How to make the best use of Internet?

Nowadays, our major portion of the day is spent scrolling through the internet. We enjoy networking with our friends and families in social media, watching reels and videos on streaming platforms, binge watching our favourite shows on OTT platforms and scrolling through news articles in the internet. In doing all this, we get some productive content which enriches our knowledge, but majority of the time, we just scroll aimlessly in the internet without effectively utilising our time and energy.

In this post, we shall explore some effective ways of using the internet, which may enhance our knowledge and increase our productivity-

1) Doing courses on MOOC (Massive Open Online Course)

There are many sites on the internet which provides courses on different topics of our interest. We can learn about say photography, video editing, AI, Coding etc, which will enhance our skill set. We can do this courses for many purposes like learning a new skill, upskilling in our present job or getting good grades in our exams. Many sites provides this courses free of charge, although we have to pay to get the Certificates, if we want. I am providing here a list of sites which provides this kind of courses-

• Edx
• Coursera
• Alison
• Simplilearn
• Udemy

2) Making best use of Youtube and other streaming platforms

Youtube and other streaming sites can be a boon if it is used in the right way. There are many channels on youtube which can enhance our knowledge and skills. We can learn new skills like Cooking, playing a musical instrument, photography and videography etc by watching youtube videos. We can also enhance our knowledge on various topics by watching informative channels. Some channels worth to mention here are-

• CrashCourse -A channel that offers courses on a variety of subjects, including science, history, and economics.
• TED-Ed -A channel that features animated videos on a wide range of educational topics.
• TEDx Talks – A channel where speakers from different fields come and share their knowledge.
• Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell -A channel that explains complex topics using colorful animations.
• Vox – A news and current affairs channel that offers in-depth reporting and analysis.
• CGP Grey -A channel that explains complex topics using simple, engaging animations.
• Firstpost- A news and current affairs channel that provides insightful stories from around the world

Apart from youtube, we can use other streaming platforms like Discovery+, HistoryTV, Disney+ Hotstar and other OTT platforms to enhance our knowledge. Some of the documentaries I will suggest to watch are-

• Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (available on Disney+ Hotstar) – A documentary series that explores the universe and the laws of physics that govern it.
• Origins: The Journey of Humankind (available on Disney+ Hotstar)- Travel back in time across human history on the quest to discover the “origin” moment, that truly made us modern and brought us where we are today.
• Primal Survivor (available on Disney+ Hotstar and Nat Geo)- A survival show where the host explores the most extreme environments and survival skills needed to survive there.
• Our Planet by David Attenborough (available on Netflix) -A documentary series that explores the natural world and the wildlife.

3) Learning a new language

We can use internet for learning new languages. Learning a new language is a great way to expand your horizons and broaden your cultural knowledge. Here are some of the best apps and sites for learning a new language online:

• Duolingo – A popular language learning app that offers courses in dozens of languages, including Spanish, French, German, and Mandarin.
• Babbel – A language learning app that offers interactive lessons and personalized feedback in 14 different languages.
• Rosetta Stone – A language learning app that offers immersive language learning experiences in 24 different languages.
• Memrise – A language learning app that offers fun and engaging courses in over 20 different languages.
• FluentU – A language learning app that offers authentic language learning videos in Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese.

4) Some must have apps that I recommend

There are many apps in the internet that enhances our knowledge and skills. Some of the apps which I particularly find useful are-

• Google Lens- A visual search engine by Google that uses artificial intelligence and image recognition to identify objects, landmarks, and text in photos taken by your smartphone’s camera.
• Merlin- A bird identification app by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that uses photos, sounds, and location data to help you identify bird species and learn more about their behavior and habitat.
• SkySafari- An astronomy app that uses your smartphone’s sensors and GPS to display a real-time map of the stars, planets, and constellations visible in the sky.
• Google Arts & Culture- An app that provides access to high-resolution images and virtual tours of artworks and cultural sites from around the world.
• Google Earth- Google Earth is a 3D mapping app that allows you to explore the world using satellite imagery, aerial photography, and interactive features.

5) Engaging in social media platforms

Internet has made communication so much easier which could never have been imagined by our ancestors. Today, we can communicate with our friends and families in a jiffy, share our opinions and views to a wide audience, and collaborate with people from all over the World. Leaving aside popular apps like facebook, instagram and whatsapp, there are some other apps which help you build networks and share your opinions in an effective way. Some of them are-

• WordPress- If you are into writing, then WordPress is one of the best platform to share your work and build network. No matter whether you write stories, poems, essays or do photography, WordPress has the wide community of bloggers with whom you can interact.
• LinkedIn- LinkedIn is a great platform to build networks in the professional field and Corporate job market. It can give you crucial contacts which can help you find the right opportunities.
• Quora- A question-and-answer platform that allows you to share your knowledge, expertise, and opinions on various topics, connect with like-minded individuals, and build your reputation as a thought leader in your field.
• Discord- A chat app that allows you to connect with people who share your interests, hobbies, or gaming preferences, join servers and communities, and voice or video chat with other members.
• Twitch- Twitch is a live streaming platform mainly focused on video games and sports, where users can watch and interact with other players, streamers, and fans in real-time.

6) Riding the AI wave-

Last but not the least, we should be updated with all the latest AI tools available on internet as this is going to be most important technology of the future. You can view my previous post on AI where I have mentioned in details some of the latest AI technologies available in the internet-

Content and Art in the times of AI

So, to conclude, internet is a medium which can be both a boon and a bane. If used correctly, I am of the opinion that it is more good for the society than its harmful effects. Through this post, I am in no way concluding that this is the only best way to use the internet. Rather, I am just providing a few of the ways through which we can use the internet in a more effective way to enhance our knowledge and productivity.

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