One of the ways technology is changing the world is do with the way we learn. Online universities provide opportunities for learning from the comfort of your home. Indeed, so many people are interested in learning online, that there are a number of schools and businesses designed to cater to distance learners. An online degree can help you earn a little more money, and it can also help you find knowledge that you did not have before. Whether you are looking for a free education online, or whether you are looking for the tools to help you succeed in an e-learning environment, here are 25 start-ups that just might change the world of education:

1. GlobalScholar: This start-up is focused on creating a global learning system. The idea is to change education so that it is more dynamic and fluid. Not only does it involve a virtual classroom and distance interactions, but it also provides a system for creating an integrated curriculum, and even includes helpful professional development courses to keep teachers up to date. Originally InfiLearn, GlobalScholar is the brainchild of former Amazon.com executive Kal Raman.
2. 2tor, Inc.: John Katzman, the founder of the Princeton Review, offers 2tor, Inc., a start-up that is meant to revolutionize education with the help of social media. Fast Company reports that 2tor created a platform similar to Facebook to help with the Master of Arts in Teaching at the University of Southern California. It makes it easy for students to interact with each other and instructors.
3. Sums Online: Want to make math fun? The U.K. start-up Sums Online provides a wide range of math activities that are flash based, according to TechCrunch Europe. Those who are learning at home can use Sums Online products, just as those in more traditional school settings can. It’s a great way to learn math, and this start-up also won an accessibility award from Nasen.
4. DreamBox Learning: Help kids get excited for math with help from DreamBox Learning, an education start-up that provides math games for kids. This is interactive learning at its finest, with online math games that help children learn to solve problems while experiencing adventures. DreamBox was recently acquired by Netflix founder Reed Hastings.
5. Grockit: The tagline for this educational start-up is “get addicted to studying.” It’s not hard to see why Fast Company named this a start-up to watch. Grockit is one of the leaders in personalized learning. Social media style learning and test preparation starts out by assessing the student’s skill level. This allows Grockit to tailor learning for the student to help him or her improve test scores while having fun.
6. School of Everything: TechCrunch Europe recognizes this school due to its interesting way of connecting students with teachers — directly. If there is something you want to learn, you can go to this site, and learn it from those who teach it. You can also use the site to find offline classes and teachers in your area. A great way to learn whatever it is you want to learn, from math to martial arts.
7. FoneFonics: Learn from anywhere with a specialized phone. FoneFonics is behind the mLearning program, which offers students an opportunity to learn via mobile phone. TechCrunch Europe was impressed with this educational start-up, and the mLearning phone from FoneFonics is in beta testing right now with Summer Arts Colleges, with a Poetry learning program.
8. LearnOutLoud: Based in Santa Monica, California, LearnOutLoud focus on podcasts, audiobooks, downloads and video. In some cases, you have to purchase the products, but there is also a library of free materials. If there is something you want to learn about this is a great way to increase your knowledge. Compatible with a variety of devices. And, if you want to sell your own work, you can publish through LearnOutLoud.
9. Knewton: This is another online educational start-up focusing on test preparation online. Fast Company likes the start-up, which uses test experts to help students study. This is a way to connect experts and students from all over the world, and provide an online environment for learning with a platform that can be accessed anywhere, and include live chat. Plus, it costs less than some other test prep programs.
10. Notely: Organize your life as a student and perform better. TechCrunch Europe points this out as an educational start-up that has potential. Notely allows you to coordinate your schedule, planning homework and integrating your schedule, notes and more so that everything you need is easily accessible. It’s an innovative approach to student organization so that all the tools for better learning are easily within reach.
11. Myngle: Want to learn another language from the comfort of your home? Myngle offers you the chance to connect with online tutors, one on one. No need to meet with someone in person. Also, this is more than just a company that sends out audio files. Instead, you can actually interact with a tutor who knows the language, learning online and getting better instruction with distance learning. Last year, Myngle received one million euros to help keep it going.
12. WildKnowledge: If you are interested in exchanging knowledge using a mobile phone device, this is the way to go. TechCrunch Europe mentions WildKnowledge as an interesting educational start-up, and it really does help you learn and share information easily. You can develop your applications as well. An easy way to learn on location — no matter where that location is.
13. Inigral: Fast Company reports that Inigral is a start-up funded by Facebook’s Founder’s Fund. The idea is to create a social media application that is easy to use. It’s higher education on Facebook, helping colleges relate to its different stakeholders, including prospective students, current students and alumni. Ingral’s CEO and founder is a former high school teacher, Michael Staton.
14. SmartLearn WebTV: Instructional videos from an Indian company focused on helping students for IIT JEE and AIEE. Experts in related subjects teach the video courses, designed to help students. There is also a job engagement function and online tutoring. SmartLearn WebTV was recently acquired by EdServ, an education services provider.
15. uHavePassed.com: In Britain, this start-up is changing the way people pass their driving tests. This start-up, mentioned by TechCrunch Europe, offers a variety of tools to help students prepare for the written part of a British driving test online or via mobile phone. You can analyze your progress, get used to hazard perception videos and learn while playing games. It’s a great way to learn what you need for the theory portion of the driving test.
16. eduFire: This educational start-up was named one to watch by Fast Company due to its live video learning. Interact with top professors and with other students. You can learn a number of subjects, including different languages. A way to individualize learning to the student’s own pace, and provide the student with access to experts that he or she might not otherwise have.
17. GradeGuru: This is a start-up from McGraw-Hill Education. It is a social network that allows college students to connect and share their knowledge. It gives new meaning to “study group”, as students from around the world can collaborate, share class notes and establish an academic reputation. Functions as a game as well, allowing you to earn rewards and build your status.
18. ePals: If you are into homeschooling, then the Internet offers a wide variety of options for those looking for K-12 learning. ePals is one of those educational start-ups. It’s a project based learning network that connects classrooms and homeschooled students from around the world. It’s a great way to collaborate over distances and enhance education. It also recently received an investment from National Geographic.
19. Udemy: It is possible to interact with professors who can develop their own courses with Udemy. The goal of this e-learning start-up is to help “democratize online education.” Students can interact with their professors, and they can watch video and get access to learning material. Also helpful because it allows the teachers themselves to develop their courses as they wish.
20. eLearning Brothers: Want to develop your own e-learning course? It’s possible with eLearning Brothers. This start-up focuses on helping teachers and others develop e-learning courses that are effective and sometimes even fun. Also included are helpful hints on finding students and branding yourself. This company is looking to make e-learning a little more common, and accessible to more people.
21. TutorJam: Get access to tutoring, no matter where you are. You get personalized instruction, one on one, tailored to fit your needs. Includes test prep, and tutoring for college as well as K-12. Tutors are knowledgeable in the field, and the company is helping to provide increased access to individualized learning — something that is becoming increasingly important as technology makes it possible.
22. Educomp: This Indian start-up has a number of affiliates and partners, helping with education and training in a variety of ways. Offers access to learning information and videos, as well as continued innovation in the field of education and learning. Connect with other teachers and students from 26,000 schools, comprising 15 million learners. A great way to find the education you are looking for.
23. Livemocha: Another language learning e-learning start-up, Livemocha allows a way to learn different languages, community style. By connecting with native speakers and others, it is possible to increase your knowledge of another language. It is an inexpensive option as well, providing tutoring and other helpful tools that make distance learning of another language possible, and even fun.
24. Brightstorm: If you are interested in test preparation, then Brightstorm might be able to help. This education start-up focuses on helping students prepare for AP tests, as well as standardized tests. You can connect with teachers and experts, and learn more about learning. One of the features is a step-by-step way of answering math problems, so students can see how it is done.
25. Mindflash: This e-learning start-up is actually aimed at helping small businesses help train their employees. Former Mint.com CMO Donna Wells is the president and CEO. Mindflash is designed to help small businesses provide resources to their employees by developing online courses that can be used for training.

