
    EXPERT TIP

    Jeffrey Fermin

    Employee Relations Expert
    Jeffrey Fermin is an Employee Relations Expert based in Miami, Florida. He currently works as Head of Demand Generation for AllVoices, a platform that manages employee relations issues. Through his work, he has developed extensive experience with understanding human behavior and the intricacies of work life. He’s also the Founder of a full-service marketing company called New Theory. He has more than 13 years of experience in B2B SaaS marketing, and has specifically focused on human resources technology, digital marketing, and content creation. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Education from Florida International University. Jeffrey has won a Microsoft Octas Innovation Award and is a TechCrunch Disrupt Runner-Up.
    Jeffrey Fermin
    Employee Relations Expert

    Online learning offers real flexibility. You can learn at your own pace with online education platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and Khan Academy. They make learning convenient with a vast library of courses. Try anything that sparks your curiosity and is tailored to your interests.

    6. Advertisement


Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Accessing Books, Films, and Music

PDF download Download Article
  1. Expand your music horizons. Most any song you can think of is available online with the click of a button. Now's the time to explore new genres, or learn to appreciate one at a greater depth. If you've always wanted to know more about jazz or appreciate classical music, now is your chance.
    • You can find free music on Freegal, the Free Music Archive, and NoiseTrade. [9]
  2. Thanks to the internet, you have an unlimited movie resource. Some may claim that movies cannot be educational, but watching the right film can be an enlightening experience. Watch classic movies, foreign films, and documentaries. Look for movies that increase your understanding of the world and challenge your current perspective.
    • Although less movies are available in the public domain, you can watch many early films (like silent movies) for free. Public Domain Flix streams hundreds of movies released to the public domain. [10]
  3. Every year, new books are available to read for free once their copyright has expired. In most European countries and the United States, books are released into the public domain approximately 70 years after the author's death. After this point, you can read e-books at no cost. [11]
    • Project Gutenberg is a prominent volunteer effort to digitize books released into the public domain. They are an excellent source of free e-books. [12]
    • You can also purchase e-books, if you'd prefer to read contemporary novels. You can buy e-books through popular retailers like Amazon, Google Books, or Kobo Store. [13]
  4. Most books released into the public domain are available as a free audiobook. If you'd prefer a popular novel, you could purchase an audiobook instead. Audiobooks are a great way to absorb a novel when you're busy. If you work online, you can turn one on and enjoy the storyline while multi-tasking.
    • Similar to Project Gutenberg, LibriVox is a volunteer organization that makes public domain audiobooks available for free. [14]
    • Audible is a popular online audiobook retailer that provides paid members with one or two audiobooks a month, depending on your subscription. [15]
    5. Advertisement
Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Researching Online

PDF download Download Article
  1. Wikipedia is an online database which is constantly edited by authoritative users and hobbyists alike. Read its articles when beginning to research a subject. Look at the references or external links for additional information. [16]
    • Evaluate a Wikipedia article's veracity by looking at the number of cited sources, checking the page edit history, and doing further research to double-check.
    • Although Wikipedia contains thoroughly-researched material, use it to gain basic knowledge. Do not cite Wikipedia in articles.
  2. Peer-reviewed articles have been verified by experts as accurate and trustworthy before they were published. In most cases, the article is certified blindly, which means that it receives validation not on the author's reputation but on its own quality. [17]
  3. Clickbait sites, like Buzzfeed or Ranker, have entertaining but not necessarily accurate information. Beyond academic resources, government websites and national news services will have more credible content. Government sites will usually have ".gov" in the URL (like usa.gov, or gov.uk). When reading national news resources, make sure you are not reading opinion pieces or blogs.
    • You can recognize a non-profit website by the domain ".org." While they can be reliable, some may still contain biases.
  4. Most academic fields have free databases available for researchers. These databases include articles, reviews, and other academically-valid sources. Popular free research sites include Google Scholar. [18]
    • If you're enrolled in a university, you may be able to access usually-paid resources for free.
    • Local library databases can also offer free databases.
    5. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    Where can I find a list of paid jobs that can be completed online?
    Community Answer
    Here are some websites: upwork.com, freelance.com, fiverr.com, peopleperhour.com, and guru.com. Or just type "freelance jobs" into your search bar.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 12
  • Question
    What are internet tricks to make searching easier?
    Community Answer
    Use very specific terms when searching. For example, change "blue sheets" to "blue bed sheets twin size".
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 6
  • Question
    How can I learn new words as a new routine?
    Community Answer
    Explore the dictionary. If you are looking up a word, check out other words around it. Many online dictionaries also have a "Word of the Day" on the main page.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 2 Helpful 8
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      Show More Tips
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warnings

