University of Adelaide vice-chancellor Warren Bebbington says "Lectures are obsolete."

Last year the university began a major shift in its teaching program, beginning to phase out traditional lectures and replacing them with online learning integrated with small-group work.

Although there has been access to free online courses on the Internet for years, the quality and quantity of courses has changed. Access to free courses has allowed students to obtain a level of education that many only could dream of in the past.

While most of the online learning content are free, students must usually create an account before signing up for classes. Certificate of completion is available for most courses offered, sometimes for a small fee.

Here are some of the popular options for those who desire a free education and have the motivation to be organized and study on their own:

1. edX

edX offers courses from the Massachuesettes Institute of Technology (MITx), Harvard University (HarvardX), and the University of California, Berkeley (BerkeleyX) among others.

2. Udacity

Initially a program to offer free computer science classes from Stanford University, Udacity is diversifying to offer courses in other subjects. Courses include lecture videos, quizzes, and homework assignments. Forums are provided for student interaction. Courses are organized for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students.

3. Coursera

One of the most recognized MOOCs worldwide, Coursera offers over two hundred courses from 35 participating universities, including Johns Hopkins, Brown, and the University of Pennsylvania.