More individuals today want to obtain a degree while raising a family or while hanging onto a current career. In those cases, the ability to earn a degree in an online college program can prove beneficial. But, socializing is part and parcel of an academic experience, and some online students and instructors have found ways to overcome that lack of on-campus interaction through online college clubs.

Online college clubs usually begin when students feels isolated from classmates or if students see the value in creating an online network filled with like-minded individuals. In some cases, these clubs further a student’s education. In other cases, the student can begin to understand how online social media could help to further a career.

Interactive networking in social media venues such as Second Life can provide a learning experience for students who are unfamiliar with these spaces. Additionally, these virtual meetings help students feel that they belong to a group, bridging the possible isolation provided by distance learning. These groups may even meet face-to-face on occasion, especially if those students live near campus or in the same towns.

Since many online learners consist of adults who want to advance or change their careers while still working a full time job, these students tend to be more career oriented and focused on time management. The ‘club’ for these online students, then, becomes a network that could help when that student is ready to change jobs or a career.

Part of the decision to create and/or join an online education club is to meet prerequisites for fraternities or for honors societies. Some colleges feel the benefits provided by these clubs, such as student retention, and have nurtured the clubs. If students feel as though they are part of a community, they are less likely to drop out of a program or to delay in obtaining their degree.

In the following list of online college clubs, you might discover a variety of situations that can allow for socializing and networking. Virtual book clubs, chat room meetings and course/major based clubs are common. Other clubs are nationwide or international, allowing for membership across a wide range of individual interests:

1. African American Literature Book Club: This group, also known as Thumper’s Corner, provides a space for students and individuals who want to discuss poetry, literature, culture and more pertaining to Africa and African Americans.
2. Alpha Lambda chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda for Ashford University: This group provides one example of fraternal organizations reaching out to nontraditional students. This organization provides recognition for academic achievements and contributions.
3. Berkeley College Clubs: Celebrating 10 years of online teaching and learning, Berkeley College prides itself in clubs for online students, including a book club, the Healthy Cafe, Parent Club or Student Government Association.
4. College Blender: Just because you’re online and not on campus does not mean that you cannot join in on online venues such as College Blender. Join in on the community and find spaces that fit you and your interests.
5. De Anza’s Inter Club Council: This page is an example of what many colleges offer online, a way to browse through clubs for students who are involved on campus and through distance learning. While some clubs focus on local events, many of these clubs are open to online students.
6. Distance Learning Association: This association exists to enhance its member’s educational experiences by providing products and services that make their lives easier and more fulfilling.
7. eCampus Student Activity Center: This center, provided by St. Petersburg College in Florida, presents a number of clubs geared toward the distance learner, including Phi Theta Kappa, Digital Artists in Motion, the Seminole Campus for Christ and the Hospitality Club.
8. Epernicus: This site is designed specifically for research scientists, who can connect with real world scientific networks to find resources.
9. Experience Project: This is a living collection of shared experienced where you can learn, share and empower yourself and others through your experiences.
10. FledgeWing: If you want to springboard your career and ideas, take your entrepreneurial spirit to this site, which welcomes students from a variety of supported universities.
11. IDEA Center Online: IDEA, or Intelligent Design and Evolution Awareness, is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping students create IDEA Clubs on campus and online to discuss intelligent design theory and the creation – evolution issue.
12. iTalki: This space is for learning a new language, but it also is for networking and practicing that language with language exchange partners and groups.
13. LabSpace: This OpenLearn Web site offers free access to learning materials from higher education courses, where students and instructors can collaborate with others and publish new version of the learning materials.
14. LibraryThing: One of the most elaborate online social networks for bibliophiles. Catalog your books by project, access that library from anywhere and use tag-based browsing, ratings, reviews and more to work on your projects or simply for pleasure.
15. Mathematical Association of America: The MAA is the largest mathematical society in the world that focuses on mathematics for students, faculty, professional mathematicians and all who are interested in the mathematical sciences at the undergraduate level.
16. Meetup: The tag line is “do something, learn something, share something, change something.” This space is for any group that wants to meet either in person or virtually.
17. Second Life: Second Life provides a virtual home for some of the world’s most prestigious universities and academic institutions. Virtual classrooms at MIT allow for online collaboration, while Notre Dame makes use of Second Life as a cost effective solution to distance learning. You can enter book clubs, visit Shakespearean realms, create a space station and more. Design, build, code, perform and collaborate.
18. Student Bar Association: Concord Law School at Kaplan University formed the nation’s first online Student Bar Association (SBA) in June 2003. A primary function of the SBA is to help incoming year students adjust to the unique requirements of an online law school and legal education.
19. Student Club: This club offers an online community for English students worldwide. This club is sponsored by Embassy CES, one of the world’s leading English language course providers.
20. The International Students’ Association at Skyline: This club is an example of a club that reaches out to both on-campus and online students. Online students who live in the San Bruno, California, area can join in on field trips or tours.
21. The LERN Faculty Club: Not all clubs are for students. This club is for faculty, including online courses and ‘how to’ information. Faculty members are eligible to participate if his or her institution has joined.
22. USDLA: The United States Distance Learning Association was the first nonprofit Distance Learning association in the United States to support Distance Learning research, development and praxis across the complete arena of education, training and communications. This association is for everyone, from students to organizations.
23. World Campus Psychology Club: This link leads to a story about this club, as the club truly is exclusive. This club, the first fully online psychology club in the world, is for students enrolled in the online psychology bachelor of arts and bachelor of science programs offered by the College of the Liberal Arts through Penn State World Campus. The Penn State World Campus specializes in adult online education.

