Suggest me an Online Course

What this tool does

You want to learn something online, but the sea of courses is endless, and the fear of sinking time into a dud keeps you scrolling instead of starting. This tool hands you a real, well-known online course at random, so you have a concrete one to look into rather than a blank search and a hundred options.

Press the button for a course. Press it again for another. Ask for a few at once to build a short list. Each pick names the course, the platform, and who teaches it, so you can go and find it. It is a starting point to explore, so check the course is still running and read recent reviews before you sign up, since online courses come and go.

How to use it

1. Number / Quantity. How many courses to pull at once, from 1 to 100.
2. Generate. Pulls a fresh course, or a fresh set if you asked for several.
3. Starts with, Contains, Ends with. Optional filters that pare the list down before it picks. Leave them blank to draw from everything.
4. Copy. Drops the current courses onto the clipboard as plain text for your notes.

A course is on screen as soon as the page opens, so there is always something to look into.

How it works

The list is a fixed set of online courses, and each press draws one at random, with no repeats inside a single set when you ask for several.

The filters let you aim. Contains keeps any course with your text in it, including the platform and teacher, so typing coursera narrows the list to courses on Coursera, while a topic like python narrows it by subject. Starts with keys off the first letter and ends with off the last.

What is on the list

It is a curated set of around sixty well-known online courses, drawn from the major platforms and named with their instructors. There are famous ones like Machine Learning by Andrew Ng and Learning How to Learn on Coursera, Harvard's CS50 on edX, and popular practical courses on Udemy, Skillshare, and LinkedIn Learning, spanning programming, data, design, business, and personal development.

Because course pages change, move, and occasionally retire, treat a pick as a name to search for rather than a guaranteed live link, and confirm it is still available and well reviewed before you commit. Use the Contains box to lean toward a platform or a topic you already have in mind.

Why so many courses go unfinished

Two problems collide with online learning. First, the sheer number of courses makes choosing hard, the same freeze Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper found in a 2000 study, where a sampling stand of two dozen jams sold to far fewer people than a stand offering just six. Second, and more quietly, online courses are famously easy to start and hard to finish, so a lot of good intentions end a few videos in.

Barry Schwartz called the first effect the paradox of choice, where abundance breeds hesitation. A random course solves the choosing by handing you one real option. The finishing is on you, but it helps to pick deliberately rather than hoard a dozen half-watched courses, and the next section is about choosing one you will actually see through.

How to pick one you will finish

Start with a clear reason for taking it, whether that is a specific skill, a certificate, or plain curiosity, since a course tied to a real goal is one you are far likelier to complete. Check the reviews and ratings and look at who teaches it, because a strong instructor or a respected institution makes a real difference. Decide whether you need to pay or can simply audit the material for free, and be honest about what a certificate is worth, since most are excellent for learning but valued unevenly by employers. Above all, pick one course and commit to it rather than collecting many, and block out the time to actually do it. The tool gets you to a good option, and finishing is the part that pays off.

Questions people ask

Is it free, and does it save anything?

The tool is free with no sign-up, and nothing is stored. The picks run in your browser, so copy a list for your research before you leave.

Can I get a few options at once?

Yes. Set the quantity to the number you want, up to 100, and press Generate for that many different courses in one pull.

Are these courses still available?

Mostly, but online courses do move or retire, so treat a pick as a name to search for and confirm it is still running and well reviewed before you enroll.

Do I have to pay for these?

It varies. Many can be audited for free with payment only for a certificate, while some are paid outright, so check the price on the platform before starting.

References

1. Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper, "When Choice Is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing?", Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2000, the study behind choice overload. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11138768/
2. Barry Schwartz, "The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less", his talk on how more options can lower satisfaction. https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_the_paradox_of_choice