Perfecting Simple Pastries at Home

In Skillshare’s unique philosophy, everyone is a teacher, and everyone is a learner. Rather than a traditional lecture format, courses are offered within a global online learning community in which learners collaborate and learn by doing. Instructors are industry leaders who share their skills with anyone who wants to learn. No credits are offered. Founded by online entrepreneurs Michael Karnjanaprakorn and Malcolm Ong, Skillshare’s online “campus” was launched in April 2011. Its catalog has grown from 15 to more than 250 online courses that cover creative arts, entrepreneurship, branding and marketing, lifestyle and technology. The School of MakeOurMark, with courses in photography, illustration and tattooing, was launched in October 2013, and the School of Design went live the following month. Among the instructors who have taught courses are Seth Godin, founder of online marketing firm Yoyodyne, who teaches a class on entrepreneurship; DJ Young Guru, who leads a course on mixing and recording; and actor, writer and director James Franco, whose course focuses on screenwriting for short films. You can begin a Skillshare collaboration by taking an introductory course in a particular area to learn, for example, the fundamentals of Photoshop and expand your knowledge with a five-part, in-depth Photoshop series.