Apple launched iPad on 3 April this year, and, according to Apple, over 300,000 iPads were sold the day it debuted, including pre-orders. That number doubled, according to a report at CNN Money, when Apple did not include a second-day sales report that pushed that number over the top. Additionally, numerous article preceded the iPad debut, intimating that the iPad was the ultimate tool for educational experiences. While this leaning toward education may or may not have had an impact on initial sales, the news since the iPad debut has been mixed.

To that end, the following information provides information about schools that are implementing iPad, a few apps and information about how to find those apps for the iPad, and a list of further resources to learn more about this tool that may or may not change the face of education.

While you may be chomping at the bit yourself to purchase an iPad, the following information may cool your heels to see how issues play out over the summer.

Schools Implementing iPad

Apple announced at the end of March that it now offers discounts to educational institutions for 10-pack Wi-Fi iPad bundles. Each package contains ten iPads with USB-to-Dock Connector cables and power adapters along with a single set of documentation. While this discount is minor, the cost of an iPad still is less than a desktop or laptop, and apps can be used to supplement the lack of other features.

Still, the only two schools that have offered to use iPads in the learning environment include Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania and George Fox University in Oregon. Seton Hill will give a new Apple iPad to every full-time student in fall 2010. George Fox is offering incoming 2010/2011 freshmen with a choice between iPads and MacBooks. While more schools, colleges and universities might jump on the iPad give-away before fall 2010, the investment might prove too much too soon for the technology.

Huffington Post listed seven of the most common complaints about iPads to date, including weak Wi-Fi, charging issues, crashing apps, typing problems, sluggish syncing and student issues that ranged from slow PDF downloads to the inability to save those PDFs. The other issue is cost, a major factor for some critics. However, that linked article does not mention how much a student might save by downloading rather than by purchasing textbooks outright.

That said, the push to use iPad as a educational tool is touted, at least tentatively, by individuals such as Mark Milian for the Los Angeles Times and by Lamarr Wilson for SchoolTech Consulting, Inc. Other advocates, such as Dr. Joseph Kim, state that iPads should be mandatory for learning. The latter approval comes on the heels of textbook publishers who are heading to iPad to put up textbooks, study guides and test prep manuals.

Top Educational Apps

Only three days after the initial iPad launch, Apple claimed that over 3,500 iPad-native apps already were available. According to Apple, there are more than 150,000 apps for iPhone and iPod touch at the App Store. And iPad works with just about all of them — including apps you may have already downloaded for learning.

The drawback — other than possible problems with apps — is that some educational apps that were free for iPod are not free for iPad, like The Elements. But, viewing The Elements on iPad seems to be a vast new experience, including the fact that this app now is labeled as a “book” at the iTunes store.

The following handful of apps provide a few examples of free apps you can download and use on your iPad. View more apps at the educational apps catalog at iTunes.

1. Eponyms: This app provides short descriptions for more than 1,700 common and obscure medical eponyms.
2. iThesaurus: You have access to over 140,000 different words, with the ability to get definitions as well.
3. Skeletal System (Head and Neck): This app allows users to learn the skeletal system and is free for a limited time only.
4. TED: Enjoy inspiration talks from the Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) conferences.
5. The Wall Street Journal: This free app can help you stay on top of the stories that matter to you most.

Further Reading

If you want to learn more about iPad before spending your money for the iPad and any other peripherals that you feel you might need, you can visit the following guides and opinions:

• Apple iPad: This link leads straight to the iPad section at Apple, where you can follow links to learn more about this tool and how to use it.
• Apple’s Education: Although not directly focused on iPad, this section of the Apple site is dedicated to education, including programs, seminars and more.]
• Common Concerns about the iPad’s Use in Education: This is one of the many articles written before iPad was released. It is included because this article is fairly thorough, and because the links in the right column of this site lead to many more articles about education and the iPad, all at Edutechnophobia.
• Developers seek to link iPad with education: This eSchool News article states that the iPad won’t replace students’ laptops, but a menu of applications could help merge the iPad with classrooms.
• iPad 4 Edu: This is a forum where you can view topics and ask questions or provide answers to iPad educational topics.
• iPad-Centric Education: An interesting article filled with Twitters about iPad and education, with a link per Tweet to learn more.
• Apple iPad vs Kindle DX: Which is Better for Education? This article by Jeff Bertolucci at PCWorld provides a run-down of the pros and cons and the differences between iPad and Kindle DX.
• First Look at the iPad for eLearning: A list of reasons to help you decide whether the iPad is for you and your learning processes, on campus or off through online learning.
• Pros and Cons of the iPad in Education: The Apple Blog talks about the pros and cons of using iPad for education.
• The iPad and Higher Education: In this guest post by David Parry, assistant professor of emerging media and communication at the University of Texas, Dallas, he states that he will not buy an iPad. Read on to learn why.

