100 Online Video Lectures from Top Colleges

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 4928214

Want to experience an Ivy League class? Consider watching a free online video lecture – there are over a hundred to choose from.

Online Universities recently published a helpful list. They explain:

"Even if you can't attend an Ivy League college, you can still take advantage of the intellectual and professional resources that many have to offer through the colleges' websites. Here, we've put together a list of 100 great video lectures you can watch to learn from some of the leading experts in fields as diverse as astronomy and economics."

Take a look and watch a video that interests you in the fields of science, technology, social services, literature, and more.

Online Learning Growing Despite Troubled Economy

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Gabor Izso

According to recent studies, online learning is expected to grow despite (or perhaps because of) the troubled economy.

Inside Higher Education reports:

"In fall 2007, the study reports, some 3.94 million students enrolled in at least one online course, an increase of 12.9 percent over the previous year. That falls between the 9.7 percent growth for fall 2006 and the 19.7 compound annual rate since fall 2002. In comparison, total student enrollments increased 1.2 percent in the year leading up to last fall, while the compound annual rate for all enrollments since 2002 was 1.6 percent…

And the growth might continue thanks to a stagnating economy, according to most of the survey's respondents, which would align with previous experience in which a deteriorating job market leads to more enrollments. The trend also reinforces reports earlier this year that community colleges, especially, were encouraging students to take courses online to save on commuting costs."

Hopefully the growing popularity of online learning will further legitimize the choice, even after the economy recovers.

Free Online HTML Courses

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Ermin Gutenberger

If you're looking to learn the basics of programming, there are dozens of high-quality free online HTML classes to choose from. I've reviewed some of the top choices and posted the best in my latest About.com article.

Here's a blurb:

"Whether you want to practice your programming skills or create a simple website, these free online HTML classes can help. Learn this widely-used language by following tutorials, subscribing to an email series, or completing interactive lessons. There's a free online HTML class for every learning style."

Check out the article for the complete list of free online HTML classes.

Evaluate Your Facebook Profile Before Applying

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 5339905

Before applying to any online college, you'll want to evaluate your online presence on sites such as Facebook and MySpace. New surveys have shown that a growing number of college admissions boards are considering these social networking pages when making their final decisions.

GoCollege recently published a very informative article about personal branding online. They explain:

"…Students should give careful consideration as to the information and the photo(s) placed on their profile page. As for interests, it may seem humorous to list 'wine, women, and song' while that profile picture of you holding two cans of beer, even if done in jest, may seem harmless. However, face it, such information is not likely to set well with a college admissions officer or a potential employer…

While students should use…privacy settings to limit outside access to personal information, it is important to realize that one of your most important steps in life today is the creation of your online image or brand. Today's new media along with the capabilities of the Internet require students to think very carefully about the brand they want to cultivate."

Check out the full article to learn more about building a personal brand online that any admissions officer would be impressed to see.

New Cell Phone Classes Planned

© functoruser

In an area where more people have cell phones than internet access, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System is implementing a college program that allows learners to do some of their work using a mobile device.

Their recent press release explains:

"We believe the ability to do some of their course work through the cell phone will be a major draw for individuals," added Dr. May. "Presently, of the 4.2 million individuals that make up our state's population, 25% have Internet access while 68% have cell phones. That means there are a large number of individuals to whom we can offer an opportunity to take courses, earn a degree, and have better quality of life in a more convenient way. We are very pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to our citizens."

This looks like a smart alternative for on-the-go moms and busy business professionals. However, without a good plan, those cell phone minutes could become a hefty addition to regular tuition charges.

Enrollment for the online / cell phone courses begins January 5th on the new LCTCS distance learning website.

Free Online Classes from UC Berkeley

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 6301718

UC Berkeley offers some of it's best classes for free. Anyone can watch weekly lectures from UC Berkeley's website or download them on iTunes University.

My most recent About.com article explains how to make the most of no-cost UC Berkeley webinar classes. Here's a blurb:

"Every semester, University of California Berkeley records several popular courses and offers them free to the public. Anyone can watch these OpenCourseWare recordings and learn from home. New lectures are posted to the web each week during the run of the course. The webcast classes are kept as archives for about a year, after which they are removed from distribution."

Check out the full article for tips on integrating UC Berkeley's offerings into your independent studies.

Children Get Homework Help From Online Libraries

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Sean Locke

Parents can help with a lot of homework assignments. But, at a certain point, almost everyone has trouble remembering the periodic table or recalling Algebraic formulas.

Luckily, many school-aged children and teens are now able to get the help they need online.

Fosters.com reports:

"…Parents in Alabama and a growing number of other states no longer need fear homework helplessness. Thanks to the spread of online tutoring services that are now increasingly free, courtesy of government and private funds, stumped students can reach out to resourceful tutors across the U.S. and in some cases around the world.

The number of libraries offering free online tutoring has snowballed as libraries look to make long-lasting connections with their communities, said Jan Sanders, who directs the Pasadena library system in California."

Online tutoring programs are a great service and have the potential to really even out the playing field for students. Assuming they have access to the internet, these young learners will be able to get the help they need, regardless of their parents' involvement or education levels.

Older Students Embrace Online Learning

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, paul kline

In the beginning, online learning was often considered the realm of 20-something college students. Now, it's being embraced by people of all ages, from high schoolers to senior citizens.

The Calgary Herald reports:

"The 'mature learner' has long been a fixture in traditional face-to-face classroom environments, but more 50-plus students are taking advantage of online options, too.

"We're seeing a greater interest in education in older learners, and those at the end of their careers doing it for interest's sake," says Lori van Rooijen, vice-president of advancement for Athabasca University, which offers many courses via distance education. "In some cases, we have individuals who are 70-plus taking their first bachelor's degree."

As seniors become more comfortable with technology, I believe even more will come to embrace online learning. It's a smart way to study the subjects that interest them and connect with people from around the world.

Are Employers Becoming More Accepting of Online Degrees?

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Michael DeLeon

According to a recent white paper, sponsored by Western Governors University, online degrees have become more acceptable in the workplace.

They report:

"Both students and employers are less apprehensive; hence, the quality of online education is seldom an issue. "If you ask employers about their sense of the quality of online education – is it of equal quality to traditional – the response you typically get is a growing adherence to it being of equal quality," says Richard Garrett, a senior research analyst for Eduventures, an education research and consulting firm."

As more colleges create online programs and virtual teaching methodologies improve, I believe support for online degrees in the workplace will continue to improve. A number of companies are even beginning to offer their own in-house online training programs.

Stay Energized During the Cold Weather Blues

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Skip ODonnell

In my neck of the woods, everyone seems to be slowing down. The cold weather has finally settled in and a nap is sounding a lot better than two hours of online class. If this sounds familiar, you may need to come up with a strategy to beat the cold weather blues.

Lifehacker recently posted a rather helpful list of 10 ways to stay energized. Here's a blurb:

"Even if you're a hyper-organized, task-oriented worker with an expansive mind and endless ambition, you won't get a lot done if your mind and body are demanding you curl up and doze off. Luckily, you can overcome a late night of net surfing, a rough morning, or just the post-lunch stupor without becoming an over-wired mess. We've put together 10 of the best ways to jumpstart your brain and get back into a productive groove, and all of them are tricks you can put to work this Monday."

Take a look at the full list for some ideas, and give one a try the next time you're tempted to put off an online assignment in favor of some hot cocoa.