As we head into our fourth week of online classes for schools in the state of Massachusetts, students and teachers are still adjusting to learning online. Teachers have been faced with the difficulty of making their instruction completely online while students are adapting to learning at home with their families. Facing the challenge of not having face-to-face conversations with professors leaves some students, like Kiersten Williams, with the fear that they will fall behind. 
Currently a student at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Williams says she depends on her conversations with her professors to clear up any confusion. “I learn the most through our conversations and through our labs weekly because I am a visual learner. Now that everything’s online I find myself using Youtube a lot in order to explain different theories, procedures and concepts that we are learning.” Kiersten, like many college students, is looking for online learning resources to ensure that she is getting the most out of her education. 
There are free and paid online resources that students are able to use during this difficult time to help them transition with ease.
Adobe Creative Suite and Portfolio
Adobe is providing free at-home access to its Creative Suite to students whose schools (both K-12 and higher education) provide lab access on campus. This resource is available through May 31 and can be accessed by requesting it from your school. College students can also take advantage of Adobe Portfolio, the website-building software designed for creating online portfolios. Adobe Portfolio is free to access for 60 days and allows you to upload pieces and organize them in a presentable manner for the person reviewing your portfolio. If you are stuck on how to organize your portfolio, the site also offers examples and tips for you to do so.
 
GoConqr
GoConqr is a go-to for visual learners. This site offers flashcards, mind maps, notes and even quizzes to test yourself. You are able to create your own study guides but are also given access to the other study guides created by others in the website’s library. There are more than two million study guides from both users and educators, giving users options as to what study guide technique works best for their style of learning.
 
Open Culture
Open Culture is a non-profit project filled with information that can be useful for projects and your own personal development. It offers free lectures and Massive Open Online Courses. These MOOCs come with free materials such as textbooks, audiobooks, literature works, language lessons and even movies that may be essential for some who don’t have access through their own universities. The wealth of materials from this site can help students who are having trouble with a new topic and need access to materials other than the ones they own.
 
As we are faced with our new reality of online learning, universities and their professors are working to ensure that the students’ education will be conserved. Outside online learning resources provide students with multiple ways to learn, study, and even connect with others during this pandemic.