With the cost of higher education rising, and with many students unable to participate in the “traditional” model of a college education, it is little surprise that many are turning to online learning. Many traditional schools offer online courses — and even entire online degree and certification programs. Online universities are becoming increasingly accepted by the higher education establishment, and some are even accredited, as well as able to award legitimate degrees, receiving reasonably high rankings.

But these online programs still cost money. What if you could get a college education without having to pay for it? That is what is proposed by the University of the People.

What is University of the People?

In 2009, Shai Reshef started University of the People as a venture meant to help students who might not be able to afford a college education to get one — for free. He has worked with for-profit education systems for years, and $1 million of the $5 million seed money for the University of the People actually came from Reshef’s own pocket. There are only a few paid instructors at the University of the People, and all of them — save Reshef — have doctorates in their fields of study.

However, it is important to note that the University of the People does not have the full range of offerings that many people expect from a university. There are only two programs right now: computer science and business administration. The school has chosen to start out small, and with programs that are more likely to be taught successfully through distance education.

The school is not completely free, either. While tuition is not charged, there is an admissions fee, and a fee for each exam taken. Each fee is between $10 and $100, and is charged on a sliding scale according to the wealth of the country the student is from. If the student is from a poor country, and does not have the means to pay a higher fee, then he or she is charged $10 for admission, and then $10 for each exam. USA Today reports that in order to be profitable and sustainable, Reshef estimates that there would need to be 10,000 to 15,000 enrollees in the next five years.

Admissions and Learning

University of the People does not just accept anybody into its programs. Indeed, there are rigorous criteria. The university is now in its third term, and it has so far received 3,000 applications. However, only 380 of those students have been accepted. University of the People requires students to have secondary school certification of some sort and a reasonably good grasp of the English language.

Once admitted, students are largely expected to teach themselves and each other. University of the People has a peer to peer learning system that educates students by having them peruse course materials and then discuss the concepts with each other. The paid instructors (and some volunteer faculty) audit the discussions, and interject where needed in order to clarify matters. Additionally, students can message and email instructors if they are having real problems with the information. This is part of the reason that costs are so low and tuition is free: Students are teaching themselves and each other.

Exams, then, play a large role in “proving” whether or not the students are actually learning anything. So far, only one round of exams has been given in two courses. While the pass rates were impressive, the courses were English Composition and Skills for Online Learning. Until the exams for more advanced subjects are administered, and pass rates are seen, it is impossible to gauge how effective this learning model actually is.

Accreditation and Degrees

The biggest issue with University of the People is going to be its ability to gain accreditation. And, of course, the countries the students are in will need to grant the university the privilege of awarding degrees. While accreditation isn’t needed in order for a university to award degrees, it is important — especially in most developed countries — if students want their degrees taken seriously.

An increasing number of online universities have been accredited, and many traditional universities now offer online degree programs in some fields of study. So, being an online school does not bar University of the People from receiving accreditation. However, there are some things about the university that are likely to make accreditation difficult. Its business model, its long term sustainability and viability, its peer to peer model that relegates instructors to marginal positions in the learning process, and its institutional management are all challenges to U.S. accreditation. And in order to be taken seriously by employers, and for the purpose of credit transfer, accreditation is necessary in many cases.

The other issue is the awarding of degrees. Accreditation is not necessary for University of the People to award degrees; it just has to meet the criteria set forth by certain countries and states. So far, though, the University of the People cannot award degrees at all. Many students are hoping that in another three years, after they have completed a four year course of study, degrees will be available and awarded. Many hope that the fact that University of the People has partnerships with Yale and other prestigious institutions will help in the quest to receive authorization to issue degrees. However, the road to degrees and accreditation at the University of the People is a long one.

Bottom Line

If you are interested in getting an accredited degree from the University of the People, you might have some time to wait. However, if you are interested in learning with others, and expanding your knowledge base, the University of the People might not be a bad option.

There are other options for learning online, though. Many universities offer free open courseware. These are courses from a number of schools, on a number of subjects, offered for free. MIT has the largest open courseware collection, with thousands of courses offered. Additionally, many schools, including Harvard, UC Berkeley, Notre Dame and dozens of state and private universities, provide access to lecture notes, video presentations and free open courseware.

You should understand, though, that when you complete an open courseware class at one of these schools, you will not receive credit for your efforts. It is merely done for your own edification and learning. You can get a degree online, and there are some great higher education values, but if you want an accredited degree that others take seriously, you will have to be choosy about the program in which you enroll.

Online universities have become so ubiquitous that almost everyone has heard about the University of Phoenix Online, Kaplan, Devry University, Capella University and American Intercontinental University. These learning institutes have branded online learning to the point where most people have accepted an accredited online experience in job applications and as a socially-acceptable learning experience. But, are these online colleges and universities your only options

The following list of the ten best online universities may boggle your mind. You may not have thought about them or even heard about them. But, they offer a top-notch education, as witnessed by their standings in OEDb’s Top Ten Online College Rankings 2009. Note that none of these colleges or universities are household names…yet they offer the same advantages as the top five online degree programs listed in the first paragraph.

