Free online teacher professional development courses with certificates

While free online courses are offered in a variety of subjects, they are also a creative way for teachers themselves to continue their education. Taking remote courses is a great way for educators to meet their personal and professional goals and still have time to teach. Plus, since there are so many free courses available right now, there’s no better time to begin. 

There’s no doubt that teaching has changed a lot over the past year. As schools have switched to remote learning, it’s more important than ever for teachers to focus on their methods. The demand for educators that can command a virtual room full of students is great, and there are some specific skills needed to make that happen. Free online courses for teachers can help.

Featured Programs

• Emerging Trends and Technologies
• Analytics for the Classroom Teacher
• Advanced Instructional Strategy

Disclaimer: Some courses may include an affiliate link. Courses were chosen first based on the methodology with affiliate links only added after the ranking was complete.

Online classes can also help teachers who are looking to expand their curriculum, get inspired, or take their current skills to a new level. For teacher professional development, online courses are a great resource offering flexibility and the chance to collaborate with colleagues virtually.

Below, we’ve reviewed 10 of the best free online courses for teachers. There are many available, but after an exhaustive search, we’ve narrowed down the top options using our own methodology. They are listed in descending order, and while our favorite picks are at the top, each course on this list has something to offer. Read on for all the details. 

Ranking 10 Free Online Courses for Teachers

1. Emerging Trends & Technologies in the Virtual K-12 Classroom

Offered by UCI via Coursera

This is course two of five offered in the Virtual Teacher Specialization. As the title suggests, it’s designed to introduce you to technologies you can use in the remote classroom setting to help you be a more effective educator. Notably, many of the ideas are also applicable to blended and traditional classrooms, too.

This is our top choice when it comes to free online courses for teachers, primarily because it’s the most relevant in today’s “new normal”. With a 94 percent positive rating from former students, its one of the most popular offerings on the platform and is intended to be taken over five weeks, working between one to three hours each week. Topics covered include:

• Defining the role of educational technology in supporting the virtual environment

• Identifying current and emerging technology that can be used for remote instruction and in developing curriculum

• Using collaborative learning tools for designing and assessing learning activities

• Using game-based tools to help students engage better in virtual coursework

• Research and evaluation in using open content

• Debating the role of existing and emerging technologies for virtual course instruction or curriculum development.

• Evaluating the role of MOOCs in virtual education

The course can be taken in audit mode at no charge, and those who participate will have access to all the course materials minus graded assignments or certification.

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes, with a fee

Time to Complete: Five weeks

Curriculum: Introductory

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

• Taught by Dr. Racquel Stephens, Instructor at the University of California Irvine

• Go at your own pace 

• Nearly 10,000 students have enrolled

Cons:

• Certification is fee-based

2. Teacher Training Videos With Russel Stannard

Offered by TTV.com

Teacher Training Videos. Com is a free resource offered by UK-based teacher Russel Stannard. With a motto of ‘Simple Tech Help for Teachers’, the site is designed to show you how to incorporate technology into the classroom. While Stannard has some terrific videos on remote teaching, this site has been around for a while, so it’s not just about teaching remotely. It is aimed toward learning to use the many tech resources available to teachers without getting too overwhelmed.

There are so many awesome videos on the site that its hard to know where to begin. Teachers can pick and choose the ones they are most interested in and start watching immediately. The lessons are hosted on Youtube so they are intended for those who learn best by watching and listening. There are no modules to follow along with, no required reading, and no sign-up necessary. You can jump in anytime you want by choosing what interests you most from among the many lessons available, including:

∙Three Ways To Assess Students Online

∙Great Tips on How To Teach Online With Skype

∙Flipped Classroom Approach for Teaching Online

∙Create an Educational Website for Free

∙Online Game and Quiz Maker for Language Learning

∙Teaching With Zoom

∙Complete Introduction to Kahoot

∙Padlet Online Collaboration

This is just a partial list. There are dozens more, so you’re sure to find one that is right for you. In case you’re wondering if the site is legit, Teacher Training Videos has won multiple awards including TEFLnet Site of the Year in 2009, The University of Westminster ‘Excellence in Teaching and Learning’ award, and others. While the site does not follow the traditional course model as some of the other offerings on our list, we find this to be one of the top free online courses for teachers because it offers so much content at no cost. 

