Now more than ever in the past, online learning has become the method of choice for earning a degree. Whatever the level of degree or subject matter, there is a plethora of apps, tools, and software that make learning off-campus more accessible and convenient. While so much of business is done on chat, messaging, social media and Skype, education should be no different. Sometimes the best tool for online learning is your regular Google chat or maybe it is a site, software or app you have not yet heard of. Explore your options for tools that make learning online the best choice for you.
Adobe Connect
It’s important to get to know Adobe since it is likely you will come in contact with their PDF files in the course of your business or leisure activities. Adobe has been at the forefront of educational software and solutions for higher education as well as business. Instructors enjoy Adobe Connect’s tools to create a seamless presentation or lecture and the ease with which one can give on-the-spot quizzes. Students appreciate the rapid feedback, give and take and the ability to take notes in real-time.
Coursera
If you haven’t been able to make up your mind about which course you want to take, you can get a sneak preview of classes around the world with Coursera. You can also use this service if you want to supplement your regular coursework or decide if a certain kind of degree is for you. If you are enrolled in the University of Maryland and want to audit a class offered at Penn State, for example, you can do this with the help of Coursera.
Tools You Already Use
You’ll be amazed by how software, websites, and apps you use every day can play a special, new role when you engage in online learning. You probably have used iTunes before, but check out iTunes U that will allow you to download classes from K-12 to university courses on a dizzying variety of subjects. Google Hangout is a convenient place to chat with fellow students and instructors, mainly because it is right where you are logged into your Gmail account.
Skype is another program that so many people have anyway, it is a convenient go-to place for chats with other students or teachers. Whether you want to chat about Renaissance art or to learn more about UAB online MBA degree, Skype will let you get the information you need face-to-face even when you are far away.
Your university library may have an online component, but you may find that Google and YouTube are already great places to do research. Instructors can upload lectures onto YouTube and you can do research for papers and reports from video clips posted on the world’s favorite way to watch clips online. You don’t need to shell out a significant amount of cash on books or fancy software when you enroll in an online course but can find inexpensive software that will enhance your educational experience and take advantage of tools you already use every day in a brand new way.
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