First, the online courses and degree programs listed below are accredited; therefore, you know you’ll receive a solid education with the ability to transfer credits and to build upon a higher degree if you desire in the future. Additionally, their locations are a moot issues — all the degree programs offered are available to anyone who can gain admission to these programs. Finally, all the programs listed below offer financial aid to those who qualify. Additionally, many of these programs offer discounts for military personnel and their families.

So, why attend a “crowded” online class when you can gain access to a program that is top-notch, yet less well known. After all, your success in the future could make one of the following online degree programs famous. It’s up to you — each program offers a way to earn a degree from a distance while you work your way up that career ladder or while you serve in the military.

The online colleges, universities and degree programs listed below are in the same order as shown on OEDb’s Top Ten Online College Rankings 2009. The links, however, take you directly to the listing’s online program offerings at the specified institution so you can learn more about their programs.

1. Nova Southeastern University: Nova Southeastern University is the tenth-largest independent university in the country and a pioneer of non-traditional approaches to high-quality education. NSU provides distance-learning programs that range from bachelor’s to doctoral programs, all obtained through online or off-campus learning processes. Seventy-six of the university’s online undergraduate, master’s, doctoral, and graduate certificate programs have been certified by the Southern Regional Education Board’s Electronic Campus, and are offered through this highly successful consortium.
2. Regent University: This Christian university is famous for its combination of Biblical principles and rigorous academic curriculum. Regent University online is a fully accredited program that uses the same rigorous curriculum as the on-campus programs. Their programs range from communications and the arts to divinity school and a school of education. They also offer a schools of government, psychology and counseling and a school of undergraduate studies that provide degrees in majors from accounting to psychology.
3. Champlain College: Champlain College is a 126-year-old institution that has been delivering online education for over 10 years. They offered their first online course in 1993, followed in 1996 by its first entirely online bachelor’s degree. Currently, Champlain is the only college in Vermont to offer bachelor’s degrees 100 percent online in business, writing, technology, paralegal and allied health careers. Champlain College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools & Colleges.
4. Upper Iowa University: UIU’s online Bachelor of Science, Master of Business Administration, Master of Public Administration, and Master of Higher Education Administration degrees are designed to give you the flexibility you need to balance classwork with your career. They offer a discount to military personnel and their family members as well as employee discounts for those who work with cooperating corporations and organizations. Applicants may transfer up to ninety hours of undergraduate credits.
5. LeTourneau University: Inspired by faith and a spirit of ingenuity, LeTourneau University integrates learning, living and Christian leadership in a community of integrity, academic quality and technological innovation. This university offers an associate degree in interdisciplnary studies, bachelor’s degrees in business and in psychology and master’s degrees in a variety of majors. They also offer teacher’s certifications (PACT) and the Texas Principalship Certification. LeTourneau has a history of over 60 years of providing exceptional higher education, including our online education.
6. Liberty University: Liberty has become the world’s largest evangelical university and has never lost sight of its mission — equipping men and women with Christ-centered education to impact their world and workplace. Liberty’s mission is “Training Champions for Christ” in majors such as business, counseling, criminal justice, education, nursing and in Christian ministry. But, don’t stop there, as LUOnline offers a variety of degrees in more than forty programs and ninety areas of specialization.
7. Grand Canyon University: Grand Canyon University is a student-focused institution that provides academically challenging education in a Christian community for students from diverse backgrounds. They offer undergraduate and graduates degree programs in education, nursing and health sciences, business and liberal arts. Grand Canyon University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.
8. Dickinson State University: This North Dakota university offers online degrees in agriculture sales and service equine management, an associate in arts, and degree programs in business administration, finance, human resource management, international business, technology and in university studies. Dickinson also offers these courses in an extended learning environment. All courses are offered online so you can finalize a degree while you are working from a distance. they have been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central (regional) Accrediting Association since 1946.
9. Western Governors University: WGU is the recipient of the USDLA 21st Century Award for Best Practices in Distance Learning for 2008, awarded in recognition of their success in expanding access to higher education. WGU is a fully-accredited non-profit online university that offers online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in a wide range of interests. If you want to pursue business management, information technology, teaching or the health professions, this university might have special appeal for you.
10. Salem International University: Salem University has a tradition of academic excellence and innovation. Complete your Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Associates in Business Administration or Bachelors in Business Administration or Bachelors in Information Technology on your time. Classes start every month, and financial aid is available for those who qualify. Just think — you could earn your project-based (not thesis based) MBA in as little as twelve months.

If you want a college degree to boost your credibility in the job market, but you cannot afford the time nor the money for a traditional on-campus education, how do you find an equally credible solution? You might think about an online degree, but you may wonder about that online education’s reliability and authenticity. Fortunately, over the past few years, online degrees have gained a foothold in the business world as a viable source for continuing education.

Other questions may concern you, such as distance learning technologies, the possibility of a higher degree online and even whether learning a course without credits is a viable option. The following list of twenty articles, search engines and rankings may provide answers for you, as these listings focus solely on online education from reliable sources.

Articles

1. 6 Free Online Courses to Beef Up Your Resume: What about online uncredited classes? SmartMoney thinks that free courses offered by institutes such as MIT and Yale are great options and should be listed on your resume.
2. Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning [PDF]: The U.S. Department of Education offers a meta-analysis and review of online learning studies. This study includes all age levels, from K-12 to online learning for adult students.
3. Finding an accredited distance learning program: Scholarships.com not only offers a list of some of the more reputable accredted online learning institutions, they offer advice on how and why you might consider an online degree.
4. Get a Grad Degree Without Going Broke: SmartMoney offers solutions to a less expensive college degree. It seems logical that they provide information about online degrees, as this option can prove to be a less expensive educational choice.
5. Online Schools Find Ready Market in Military [PDF]: MSNBC provides examples of how military personnel are seeking online degrees, bu how critics state these degrees offer minimal education on U.S. tab. The positives outweigh the negative aspects in this article, however.
6. The Benefits of an Online College: Top Colleges offers an article that points to benefits of online education at the end of this article, which addresses the benefits of returning to college after some time in the workforce.
7. The Education Solution: Forbes states that “to teach, train and retrain millions of people, online education is the only scalable option.” Learn about this perspective to continuing education online.
8. The Sound of One Hand Clicking: Newsweek provides solid proof that online schools are booming. Why? Because they are convenient, cost less and have improved dramatically. Learn more.
9. U.S. Department of Education Study Finds That Good Teaching can be Enhanced With New Technology: U.S. News & World Report offers this perspective on online education and technology.
10. What You Need to Know About E-Learning: Kiplinger provides an article that focuses on the online courses and degree programs that might prove to be a good fit for you.

