Web site Makes it Easy to Explore the World of Online Learning

There is one place where can you learn to fly, interpret dreams, or write a novel; you can earn a degree in accounting, continuing education credits or even a Ph.D.

It's all online.

Online learning has gone from being a curiosity with dubious credibility to being a flexible, viable alternative that fits into the lives of busy adults more easily than traditional courses. Colleges, universities, schools, training companies and individuals all over the world offer courses online, in a variety of learning methods ranging from instructor-led to self-study to downloadable e-book courses.

In fact, one study, conducted by Pearson Education, said that although currently 500,000 adults are enrolled in online courses, over the next year that number is expected to increase to more than 6 million.

Benefits of Online Learning

As our society becomes increasingly global, continuous learning has become necessary not only to remain competitive in job markets, but also to stay connected with culture, technology and other social trends. Online learning provides a quick and effective way to keep up with changing information and remain a lifelong learner.

For individuals, online learning offers many benefits including the flexibility to take classes and do coursework any time and any place; increased access, since learners no longer need to be near a campus to attend classes; a wide range of prices and skill levels that cater to learners looking for personal development or who want to earn credits toward a degree; and the opportunity to interact with students worldwide.

Businesses also benefit from online learning. By using Web-based courses for employee training, business can reduce training costs and time, achieve greater consistency in training and greater productivity from their employees. There are also assessment and tracking tools that allow businesses to determine the effectiveness of online courses and learner progress.

Finding Courses that are Right for You

A search for specific online course topics can yield a confusing mix of actual online courses: courses offered by "diploma mills" that have little educational value, academic papers that have been published online and courses that are offered by correspondence or other methods.

There is a Web site that can help cut through the confusion. WorldWideLearn.com was created to provide a specialized directory of online learning resources for adult learners worldwide. The site is free and serves as a portal to course providers worldwide, giving users a wide range of choices in online learning opportunities.

Angela Lovett, president of WorldWideLearn, developed the site with education consumers in mind. "I'm not a corporation or an academic. I'm an independent learner, sharing the same motivations and characteristics as my visitors. As such, I've tried to design WorldWideLearn in a way that's conducive to shopping for online education."

The site navigation is based on a browsable directory that is separated into subject areas so visitors can quickly visit areas that interest them. From the home page, visitors are never more than two clicks away from a course provider. There are 43 subject areas covering a broad range of topics including accounting, cooking, e-commerce, legal education, music, photography, sales training, teaching and writing. Additional subject areas are being evaluated and added to the site, Lovett said.

Once a visitor has chosen a subject and narrowed down the choices of course providers, Lovett recommends taking a "test drive."

"Many course providers offer a tutorial or a free demo of their courses," she explains. "It's a good idea to take advantage of these offers to find out if the course contains the material you're interested in and provides it in a format that will fit your needs."

Lovett offers the following tips for choosing an online course and evaluating its quality:

Consider your individual learning style. Are you comfortable learning independently, or would you prefer an instructor-led course, or even a live class that provides interaction with other students? Are you a visual person who needs to see what you are learning, or do you prefer to listen to a lecture or an explanation?

Consider the amount of structure you need. How disciplined and motivated are you? How much time can you commit to the course? If you have the time and self-discipline to complete assignments and keep up with new information, less structure may work well for you.

Decide what level course you want. Do you want to take a course for credit, for personal enrichment or just for fun? Do you want a refresher, a tutorial or a comprehensive course complete with assignments and tests? A variety of levels exist in online courses, so choose what will meet your needs.

Check accreditation. If you're considering online college or university programs, be sure the institution you've selected is accredited by an established and respected accreditation body. Other factors to consider include admission requirements, course structure and delivery, academic support services, workload, time needed to complete the course, and the availability of technical support services.

Make sure regulatory bodies recognize the course. If you're shopping for professional continuing education courses online, make sure the school provides applicable recognition from state licensing or other governing bodies that regulate your particular industry or profession.

Check the course's system requirements. Make sure your computer can handle the technology required to complete the course. Check to see if the course uses technology such as e-mail, video conferencing or streaming audio or video.

WorldWideLearn offers a free monthly newsletter that provides subscribers with site updates and new courses and programs as they become available. Subscribers also have a chance to win a course from sponsors such as U4all.com, Sessions.edu and RealLifeAccounting.com in the monthly "Win a Course" contest.

"Knowledge is something to be shared, and I feel privileged to be able to share what I've learned while developing this site to anyone who wants to make use of it," Lovett says. "I took my first correspondence course when I was 11, and that was when I realized that I was the one in control of my learning path and that any type of education was available to me any time I wanted it. I've never stopped learning and training, and now, with the multitude of online education opportunities, it looks like I won't be stopping any time soon."

For more information, visit WorldWideLearn.com.

Courtesy ARA Content, www.ARAcontent.com, e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com

Editor's Note: Angela Lovett, president of WorldWideLearn, can be reached at 4, 2521 - 17th Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T3E 0A2, Phone: (403) 686-6162.