How much effort do you put into improving yourself? I am NOT talking about the physical aspect, but more of the intellectual aspect. Alright, maybe it is a given that you are smarter than all the people around you put together; but to put a different spin to that famous Forrest Gump quote, smart is as smart does. Admit it, we all need to do some reading and studying in order to keep up with the times.

Self-improvement need not be expensive, thanks to the FREE online courses that are available to practically anyone that I stumbled upon. The web site, Online Courses, offers “100 Incredible Open Courses for the Ultimate Tech Geek,” and let me tell you this: the courses are indeed incredible!

Here’s a sampling of what they have. The general categories are as follows:

1. Computer Science and Engineering
2. Computer Security
3. Programming
4. The Web
5. Software
6. Information Technology
7. Communication Technology
8. Technology in Education
9. Tech Math
10. Technology and Society

Under each category, you will find the individual courses, all available for FREE. The courses are offered by various institutions which are already well known in their fields. Does MIT ring a bell? How about Teachers Without Borders? Relevant information such as the level of the course, requirements, etc. can be had by clicking on the appropriate course title.

I have to say that this is a perfect way to “kill time” when you find yourself without anything to do on the weekend. It’s a much more productive use of your time and you benefit from it!