I’ve been thinking about enrolling in the California State University-Monterey Bay or UC Santa Cruz to finish my college education, but the costs of attending these schools reminded me how ridiculously expensive higher education has become. Luckily, while I was doing my research, I came across a resource worth sharing. Apparently, there is a movement mounting across the globe in which higher learning institutions are forming communities and offering on-line versions of their courses for FREE!!! There is a growing number of educators who believe our evolving global society needs an open and available access to knowledge. I have to agree.
These programs aren’t just there to attract hype; this is quality information. Some of the schools providing this resource include UC Berkley, MIT, Harvard, University of Notre Dame, and Yale. Now, keep in mind these free courses hardly ever come with any certification and rarely involve instructor participation, but it’s still a fantastic way to get an education. It really comes down to whether or not you require a degree for future. If you do, I don’t blame you for dismissing this as a waste of your time. If you need a degree for your future profession, this would be a waste of your time.
If you don’t need a degree; however, consider that some of the greatest minds in history, including Albert Eintein, educated themselves. My plan was to pursue a Business Entrepreneurship major. I don’t really need a degree to wave in the air. I don’t plan to ever start a career working for someone else; there are enough opportunities in the changing global environment to allow me to work for myself if I develop the right tools to get started. I just need quality, credible information and hands-on projects to learn the ropes.
Maybe you’re in the same boat. Or maybe you already have a career and just want to expand your knowledge a little. A lack of educational stimulation causes your intellect to stagnate or even decline. Enroll in an open study program at your own pace and you can prevent intellectual stagnation.
I am going to start my free education by taking the courses most universities require for a business major, such as micro- and macroeconomics. Then I’ll move on to classes specifically tailored to my personal ambitions. Furthermore, I will take the courses one at a time so I can fully focus on each one and not spread myself too thin. I learn better with total immersion. Regular semesters at the community college never challenged me enough and took too long to get to the point. As a result, I often became bored. These open learning programs are more suited to my personal learning style.
If this idea captivates you, the OER (Open Educational Resources) Commons and dgCommunities contained the biggest collections of free courses I found. You sign up for an account and then download courses, many of which include interactive learning tools or audio programs. Or go to the OpenCourseWare Consortium, which lists participating schools all over the world. The Open University, in the United Kingdom, really stood out for me. Lifehacker has a great article about free on-line learning resources, with links to a few free foreign language programs as well as many others.
I will provide updates if I come across any courses which are must-dos or even if I’m disappointed, so stay in touch. Even if you aren’t looking for a full-fledged educational experience, see what these sites have to offer. You might find something of value.
In my opinion, the greatest possible value of these networks is not having to sift through endless search engines for credible information. Maybe that’s the whole point. This is kind of what the Internet was suppossed to be in the beginning–a way for the forerunners in thought exploration to share info. The Internet of today is awesome in its social complexity and the many needs it serves, but it would be nice to have something more structured as well. I am intrigued to see where this movement goes.
Daniel Webster once wrote:
“If we work upon marble, it will perish; if we work upon brass, time will efface it; if we rear temples, they will crumble into dust; but if we work upon immortal minds, if we imbue them with principles, with just the fear of God and love of our fellow men, we engrave on those tablets something which will brighten all eternity.”
What will you engrave upon the immortal mind? Do you even know where to start? Knowledge opens doors. No matter where you are in your life, never stop learning. The brain is a beautiful work of art and an amazing computer with potential we may never realize. Try to develop just a bit of this potential by feeding your brain relevant information. Build neural pathways for new ways of thinking.
To do so is to truly maximize your life’s potential.