Cost: Free

Certificate: No

Time to Complete: Varies

Curriculum: Introductory 

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

• Accessible on desktop, mobile, and TV

• No signups or commitments

• Winner of multiple educational awards

Cons:

• Video format only

3. Analytics for the Classroom Teacher

Offered by Curtin University via edX

Offered through Curtin University, this fascinating course on analytics for teachers is a unique offering. It’s one of the top free online courses for teachers on our list, and for a good reason. In the age of technology and remote instruction, analytics has never been more relevant for educators.

In case you’re worried that you need experience with analytics or data-driven instruction, don’t be. This introductory course is designed for learners with no previous experience in analytics. At the beginning of the course, you will learn how policy-makers, curriculum developers, and teachers all over the world are using analytics to make decisions, and you’ll hear from some of these experts.

During the second half of the course, you’ll dig into how data analytics can help you in the classroom by improving your lesson plans and delivery as well as discovering more about how your students learn.

The course takes around six weeks working three to four hours a week and can be taken for free in audit mode. If you want to obtain certification, you can upgrade for a fee.   

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes, with a fee

Time to Complete: Six weeks

Curriculum: Introductory 

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

• Train directly from a Professor of Learning Technologies from Curtin University

• Fascinating and actionable

• Be one of the first at your school to employ this new technology

Cons:

• Certification requires an upgrade fee

4. Advanced Instructional Strategies in the Virtual Classroom

Offered by UCI via Coursera

You’ve probably already figured out the basics of remote instruction, but this advanced strategies course may be just what you need to take the online classroom experience to a whole new level. Its offered through the University of California Irvine and is designed to help you take the basics and put them together to empower your students to be enthusiastic learners.

Upon completion, you will have learned how to:

• Meet the needs of your students by creating a better virtual experience for them

• Create a learning environment that helps you become acquainted with your students, and them with each other

• Personalize the experience by giving feedback using various online tools

• Identify students who are at risk and implement strategies for helping them learn

• Compare online and face to face learning environments

• Use strategies to make virtual classes more human

You can take courses on Coursera in audit mode at no charge, and this offering is no exception. In audit mode, you can view all of the course materials for free, you just won’t receive certification or the ability to participate in graded work. Of course, if you need certification, you can upgrade for a fee.

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes, with a fee

Time to Complete: Seven hours

Curriculum: Introductory to Intermediate

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

• Taught by a highly rated instructor on the Coursera platform

• Practical and useful

• Deadlines are flexible

Cons:

• Certification not offered in audit mode

5. Learn Google Classroom

Offered by Learn Free via GCF Global

GCF Global’s Learn Free is a non-profit site offering over 2000 free lessons on everything from graphic design to 3-D printing. This free course on learning Google Classroom is perfect for educators who want to understand how to use this simple web service. You don’t need to sign up, the course can be accessed directly from your browser by clicking on the individual lessons.

There are five sections in all, covering:

• How to access Google Classroom and create a class

• Creating assignments and materials for students to access

• Using Google Forms to create interactive quizzes

• How to grade assignments and leave feedback

• Communicating via email with students and parents

Each lesson includes videos, tutorials, examples, and step-by-step instructions to help you learn how to use Google Classroom. There are no certifications for the course, but it one of the best free courses for teachers on our list, and is invaluable for teachers who are just starting out as well as veteran instructors who want to brush up on their Google Classroom skills.   

Cost: Free

Certificate: No

Time to Complete: Varies

Curriculum: Introductory 

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

• No registration needed

• Excellent user interface

• No advertisements

Cons:

• Certificates not offered

6. Get Organized: How to be a Together Teacher

Offered by Relay Graduate School of Education via Coursera

Do you find yourself having difficulty multitasking? Does juggling the many tasks of an educator frustrate you? This course by Relay GSE can help. The Together Teacher is designed to assist you in developing a personal organization system that works for you.

The six-module course covers:

• An opportunity to look at your own strengths and weaknesses and draft a goal for the rest of the course.

• Learn how to build your own weekly worksheet to plan your life over the next seven to ten days, including examples from real teachers

• How to create a comprehensive calendar for all the events and deadlines in your life.