Ratings, Rankings and Searches

11. Best Online Colleges: Use this resource and its accompanying blog to learn more about online education. Use the “Quick Degree Finder” to locate schools by degree level, category or subject.
12. Campus Grotto: Use this resource to find online colleges by major, including degrees in accounting and digital and media arts. This site also carries articles that address night classes, going back to school as a working adult, online MBA programs and more.
13. College Navigator: This site does not rank colleges, but it does offer a ton of information on online schools. You must, however, know the college you want to investigate before you use this search engine.
14. College Stats: This list of online colleges and universities offers a variety of searches for online degrees by largest, smallest and oldest colleges as well as listings for online educational institutions by cost and demographics. College Stats uses freely available data collected by the U.S. Department of Education and most data reflects collections by the National Center of Education Statistics.
15. eLearners: This site is gaining wide recognition as the site to go to for online education. The tabs across the top of the page offer resources for online degrees, programs, courses, colleges, programs, articles and resources as well as blogs and forums.
16. Get Educated: Use this site to rate, rank and compare online schools and degrees. This site also offers financial aid information, advice, a resource for careers and jobs and a special section called, “Diploma Mill Police.”
17. Guide to Online Schools: The table included on this page shows overall rankings for online colleges and universities. You also can search for online educational possibilities by degree, by subject and by searching for a specific school.
18. OEDb: Online Education Database is a top choice in learning about online degrees. The metrics are thorough, including acceptance rates, financial aid availability, graduation rates, peer Web citations, retention rates, scholarly citations, student-faculty ratios and years accredited for top online educational resources. Rankings go to 2008.
19. SHG Resources: This site provides a search for online degrees by location, subject, program and degree sought. Once you obtain your online degree, you also can use this site to search for jobs by state.
20. U.S. News & World Report: This report provides information you might need in your online degree search, including searches by degree, major and more.

Part of succeeding in school is knowing how to study properly. Indeed, knowing how to study and focus on your tasks is important. Understanding how to learn something, and knowing how to retain what you have learned in your memory are vital skills. You can go to school all you want, but if you don’t know how to learn, it will be more difficult. Here are 50 bloggers who can help you study and learn better:

Study Tips and Skills

First of all, it is helpful to have an idea of how to study most effectively and efficiently. Brushing up on your study skills can help you learn much better and quicker.

1. Study Skills Blog: Offers resources for studying, and helpful tips on improving your study.
2. Study Hacks: Learn study skills from Cal Newport, a postdoc at MIT.
3. Study Prof: Offers tips on how to study smarter from test prep coordinator Cody Blair. Also includes helpful hints and clues for studying for standardized tests.
4. Grace’s Homework: This study tips blog from About.com features tips from education guru Grace Fleming.
5. How to Study Bootcamp Blog: This blog features information and tips on studying, as well as sharing common study mistakes.
6. How to Study Blog: Learning how to study better with tips and hints.
7. HackCollege: Get plenty of useful study help and ideas, as well as general hints on other aspects of student life.
8. College and University Blog: This blog includes study skills ideas, as well as general information on succeeding in college.

Learning

Sometimes, it helps to learn about…learning. There are a number of great blogs on learning that can help you figure out your learning style, and utilize to increase your abilities.

9. Special Needs Learning Blog: If you have a learning disability, you can still succeed. This blog helps you learn how to learn — even if you have special difficulty.
10. Creative Learning Systems: Learning Styles Blog: This blog focuses on learning styles, and how you can adapt your learning to your style to make it more effective.
11. The eduFire Blog: Light a fire under your learning abilities with help from this insightful blog.
12. The Rapid eLearning Blog: Want to be a better distance learner? This blog can help you learn more effectively online.
13. Nik’s Learning Technology Blog: Get an idea of how to be a better learner, and how technology can help.
14. TechTicker: Another tech learning blog that addresses learning with technology. Also includes excellent insight on learning styles.
15. The Learning Circuits Blog: Get an idea of how to learn better and the state of learning in general.
16. Learning Blog: This blog helps you learn how to learn. Helpful tips on discovering your learning style so you can succeed.

Memory and Brain Training

Understanding how memory works, and knowing how to train your brain can be very helpful as a student. There are many blogs that can help you give your brain a good workout.

17. Grey Matters: Train your brain with exercises, games and techniques to help you learn and retain all sorts of information much better.
18. Mind Hacks: Learn how to unlock the power of your mind and use it more effectively.
19. Improve Your Learning and Memory: Bill Klemm offers ideas on learning, as well as a number of different systems you can use to improve memory and recall.
20. Improve Your Memory and Better Your Brain Performance: This blog is focused on helping you improve your memory and exercise your brain for better performance.
21. Judy Marcus — Memory Improvement Tips: The “Memory Lady” helps you learn different techniques to improve your memory.
22. Brain Health Blog: This blog offers information and helpful exercises and tips on improving your brain performance.
23. SharpBrains: A blog about improving your brain fitness and training your mind.
24. Mind360: Games, tips and techniques to help your memory stay sharp.
25. The Online Brain Games Blog: A fun blog that helps you find games online to help you train your brain for better memory.

