Web Design for the Student: Learn Yourself or Pay for Courses?
With the advent of the Internet, the idea of “why pay money to someone to teach me when I can find absolutely everything freely available online?” has come into our minds more and more often.
That’s a very good question indeed. After all, on the one hand, the Internet provides us with all the materials we need to learn. And on the other hand, it is much easier to learn new things with a mentor than alone.
In this article, we will consider the pros and cons of both self-study of web design and attending specialized schools and courses.
Self-study
Many people like the idea of self-study much better, and here are the reasons why:
1. It’s almost free
The necessary books in electronic format can either be bought quite cheaply or even downloaded for free. The Internet is full of all kinds of lessons, tutorials, and theoretical material. The maximum you have to pay is money to subscribe to a site with tutorials. But these sites are very few, most are completely free.
2. You can make your schedule
This is a benefit only for people with a superpower to organize themselves and their time properly. You do not have to adjust to others, learn at any minute of the day and night, and set the duration of classes by yourself.
3. You are always up-to-date on the latest trends
While specialized websites are always on the crest of a wave, the various web design schools often don’t keep up with trends. So, learning on your own, you have the opportunity to learn exactly the latest and most fashionable techniques, rather than wasting your time on already outdated trends.
4. You have the opportunity to learn from the best of this world
If you do a good search, you can find different videos and articles from the top web designers of the present.
5. Work experience
As you learn, you are quite free to take on projects that you will be able to handle. So, you not only get practical experience but also collect a portfolio. Well, you can also earn money, even if it’s not much.
Despite how cool it all sounds, self-study has its downsides:
1. It takes a very strong commitment
Studying on your own, you can give up at any moment and leave everything halfway. However, in the case with courses or school, you at least gnawed conscience for the money spent on training, so you will not be able to quit so easily. Even if you are overcome by laziness, you will have to do your homework, in which case you will have to use paper help.
2. Not all resources may be available
Not all of us are adept at finding what we need on the Internet. If the idea of constantly searching for a source of knowledge makes your knees shiver nervously, it’s better to ask the experts for knowledge.
3. You can miss important details
You can always see better from the outside. And a mentor can always spot your smallest mistakes and turns in the wrong direction and lead you to the right path. Learning on your own, you can’t guarantee the best and most complete education for yourself. No matter how awesome you are at self-study, gaps in your knowledge are likely to appear in the future.
Well, we have considered the pros and cons of self-study, so now let’s break down the details of learning web design with a tutor.
Pros:
1. Structure
You will have a schedule, homework, and deadlines. The whole process of learning in the course brings you as close as possible to your future working environment. Well, a clear schedule will not allow you to be lazy.
2. You may meet future project partners
Since you will be studying in a group with other people, some of your classmates may become trusted partners in the future.
3. The opportunity to learn from experienced professionals is priceless
Yes, articles on the Internet are not written by yesterday’s schoolchildren either. But getting first-hand information is much better than parsing second-rate lessons. Plus, as mentioned above, a mentor can always point you in the right direction. And that’s a very important part of learning.
4. Have you pay more attention to detail
Learning by yourself, you may miss some little things that seem unimportant to you. But, as they say, the ocean is made up of drops. Therefore, ignoring a few such details, you can miss something important. Training under the guidance of a specialist will not allow you to miss something that will come in handy in the future.
5. Sometimes a kick is also useful
Agree, there are quite a few among us who can truly go to the top with purpose. And if self-study allows you to relax a little, a mentor won’t let you. For those who are distinguished by their ability to hammer things out, it is better to enroll in courses. That way you’ll have at least some guarantee that you’ll make it to the finish line.
6. You will have some kind of document
But getting first-hand information is much better than parsing second-rate lessons. Plus, as mentioned above, a mentor can always point you in the right direction. And that’s a very important part of learning.
Of course, there are several disadvantages to taking courses:
1. Not all educational programs are flexible in adjusting to reality
As mentioned earlier, teachers can miss out on what’s trending right now. So choosing a school or course needs to be taken seriously.
2. Frameworks can stifle creativity
Some courses do not allow their students to express themselves fully. Don’t forget the advice from the last point about choosing responsibly.
3. High cost
Which does not always mean the same high quality of training. Always research the curriculum carefully and don’t forget to find out who will be teaching the course.
Whatever you choose, it’s up to you. We hope that our points were helpful to you and that you think seriously before you make your choice.
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