• Ditching multiple lists and creating one upcoming to-do list that will keep you on track

• Putting it all together: how to synchronize all your organizational tools 

There are some optional resources available as well, including downloadable templates and several great interviews with other teachers who have used this method. Hosted on Coursera, the course can be taken in its entirety in audit mode at no charge. If you need certification, there is an additional fee.

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes, with a fee

Time to Complete: Eight hours

Curriculum: Introductory 

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

• Free templates to help you get organized

• Interviews with real teachers

• Subtitled in seven different languages

Cons:

• None

7. Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Introduction

Offered by Commonwealth Education Trust via Coursera

In this informative eight-hour course on the Coursera platform, teachers will develop and strengthen the skills they need for assessment, professionalism, and instruction. It covers the most important foundations of being an educator, including:

• Professional knowledge and understanding

• Professional practice

• Professional values

• Relationships and engagement

The course is taught over four weeks, with sessions ranging from one to two hours each. However, like all Coursera courses, you can take it at your own pace, so if you want to complete all the lessons in a day, or stretch your learning out longer, that’s ok, too. Although you can opt for certification for a fee, students can access the full course at no charge.

This highly rated offering will help experienced and new teachers alike to gain valuable skills and insights. It’s suitable for instructors ranging from the kindergarten level all the way through college, and many state they have changed their perspective and philosophy on teaching as a result of participating in this free online course. 

Cost: Free

Certificate: No

Time to Complete: Eight hours

Curriculum: Introductory 

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

• Taught by Professor John MacBeath of the University of Cambridge, UK

• Entire course available at no charge

• Completed by over 51,000 learners

Cons:

• Certification requires an additional fee

8. Visual Design for Distance Education Content

Offered by Open Stax

Open Stax is a non-profit digital open-source resource developed in the 1990s by Dr. Richard Baraniuk at Rice University. This course, Visual Design for Distance Education Content, is a faculty-developed mini-course designed to help you create the colors, navigation, and design of any course layout. It’s especially helpful for any teacher who wants to create a more engaging user experience for students.

There are six modules in all, including:

• How good design helps learning

• Applying the concept of user-centered design to the navigation of your content

• Using color to enhance the readability of content

• Using text and layout to enhance the readability of your content.

• Graphics and when not to use images

• Working within Blackboard

Proceed at your own pace throughout the course. There are no set start and stop dates, and you will learn by viewing the examples, reading materials, and links provided. The content was created by and produced by Robin Bartoletti and there is a PDF file available for downloading and viewing the materials offline and for printing.   

Cost: Free

Certificate: No

Time to Complete: Varies

Curriculum: Introductory

User Experience: Good

Quality of Instruction: Good

Pros:

• Perfect for those who learn best by reading

• No sign-ups or commitments

• Free and open-source

Cons:

• Not interactive

9. How to Make More Money Teaching English

Offered by Jennifer VuLingo via Udemy

 With over 150,000 course offerings, Udemy is one of the leading educational platforms. How to Make More Money Teaching English is one of a handful of free online courses on the site, and a great place to start if you’re ready to increase your teacher earnings. At just over an hour-long, its short and sweet, but packed full of helpful tips.

Designed for current English teachers, the course will lead you step-by-step on how to start earning top rates in the market. What’s covered?

• Creating more value with just a small amount of effort

• Creating automated bonuses to increase revenue

• Assessing your student’s goals and needs and creating a personal syllabus automatically

• How to increase real and perceived value in your services

• How to set up a system to help you manage your business

• How to eliminate most unpaid teacher work and increase your profitability

Jennifer VuLingo is the founder of VuLingo English and a current foreign language teacher. The course is highly rated by former students and features 14 short lectures and a bonus lecture on using a system to make it all work.

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

Time to Complete: One hour

Curriculum: Introductory 

User Experience: Good

Quality of Instruction: Good

Pros:

• Available on desktop or the Udemy app

• Former students highly satisfied with the course

• Perfect for the current times

Cons:

• Too short

10. Motivating Students to Learn

Offered by Global Text Project via Alison

Motivating your students for learning is one of the hardest things to do as a teacher. While some individuals seem to be born motivators, for others, it’s a skill that needs to be developed, and that’s where this short course comes in.

