Always Learn!

Copyright (c) 2008 Kenneth Anczerewicz

Do online courses sound appealing to you? What about just taking an online class or two rather than working towards an online degree? Online courses may be taken while you work full time or even if you attend a regular college or university. You can work at your own pace and at various times of your choosing depending on what’s most convenient to you. Classes are typically online for 30 days per session and and take 18 hours to complete. The site www.Online-Education.net is a great resource to use. They have over 600 online classes to choose from in their catalog.

There are many good reason to consider taking courses online.

1. Eliminate boredom! When the kids are in school, do you find that you’re bored? Take an online education course! You could try something new like cooking, photography, building websites, drawing, or anything that interests you.

2. Learn something new! Learn to do your own taxes or use a new computer program. Get new ideas for gardening or homeschooling or improve your communication and writing skills. Perhaps astronomy, religion, or genealogy will spark your interest. Men enjoy courses on tying flies (for fishing lures), stamp collecting, and history.

3. Meet some new friends or re-connect with old ones! Online courses provide good opportunities to make new friends and share experiences with your old friends. Get a friend to enroll in a course with you; you’ll have a wonderful time!

4. Improve your self-esteem! After learning a new skill, your self-esteem will soar. The new sense of accomplishment will enrich your life and encourage you to try other online courses.

5. Re-ignite your brain! Get your brain in shape. Take a few hobby or informational courses and get used to working online, remembering details, and completing projects.

6. Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease. Keeping your brain active will help prevent dementia and, possibly, Alzheimer’s Disease as you get older. Scott Gottlieb, New York newspaper writer, states that, “Participating in mentally challenging leisure activities such as reading and playing board games may help elderly people stay mentally sharp.” Researchers have found that people aged 75 years or more who engaged in leisure activities had a lower risk of dementia than other elderly people. (New England Journal of Medicine 2003; 348:2508-16).

7. Become a more interesting person. When you attend various functions such as PTA meetings you’ll have some interesting conversation to share.

8. Provide your children and family with a great role model. Adults who demonstrate life-long learning are wonderful role models for children, who learn that education continues to benefit us all through life.

9. Learn more about technology. Any time we use a computer, we learn more about technology and how to use it effectively.

10. Improve your resume. The information you learn via online courses might be a great addition to your resume and help you get a better job or more pay.

Pay attention to my roundup of reasons for taking online education courses and you may be surprised at the benefits you experience!

Moms who have been working several jobs to make ends meet might be able to get a reprieve through education funding that has been freed up by the government. President Barack Obama has set aside money for mothers who want to further their education and get a better job to support their families. The money does not have to be paid back, so this is like a dream come true for struggling, working mothers.

Being a mom is hard enough work, but having to support children by going to other jobs makes life a day-to-day struggle, especially when the jobs do not pay well. Going back to school can help in this regard because the income will be higher, and she will most likely just have to work one job so there will be more time to spend at home with the family.

If awarded a scholarship grant, all of the education expenses will be taken care of. Obama wants to see these women going back to school so they can live a better lifestyle and take better care of their children. Moms might shy away from this opportunity because of the time that will be lost in the degree-earning process, but online programs are available, and are convenient to women with busy schedules. If she can give up two to three hours to the program, she should succeed in earning a college degree. She then will become a top candidate for better-paying jobs and the quality of life will definitely improve.

Not only will this opportunity make the mother more confident, but the child will admire her. When it comes time to decide what to do after high school, that child will look back at what mom did and most likely choose more education because of the great life it leads to.