Team Treehouse Review: A Great Cloud Based Technology Learning Hub

What is Treehouse? The name is a misnomer sort of. Treehouse or Team Treehouse is actually a cloud based technology learning Hub, wherein you can learn everything from building websites (learn HTML etc.) to create iPhone and Android apps, to code with Ruby on Rails (Twitter is created with Ruby on Rails) and PHP, to learn Wordpress or start a business. Yes, they have video lessons for online business too.

What Treehouse offers?

1) Cloud Based Learning

Treehouse is a Cloud based technology teaching Institution. This means you have to log in to Treehouse website every time you want to learn something. But the good thing is the learning opportunity is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The key areas where Treehouse offers learning are: programming, web design, business, startup, mobile app development, iPhone app development, android app development, html, css3, html5, ruby on rails, javascript, wordpress, php, technology, learn web design, learn coding, learn to code.

2) Extensive step-by-step video courses and training exercises

Treehouse has the extensive library of step-by-step video courses and training exercises, giving the learning a wide range of competitive, in-demand technology skills that can help him/her to land the next dream job or build a business.

3) Video lessons and tutorials

The experts/teachers at Treehouse give step by step tutorials, explanations on every subject. That apart, resources used and required are neatly mentioned in text as well, below each video.

4) Useful and Necessary Downloads

You can't fully learn coding skills and other practical skills, unless you have the full suites and libraries to work with. One of the great offerings of Treehouse are the download links for every resource (Applications, suites, libraries, service packs) you may need to try the skills learned. For instance, if you learning 'How to create an Android Applications'; then you will get the the software suit just below the video tutorial. You learn the lesson and download the required suite; install on your PC and instantly start making your first Android application. In simple, once on Treehouse, you won't have to wander, for anything.

5) Big library of Videos

There are truckloads of video lessons and tutorials on Treehouse. You can watch any of them. You are not subscribing to a a single subject, but to everything under the Treehouse. Which is actually everything under the Sun.

6) Treehouse Quizzes

After each video you have to take a quiz. 5 questions of varying degrees of difficulty; aimed to check not only your understanding but also your focus. You need to get a minimum number of correct answers to pas the quiz. The quiz questions have a multiple choice format, hence it's rarely difficult to arrive at the correct option ( you will fumble only when you are not listening the teacher attentively.

7) No Certification, but there are Badges

Certifications are actually a thing of the past. In the fast age of online learning, what matters is: Well, learning and gaining Skills which can help you grow or get a real job. Treehouse thus doesn't award certification. You learn a skill and encouraged to use it in real. But to keep you happy, they have badges. Every new skill mastered helps you inch towards and get a badge. The higher you go, the more valuable badge you get.

Quite fair! Vocabulary courses online, offer you badges like Expert, Maven. From personal experience, badges are quite effective in keeping one motivated and walking.

8) TreeHouse's iPad App

I have an iPad and desktop. I used Treehouse on both. But iPad app is more comfortable learning.

9) Continuous Appraisal

What is learning without appraisal! At treehouse, the teachers monitor the learner's progress. That apart, non-human tools like 'Progress in percentage terms', and goals to be reached, are also there.

10) Treehouse Support

Treehouse’s email support is very prompt and Helpful. You get a reply in under 12 hours. You can ask your specific problems.

Treehouse has forum for its students as well.

Treehouse Pricing: What you have to shell out for Treehouse Subscription

The current pricing for Treehouse is for two different options, Silver and Gold. Silver is $25 a month or $250 for a year's learning; and Team-treehouse-discount Gold is $49 a month or $490 for a year's Learning.

Right now they have a Treehouse Gold Subscription Plan, at $49 a month, with a 50% off on the first month of membership and Two months of free learning. In simple, you will have to pay $49*10 months=$490
$490-$24.5= $465.5 .

Who should Opt for Treehouse learning?

1) Prior Experience with computer, web or coding

Although anyone can opt for Treehouse courses; but if you have a prior experience in the Courseware, then better.

2) Have a Broadband connection

At least one should have a 100 Mbps internet connectivity.

3) Have a Latest PC

A PC with obsolete configuration is a big no.

4) Have clearly chalked out what to learn

Treehouse is a big place. With hundreds of videos and thousands of minuets of serious learning. Unless you know what exactly you have to learn, it's easy to get wayward - trying to learn everything and managing to learn nothing. So focus and clarity of mind is necessary.

Pros: A Place for effective and extensive learning.

Cons: Some advanced learners may find the Treehouse videos and tutorials lacking the trick of the trade (the tricks only mavericks or top authorities of a subject use). I'll keep using Treehouse and will let you know on this aspect.

Conclusion: The Motto of Treehouse

Treehouse believes in the motto that: Learning must be Inspiring. This means that all the Treehouse learning is aimed at teaching you everything in your chosen area of study, so that you are inspired enough to learn maverick stuff on your own. Which is quite fair.

Treehouse is an ever evolving project. And everyday new tutorials are being added to the already wealthy Treehouse library. You can opt for Treehouse learning, anytime you want. --------