Productivity

Learn how to better manage your time and boost your productivity. You’ll get more done in less time, and become a more efficient student.

26. Productive Scholar: Ph.D. student Vincent discusses how you, too, can be productive while roaming the halls of academia.
27. Student Hacks: Learn a number of tricks and tips to improve your productivity as you gain knowledge.
28. Zen Habits: This is a great blog that offers simple productivity tips and hacks.
29. Productivity 501: Learn how to better manage your time and do more.
30. Lifehack.org: Get a better idea of how to enjoy life more — and have more time.
31. Ririan Project: Get helpful productivity tips and guides to developing your own productivity style.
32. Neat and Simple Living: Reduce your life clutter and increase your productivity with organization expert Ariane Benefit.
33. Instigator Blog: Helpful tips on turning your ideas into actionable efforts from Ben Yoskovitz.
34. The Lazy Way to Success: It’s not really about being totally lazy. Instead you learn about how to do things more efficiently so you do less while actually accomplishing more.
35. Laura Stack – The Productivity Pro: Idea for increasing your productivity from guru Laura Stack.

Focus

Understanding how to focus, and what to focus on, can be very helpful. These blog posts offer insight into how you can improve the way you focus on information, studying and other pursuits.

36. Heart of Things: This blog post on on five tips for better concentration can aid you as you study.
37. Chetan Bhawani: Provides a helpful post on improving your concentration as you study your school materials.
38. Mary Gardner: A blog post on increasing focus and balancing mood can help you clear the “brain fog” that might affect you.
39. Law School Academic Support Blog: While aimed at law students, the advice in this post on concentration is helpful for anyone who has a difficult time staying focused while studying.
40. Frontline Focus: There is a great blog post on increasing insight and creativity.
41. Sri Chinmoy Inspiration: Offers great tips on improving concentration, including how you can choose surroundings that help you concentrate better.
42. Consistent Parenting Advice: An interesting post on the benefits of concentration, and how to promote better focus.

Relaxation

It may seem odd that relaxation is a study tip, but it is. You will be able to study better, and feel less stress in general if you know how to relax and meditate.

43. Inner Health Studio: Great relaxation tips, techniques and coping skills ideas.
44. Marita’s Daily Relaxation Blog: Helpful hints on how you can relax and learn to rejuvenate yourself.
45. Meditation DNA: Helpful hints for meditation, including visualization meditation.
46. Meditation Zeitgeist: Get help with meditation and relaxation that can help you better focus your energies.
47. Relaxation at Home: Posts that provide you with ideas for more refreshing relaxation at home.
48. Water Fountains and Relaxation: While this blog focuses a great deal on how you can use the soothing sounds of water to relax, it also contains other practical tips on relaxing.
49. DailyOM: This blog focuses on meditation techniques, as well as helping you live a more balanced life.
50. 1,000 Petals: This blog provides insight into meditation and how it can work for you.

Technology has made it possible to connect with others and find information in a number of amazing new ways. Education has also become more accessible than ever. Many universities — including some of the most prestigious — offer open courseware that can help you learn concepts, often for free, in the comfort of your own home. It is also possible in many cases to find more than just a syllabus, reading materials and ideas for assignments. You can also find, in some cases, free educational videos and college lectures. Many colleges now film their lectures and turn them into videos that can be viewed online for free.

Free College Video Lectures

Some of the most well-known universities offer free video lectures that anyone can watch. While you can use Google or YouTube to find video lectures, there is no need to. (Find lectures using Google Videos by going to the search field, and then typing genre:educational followed by the name of the subject you are looking for. For example, genre:educational history or genre:educational science.) You can visit the web sites of prestigious schools and look for their video archives. Here is a list of 10 places where you can find free free college video lectures:

1. Harvard: One of the most recognized schools in the world, Harvard also provides a way for you to learn about a variety of subjects. The Harvard@Home web site is a great home base to find a number of videos from several different programs. There are physics videos, lectures on gender issues, anatomy course materials and even law and justice. It is also possible to go to individual schools at Harvard university and watch video lectures. Both the School of Public Health and the Department of Physics offer their own video lectures, as do the other schools and departments. Well worth poking around on the Harvard web site.
2. MIT: The best open courseware offerings are to be found at MIT. There are few schools that boast the wide range of free educational offerings that MIT provides. And video lectures are no exception. MIT has a very impressive collection of video courses and audio courses at its open courseware site. Some of the free lectures that you can view from MIT include anthropology, engineering, languages, physics, music, women’s studies, recreation and biology. There are a number of video lectures and courses that can be used with other courseware at MIT, to enhance the experience.
3. Yale: Many people would surprised to think that they could see first-rate lectures from an ivy-league school like Yale for free. One of the best places to go to find free college lectures from Yale is to visit the Office of Public Affairs. Not only is there news and information, but you can also see lectures. The “news channels” links in the side bar can connect you to other areas of the Yale web site that can help you see additional lectures. You can also find educational videos with a global scope by visiting the YaleGlobal Online Magazine.
4. UCLA: Some of the video lectures offered by UCLA are only available students and faculty. However, there are still hundreds of video lectures that the public are welcome to view. BruinCast offers course lectures from a number of courses being taught each term. It is also worth noting that there are archives going back to the 2005-2006 academic year. It is an interesting feature of UCLA’s web casts that they are actual lectures from actual courses being taught at the time.
5. Princeton: One of the cool features of the Princeton University video lecture portal is that it offers the chance for you to learn from schools all over the world. UChannel is designed to connect you with educators from around the globe, providing access to free college video lectures from Britain, Europe, Asia, Russia, and Canada in addition to lectures from around the country. You can find educational video lectures on just about any subject you are looking for that is related to public affairs and global interaction.
6. Columbia University: If you are looking for a little more elucidation on a wide variety of topics, you head over to Columbia Interactive. This site contains access to a number of video lectures and other online learning resources. Online education and video lectures on subjects covering the spectrum from architecture to medicine to philosophy to engineering can be found from Columbia University. And it’s all free to the public.
7. Stanford: If you are interested in business, you can learn more about the subject from Stanford University. This prestigious school provides a number of video lectures, as well as audio podcasts, from the School of Business. Stanford also has its own video channel on YouTube, bringing a number of lectures, seminars, round-tables and more to the public. If you are interested in engineering, there is also an easy to use page from the School of Engineering that connects you to a number of free lectures. You can use iTunes U to download instructional video and audio to your iPod or iPhone as well.
8. UC Berkeley: Another school that offers a wide variety of free course lectures is the University of California at Berkeley. From a course lecture on cognitive neuroscience to a lecture on literature in English, you can enjoy learning about nearly anything. You can also watch some of the course live, seeing web casts through Berkeley’s courses page. On-demand and replay are available as well, and you can search the archives for free video lectures from courses taught in other years.
9. University of South Carolina: If you are interested in microbiology and immunology, then the University of South Carolina is the place to go. The School of Medicine offers a number of video lectures on subjects related to the medical field. You can see videos, as well as download slide presentations to files that are easy to view on the computer or with an mp3 device.
10. University of Oxford: It’s not just American universities that offer free video lectures. You can also see college lectures from one of the world’s most prestigious universities. Oxford provides a number of web casts that are educational and insightful. Most of the lectures, however, relate to issues addressing the Internet, and policy, law and society that come with social media interactions. The Oxford Internet Institute is one of the best places to go if you are looking to be more educated about online technology and its implications.