      • Keep your personal information (like your name, address, or phone number) private. Never give these things out to an untrustworthy resource. If you are a minor, ask your parent or guardian if a website is safe.
        Thanks
        Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1
      • Don't trust everything you read on the internet. If something seems fake or questionable, find a second resource. [20]
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • Steer clear of pirated information. Not only is piracy illegal, but many pirated files contain Trojan horses or other viruses.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Be Knowledgeable
      How to
      Be Intelligent
      How to
      Search and Find About Someone Using Image Easily
      Deep Web Guide: Getting There & How It Differs from the Dark Web
      Easy Ways to Find Your Apple ID
      Turn Off Reddit's NSFW Filter to Unblur Adult Photos & Posts
      17 Easy Ways to Speed up Your WiFi or Internet Connection
      How to
      Create a Link: Easy, Step-by-Step Instructions
      How to
      Get the URL for Any Image
      How to
      Remove Bing Wallpaper
      4 Ways to Find Old Websites Using Archive Tools
      Easy Ways to Make a Website Shortcut on Windows or macOS
      How to
      Browse and Archive Websites with the Wayback Machine
      8 Easy Ways to Fix Instagram Invite Collaborator Not Showing
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/2010/07/27/learn-second-language-lifestyle-travel-study.html
      2. ↑ https://www.fluentu.com/blog/free-language-learning-websites/
      3. ↑ https://www.noodle.com/articles/pros-and-cons-of-the-online-tutoring-experience
      4. ↑ https://www.huffingtonpost.com/fodors/7-outstanding-language-le_b_6431448.html
      5. ↑ https://lifehacker.com/how-actively-watching-movies-helped-me-learn-spanish-5881696
      6. ↑ https://www.khanacademy.org/
      7. ↑ https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/massively-open-online-course-MOOC
      8. ↑ https://www.geteverwise.com/career-success/4-pros-and-4-cons-of-moocs-whether-to-take-study-from-classroom-to-online/
      9. ↑ https://www.techhive.com/article/239094/home-audio/how-to-get-free-music-from-the-itunes-music-store.html?page=2
      1. ↑ https://publicdomainflix.com/
      2. ↑ https://qz.com/580123/its-public-domain-day-and-once-again-americans-get-almost-nothing/
      3. ↑ https://www.gutenberg.org/
      4. ↑ https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/ebook-readers/article/best-ebook-stores-for-price
      5. ↑ https://librivox.org/
      6. ↑ https://indiereader.com/2013/08/the-perks-of-being-audible/
      7. ↑ https://libguides.bgsu.edu/c.php?g=227097&p=1507773
      8. ↑ https://www.angelo.edu/services/library/handouts/peerrev.php
      9. ↑ https://www.scribendi.com/advice/free_online_journal_and_research_databases.en.html
      10. ↑ https://www.digitalunite.com/guides/using-internet-0/searching-browsing/ten-top-tips-using-internet
      11. ↑ https://www.puresight.com/Useful-tools/tips-for-safe-internet-use.html

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To expand your knowledge using the internet, try learning a new language by enrolling in a free language course on a website like Open Culture or EdX. You can also learn about new topics by enrolling in a free online class, like a massive open online course. Whenever you have free time, listen to free online lecture series, which are often given by professors at top-ranked universities. You can also just start on Wikipedia and follow the links to see what you can learn! To learn how to access books, films, and music on the internet, scroll down!

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 217,140 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Chandan Jha

        Nov 13, 2016

        "That's what I actually needed. You guys have reduced the insecurity that I might leave out many necessary ..." more
      Share your story

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement