eLearning is learning online, using your computer, your phone, your Kindle, your TV, or anything that is electronic to teach yourself something new.
It could be a new language in preparation for a trip you are taking, cooking classes to prepare your favorite dish, or how to re-tile the bathroom. eLearning is about virtually anything you want it to be.
It will keep you brain active and your life fuller. There are an endless supply of things to learn online and an endless number of people willing to learn. You can interact with other people of similar interests.
eLearning for Seniors What it is all about
- Gives you a purpose in life
- You can find everything online
- Everything is available in video, podcast or course format
- It takes as much time as you want to spend doing it
- Coast range from free to thousands of dollars for full University degrees
Give me a Purpose In Life
I had a lot of free time once my career was over. (It ended abruptly due to nationalization in my business). Yes, I was overseas when it ended and had pretty much settled down after 20 years in the same spot.
So much time in fact that I
became lost for things to do. I spent a lot of time catching up on my
reading and binge watching TV. It was a dark time and a dark place. I had to strive to do something more.
Luckily
I decided to try something different and began eLearning about the
internet, and copy writing, and SEO and online selling. It changed
things around for me. I had purpose again.
I enjoyed learning something
new and actually building something with my own two hands again. But that is my journey – we are here to help you.
Where do I find eLearning Resources?
You are already learning, just by being here and reading this article. Feels good, doesn’t it? We all like to learn new things especially when it is up to us how much we learn, how fast and how much we spend.
Yes, there is always a cost…wait…it can just be your time. There are many free resources for eLearning available for seniors. Your local community college, school, or university often have free programs for seniors.
You can sign up and classes will be delivered to your device and or you download the entire course. Sometimes the courses are free and there is a fee to take the test to gain the certificate. If you do not take the test there is no fee and no certificate.
What is available Online?
There are courses everywhere online. From individual websites where people have put together a course, to massive online schools that offer training and do not forget Wikipedia. (more about them later).
Many universities offer some form of free online learning, you should check your favorite university to be sure.
Some websites partner with different universities, colleges, and companies to offer many courses.
Websites where you can learn for free, or a small fee and you can provide your own course content, like Udemy.
A Table of various websites to get you started. In no particular order.
| Name | Photo | Link | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wikiversity |  | Wikiversity.org | Wikipedia – much more than just an online encyclopedia. Now with Wikiversity as well – Free. | Free |
| TED Ed |  | ed.ted.com | School/Education arm of the Ted Video talks. Everything Fact Checked – you can add your own questions for your class. | Free |
| Open Learn |  | open.edu/openlearn | Free Learning from the Open University | Free |
| Class Central |  | classcentral.com | Primarily Free or free to audit courses from multiple providers | Free to $$$ |
| Udemy |  | Udemy.com | over 183,000 courses. From Free to $$. You can also add your own course to teach. | Free to $$ |
| EdX |  | EdX.org | an online open course provider from various top universities – costs vary from Free to $$$. | Free to $$$ |
| Saylor |  | Saylor.org | Free eLearning online, complete with certificates to document progress | Free to $ |
| Wondrium |  | Wondrium.com | Wondrium – online video courses – 1 month free trial – subscriptions from $20/month, $45/3 months, or $150/12 months. | $ to $$ |
| Coursera |  | Coursera.org | Online courses. Collaborate with over 200 universities and companies. – Free to $$$. | Free to $$$ |
| YouTube |  | YouTube.com | videos about everything – not very structured, but Free. | Free with ads |
There are many more places to learn online and as you begin learning you will discover what is available.
How Much Time will It Take?
Any learning is a never ending subject. You are always learning from the time you first learned to stand to when you graduated from school, to learning your career to learning a hobby.
eLearning allows you to continue your journey to a better self, or just a self that knows how to do things that will help you.
Some courses are under and hour, others are an hour a day for weeks at a time. If you want to get a degree online you may end up spending several hours a day for a year. The choice is yours.
Work Anywhere, Anytime and at your own pace?
You can work from your home, your car the park, wherever you have a connection you can continue learning.
You set the pace . Check out the resources provided and see if something interests you. You will only improve yourself.
Videos, podcasts, courses, even taped lessons are available online.
How much Will It Cost?
Costs run from Free courses to high end courses and programs that cost thousands of dollars and will eventually give you a university degree. It is surprising how much quality content is available for free. You can even create your own courses if you want to on platforms like Udmay.
You can choose how much you want to pay. A free course is a good thing to start with. However, you may find with some that you get what you pay for.
But to find out what value it is worth to you, simply take the plunge and start learning.
Conclusion
eLearning is simply learning online. It can be a course with notes, a video, or a podcast. It just means you are learning from your phone, tablet, computer, kindle or another electronic device.
eLearning provides purpose and enhances your quality of life because you are improving yourself. eLearning can be found by searching the internet for an institution that you can learn from or simply by searching for a topic you want to know more about.
We have provided a short list of quality eLearning websites for your inspection. Check them out to see if one is right for you.
The choices are unlimited, if you want to learn about it there is a video, a podcast or an online course covering it.
The cost ranges from Free to minimal cost right up to thousands of dollars to gain a university certificate. Again you simply choose what is right for you.