Five Courses on Blockchain You Should Start Today
By: Anastasia Kuskova
Tags: Learning, Blockchain Development, Tech, Blockchain, Bitcoin

The blockchain technology will revolutionize the world. It is a fact. Even Richard Branson thinks so. If you are not convinced, I get it; just check my article on blockchain potential next week.

For now let’s just think it might. In the end, it took me a few years to grasp the groundbreaking power of this technology. So what is it, anyway? How does it work? Will it affect your industry and your job? And, most importantly, how could you become a part of this probable revolution?

The world’s attention is on this technology, and so, luckily, is the courseware on many platforms. To capture the abundant opportunities blockchain provides to professionals, I suggest you jump on learning about it right away.

Starting from zero, I spent weeks watching almost every available blockchain course online. Below are my top five recommendations for curious learners with any level of knowledge and background. I included only courses available online that require no programming skills, are taught in English and done professionally (in terms of the sound, video, course structure and content).

1. Blockchain Basics by Jonathan Reichental

Dr. Jonathan Reichental is the CIO for the City of Palo Alto and is a prominent figure in the blockchain space. This basic course explains the benefits and risks of the technology and gives a glimpse of blockchain in action. Dr. Reichental’s enthusiasm and charisma will keep you engaged and motivated throughout the videos. This is a short overview for those who are curious about the technology and are trying to build up some understanding without it becoming too technical.

The course is provided by Lynda.com and if you are not a subscriber, a 30-day free trial will suffice to finish this and the next course (and also to fall in love with Lynda.com and become a member).

Cost: Free to Lynda.com subscribers, 30-day free trial, from $25 a month

Level: Beginner

Best for: Understanding what blockchain is

2. Blockchain Beyond Basics by Jonathan Reichental

Another course by Dr. Reichental provides a deeper dive into cryptography, mining, hashing, and smart contracts, illustrated by examples of Ripple, Hyperledger and Bitcoin. Don’t be scared of the fancy terms; Dr. Reichental explains these concepts in plain English with clear visuals, so I would readily sign up my grandma for this course (if only she spoke English).

Cost: Free to Lynda.com subscribers, 30-day free trial, from $25 a month

Level: Beginner

Best for: Developing a high-level understanding of the technology

3. Blockchain Deep Fundamentals by Ivan Liljeqvist

I found this course after following one of the most popular blockchain and cryptocurrency channels — Ivan on Tech. The channel itself is worth checking out: Ivan releases videos every day on all relevant crypto topics ranging from ICOs to criminal investigations in the industry.

This course is one of my favorites as it covers the blockchain ecosystem holistically in about 10 hours of material. Here you will find everything you need to know, from basics on hash functions to detailed, industrial-use cases, all supported by thorough exercises and quizzes. It is taught on the teachable platform, which is less convenient than Lynda or Safari and doesn’t provide full functionality on mobile devices, but still, it works and serves its purpose. Ivan’s unique style makes the course really fun to watch, and you get access to a closed group of a few thousand highly engaged students constantly discussing all hot blockchain topics.

Cost: $229, but it is worth it

Level: Good for any

Best for: Building a solid knowledge base on blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies and industrial applications

4. Essentials of Bitcoin and Blockchain by Kirankalyan Kulkarni

Blockchain enthusiast Kirankalyan Kulkarni published a course just recently with a mission to bring the knowledge of decentralized databases to the world. It requires some preliminary knowledge of the technology and uncovers consensus mechanisms, security best practices for cryptocurrencies and the operation of bitcoin. The description of fundamental principles is more technical and profound and will answer most of the questions you might have after hearing bits and pieces about blockchain.

Cost: Free to Safari subscribers, 10-day free trial, $39 a month

Level: Intermediate

Best for: Technical understanding of the technology

5. Introduction to Blockchain Applications by Jonathan Reichental

Yet another course by Dr. Reichental, this time on the Safari platform. It might remind you of the Lynda.com classes in the beginning, but bear with it till the second and third segments, where Dr. Reichental reveals profound risk analysis and use cases of the technology, introduces relevant application examples, including Etherium, Ripple, ICO, and describes possible implementations of blockchain in government services and IoT. This course is best if you are short on time and want to capture the opportunities of blockchain usage in your industry.

Cost: Free to Safari subscribers, 10-day free trial, $39 a month

Level: Beginner to intermediate

Best for: Professionals looking into possible blockchain applications in their industry

Choose any or all of these and you’ll have a solid grounding in the technology. Now that I’ve run through these top 5 foundational courses in blockchain, I’m ferreting out more advanced courses that I’ll blog about in the future. Have you found another class you’d recommend, for beginners or more advanced learners? Share below!

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