Product Overview of Skillshare
What is Skillshare?
Skillshare is an online learning community designed for creative and curious individuals, offering a vast array of classes and resources to support personal and professional growth. Founded in 2010 by Michael Karnjanaprakorn and Malcolm Ong, Skillshare has evolved into one of the most popular e-learning platforms, with over 35,000 courses and more than 5 million users worldwide.
Key Features and Functionality
Diverse Course Offerings
Skillshare provides thousands of classes across various creative and entrepreneurial topics, including illustration, design, photography, video production, freelancing, marketing, and more. These courses are categorized into broad sections such as Create, Build, and Thrive, with sub-categories that cater to specific interests and skills.
Project-Based Learning
A core feature of Skillshare is its project-based approach. Each class includes a practical project that allows students to apply what they have learned, creating a hands-on learning experience. Students can share their projects in the class’s Project Gallery and receive feedback from peers and instructors, fostering a collaborative and supportive learning environment.
Learning Paths and Curated Classes
Skillshare offers curated learning paths, which are collections of carefully selected classes focused on specific topics. These paths, typically consisting of 3 to 7 courses, help students tackle specific skills or challenges, such as overcoming procrastination or improving productivity.
Live Sessions
The platform includes live sessions, which are digital events that provide real-time learning experiences. These sessions allow students to interact directly with instructors and other participants, enhancing the learning process with immediate feedback and discussions.
Community-Centered Approach
Skillshare emphasizes community engagement through discussion boards and project galleries. Students and teachers can share ideas, ask questions, and provide feedback, creating a personal and authentic learning experience that makes everyone feel included and welcome.
Team-Based Courses and Business Solutions
Skillshare for Teams offers specialized courses designed for businesses to enhance team-building, efficiency, and employee performance. Features include the ability to switch admins, work on team-based projects, and access a range of business essentials and soft skills courses.
Teaching Opportunities
Skillshare allows professionals and experts to become teachers by filling out an application and participating in the New Teacher Program. Approved teachers can create and publish their own courses, earning monthly royalties for each member who watches their classes.
Flexible Learning
Classes on Skillshare are designed to be flexible, with pre-recorded video content that can be watched at the student’s own pace. Videos are typically 20-60 minutes long, broken down into shorter segments of 2-8 minutes, making it easy to navigate and revisit specific parts of the course.
Additional Features
- Offline Viewing: Members can access classes offline, ensuring continuous learning even without an internet connection.
- Multi-Language Support: Closed captions are available in several languages, including English, Spanish, French, Dutch, and Portuguese.
- Interactive Tools: Students can speed up, slow down, pause, skip ahead, or go back in videos to optimize their learning experience.
Membership and Access
Skillshare offers both monthly and annual subscription plans, providing unlimited access to all classes, offline viewing, and community features. Members can enjoy continuous access to creative classes year-round, with the option to cancel their subscription at any time.