It’s offered on Alison and can be completed in three hours or less. It’s designed to explain the different factors that affect motivation and show you how to address issues by designing an environment that promotes motivation in your students. 

You’ll learn all about the theory of behaviorism and operant conditioning as they apply to motivation, and develop techniques for encouraging motivation and meeting goals. The discussion will move on to self-motivation, self-determination, and learned helplessness. Finally, you’ll learn how to combine the expectancy and value of success to create motivation using the TARGET model.

If you achieve 80 percent or higher on the course assessment, you can purchase a digital or physical certificate in the Allison shop, although it is not necessary for demonstrating that you’ve completed the course. A learner record and Learner Achievement Verification are available on your dashboard at no cost. 

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

Time to Complete: One to three hours

Curriculum: Introductory

User Experience: Good

Quality of Instruction: Good 

Pros:

• Takes less than three hours to complete

• Perfect resource to add to your teacher toolkit

• Completed by over 15,000 students

Cons:

• There is a charge for sharable certifications

Frequently Asked Questions About Free Online Courses for Teachers

If the past year has taught us anything, its that you never know what the future will bring. Teachers have been especially hard hit by the pandemic, as they have tried to remain committed to their trade in an ever-changing educational landscape.

If you are in the teaching field, you already know the value of education in any form, and although most of the free courses we evaluate are for students, this article is for you. While it was hard to narrow down all of the options we encountered, especially on Coursera, we’ve tried to include the most relevant courses for the times in our review.

With so many options to learn new skills, you may have some questions about how online courses for teachers work. In this section, we’ll answer a few of the most common inquiries. 

Who Should Take Free Online Courses for Teachers?

For the most part, these courses are not restricted to educators, and there are no prerequisites to participate. Parents may wish to take courses, especially ones that teach processes, like the Google Classrooms instruction. By understanding how these tools work, you will be able to better communicate with your child’s school and understand what’s going on.

Courses like Get Organized: How to be a Together Teacher teach skills that can be implemented by anyone who wants to do better at planning their daily tasks. Those who are in business can benefit from courses like Motivating Students to Learn, which can help immensely if you are in team leadership. 

In short, anyone who is interested can take these classes, whether they are in the educational industry or not. However, whether you’re a new or aspiring teacher or a seasoned instructor, free courses can help keep you in the loop and teach you some valuable skills needed to succeed in today’s world. Plus, taking a course once in a while can give you empathy for your students as you are reminded about what is involved in learning. 

What Are the Requirements and Prerequisites?

While there are no restrictions on taking any of the free courses on this list, you should at least have basic computer skills like downloading a program, opening files, and typing. Beyond some minor technology skills, there are no specific requirements to sign up for online classes.   

How Long Do Free Online Courses Take?

All of the suggested times for completion vary according to the complexity of the materials. However, they are also self-paced, which means that you can participate however you choose. Just because a course stretches out for two weeks doesn’t mean you can’t finish it in a weekend if you choose to do so. Likewise, if a course is five weeks long and you need more time, never fear, as there are no penalties for going slower.

This is the beauty of online courses. You can work them into your current schedule and complete them anytime you have a chance, like during a commute or a slow day at work.  

Are Free Online Courses Graded?

Grading is part of some of the courses on this list, but typically it is at the paid level unless otherwise specified. If you are completing a course in audit mode, you will almost never speak with an instructor or take final graded exams. For most people, this is not a problem, as the quizzes in the courses can help you assess your own progress.

If you really want to participate in graded components of the class, you can upgrade for a fee. This will also provide you with the opportunity to receive certification.

The Course I Want to Take Says It’s Free. Why Does It Look Like There Is a Fee Involved?

Sometimes, graded components are hidden behind a paywall like a trial membership or monthly enrollment option. Rest assured that each course on our list can be taken at no charge, provided you follow the instructions.

If you sign up for a class with a free trial, you will want to make sure you complete your course and cancel the trial before the expiration date to avoid fees or additional charges.  

Are Free Online Courses for Teachers Worth It?

If you’re a teacher, you likely already know the answer to this question. There is never a time when learning is not worth the effort. As long as you have the time and motivation, taking some free online courses will serve to enrich your personal life and enhance your educational career.

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