Online Computer Courses

Online computer courses are rising in popularity, and it’s pretty clear to me that they are the wave of the future. While I don’t think online computer courses should ever replace live lectures completely, they do offer a great supplement to traditional learning methods, and are great for people that would be otherwise unable to attend classes in a university setting. I’ve taken several online computer courses, and have been very satisfied with each.

Indeed, toward the end of my college years, most of the course I enrolled in had online elements that made learning and doing assignments much more convenient. After college I found myself pursuing a postgraduate certification, which was largely conducted by online classes. Though there was always at least some live discussion, which I think is key, a lot of learning can easily be done by way of the internet.

More recently, I took a Kaplan preparatory class for the MCAT exam. There were plenty of live classes to attend if I wished, but I found the online element to be the most helpful part. Being able to access any number of tests, quizzes, videos, and lectures with just a few clicks is extremely convenient, and makes preparing for even the most arduous exam almost kind of fun.
Today you can earn entire degrees with online computer courses. Though I haven’t done this myself, I’d imagine you can get every bit as good of an education online as by going in to live lectures. Most online computer courses and online degree programs do in fact have live elements as well, but the real key to any kind of learning is your effort and will to learn. If you’re not willing to make an effort, and don’t care about what your learning, the entire staff of Harvard wouldn’t be able to teach you a thing. Likewise, if you really are motivated, you could learn as much as any doctorate just by hanging out in a library.

Another really cool thing you can do with online computer courses is learn new languages. I foresee a lot of language programs coming on for the web in the future, and there are already some good ones available. I’m using one called Rosetta Stone, and I’m loving it.

Online computer courses can be a real godsend to anyone with a busy schedule that wants to further their education. Sometimes you just don’t have time to go in for a lecture, and night classes can be brutal to attend after a long day. Being able to take online computer courses to work towards or complete a degree gives you an element of freedom that makes the process a lot more doable.