Continuing Education Online

Why Pursue Continuing Education?

In some cases, continuing education is a requirement of the job. For instance, a teacher's continued certification may depend on his or her completion of professional development experiences. Office workers may need to complete continuing education when their company switches to a new computer program. For others, an MBA is seen as a vital step to career development in their area of business

Continuing education can also be completed for personal enhancement. In much the same way you might sign up for a local community education or learning annex course, you can find online classes focusing on everything from book discussions to craft projects.

Finding Continuing Education Online

Many colleges and universities now offer online course options, from a single class to entire degrees. World Wide Learn and Education Center Online are two directories offering lists of programs leading to degrees and certifications. You can also visit the website of the college of your choice to explore their online learning options.

You don't have to turn to a college for online education, though. Barnes and Noble University is a popular source for free courses and reading groups. With a quick search for online learning opportunities, you can find everything from free online language classes to broadcast courses originally intended for BBC employees. You should also check the offerings of websites offering resources for your specific profession.

Before You Sign Up

If you're taking an online course, there are a few things you should consider before deciding if it will fit your needs:

• What are the instructor's credentials? Do they offer references?
• How much individual attention will you receive from the instructor?
• What is the structure of the course? Is it self-directed or are there scheduled assignments and set due dates?
• Is there a course outline available?
• Are there any technical requirements for accessing and completing course materials?
• What is the cost of the course? Does the price of the course include all materials?

If you're pursuing continuing education online to maintain certification or advance in your career, you'll need to be careful. Whether you have to clear the course with the human resources department or a state certification agency, make sure the class or degree will fulfill all requirements before spending your time and money.

Design Your Own Experience

You don't necessarily have to enroll in an online degree program or an Internet seminar to pursue continuing education online. You can use the vast knowledge of the Internet to create your own unique learning experience. If you're hoping to fulfill official professional development requirements, though, this may not be the way to go. Still, it doesn't hurt to ask, and you may be able to convince your boss if you present her with an official educational plan, so she knows you're not just spending your time on online gambling sites.

Mailing Lists

Mailing lists can be a great way to network with other professionals in your field while sharing ideas, resources and strategies. Some mailing lists are strictly business, while others are the equivalent of chatting around the water cooler. It may be best to sit back and observe the interactions for a few days before jumping into the discussion so you can get a feel for the group. Some mailing lists are maintained by professional organizations, so if you're interested in joining one, you can start by visiting the web sites of state or national associations in your chosen field. You can also search the available groups on mailing list providers like Yahoo! Groups and Topica or visit L-Soft for a comprehensive catalog of mailing groups using LISTSERV technology.

Ezines

Ezines and newsletters are similar to mailing lists, except there's no back and forth conversation. Instead, the newsletter editor will send out a weekly or monthly email filled with articles, tips and links. Zinester is one popular ezine source, but mailing list sites like Google Groups also contain a number of online newsletters.

Forums

Forums are another potential online professional development resource. Instead of talking with your peers through a series of emails, you take part in a threaded conversation on a website. Forums are a bit harder to search out because they're typically connected to specific websites rather than part of a larger service, but ForumZilla and Big Boards are two sites compiling searchable lists of forums.

Browse The Web

Visit university websites to learn about the latest research in your field. Research your competition by finding their corporate websites. Read the online versions of professional magazines and journals. Make the most of the free information available with just a few clicks of the mouse. However, don't spend so much time reading about and talking about your career or new hobby you never take the time to use the knowledge you gain, or even worse, don't perform your standard job duties.