Social media is the thing right now. It provides a way to connect people of similar (or dissimilar) interests from around the world. Social media also provides networking tools for professionals and even for job hunters. And it offers a platform for friends and family to keep up with each other.

But social media isn’t just for professionals, computer geeks and families who prefer not to send email; increasingly, social media is becoming a part of the classroom. It is possible to use social media in such a way as to enhance the learning environment, and to provide an education. Here are 13 case studies that show that social media does have a place in the classroom:

1. City University of New York: Newsgathering with Social Media

It isn’t surprising that social media is used in newsgathering. Indeed, it’s fairly clear that many journalists are finding use in social networks when it comes to locating sources, finding supplemental information and learning about items of interest. As a result, Jeff Jarvis, a professor at the City University of New York, is teaching a class on using social media for newsgathering.

This is a graduate level class in the Graduate School of Journalism that teaches students that they can use real-time searches to find breaking news — and to find comments on that breaking news. Examples of social media search used in the class include Twitter, FriendFeed, Scoopler and SearchMerge, a service that allows you to search, in real time, a number of sites. Practical, in-class demonstrations are helping the next generation of journalists learn how to make use of all the tools at their disposal.

2. Stanford University: Showcasing Faculty and Student Work on Facebook

Many universities are interested in sharing projects with the world — not to mention educating others in the school. To that end, Stanford University is providing access to faculty and student projects on its Facebook page. Students looking for inspiration for projects can see videos, pictures and other previously done projects.

Also, gathering this information into one place makes it a little bit easier to search for news and research being done at Stanford. The university has multiple pages, making it easy to locate information on the Green Library, hospital and a number of the colleges and departments. Stanford University also offers Facebook office hours, at which time faculty is available to answer questions on Facebook.

3. Vestavia Hills High Schol in Birmingham, Alabama: Twittering Lesson Plans

Chris Copeland is all about using Twitter to help his students. He has a Twitter profile (@ccopeland), and we Twitters lesson plans and notes, as well as answers questions. He teaches language arts in Birmingham, Alabama, helping students learn more about literature and how to love it. His tweets make it easier to keep up with what’s going on.

Additionally, Copeland points out that using Twitter to share lesson plans can help other teachers get good idea for their own lessons. And, it helps teachers keep things straight. It can also serve as a record of what has been happening in the classroom, which means that absent students can get an idea of what they are missing, and prepare for lessons when they return.

4. Northwestern University: “NewsMixer”

In a class with a practical application, students at the Medill School of Journalism created the “NewsMixer.” The idea was to pull local, national and global news from a variety of sources. There are places for users to connect, integration with Facebook, the opportunity to write letters and share quips. It is basically a social network created by the students. The Web site is pretty much dead right now, but the practical application of creating one’s own social network, right in the classroom, is definitely an inspiration.

Encouraging students to explore using technology, and use their own creativity to create their own social network, is a great, hands-on activity that can translate into the “real world,” teaching technology skills, and providing valuable marketing knowledge and offering insight into how social media works.

5. Stockholm University: Streaming Seminars

Sometimes, students can’t make it to seminars and other events. Broadcasting these events is a good way to help them reach a wider student audience. Stockholm University in Sweden provided a live streaming video of an environmental seminar that allowed students to watch remotely, or save and watch later. The university also used this technique for a seminar on file sharing.

It is easy to see that such a use has immense application in the classroom. It would be possible to watch presentations from other schools, and to “attend” lectures remotely. Additionally, it would be useful to students to be able to replay seminars and lectures to look for information they might have missed the first time around.

6. Orono Middle School, Long Lake, Minnesota: Tech Wiki

Orono Middle School has a great tech wiki that can be used by students and teachers alike. The tech wiki is a great place to ask questions, and find answers. It includes interactive tutorials on a number of subjects, as well as provides information for students.

Caitlin Cahill (@CCahillMN), one of the technology folks at Orono Middle School, suggested that it is possible to use Twitter in the classroom to help students learn about a certain subject. Students compete to find resources, and be the first to post to Twitter. It’s like a kind of scavenger hunt, and it teaches students research skills.

7. Duke University: Mobile Web Client

If you are looking to register for classes, check email or even access class notes posted up from professors, it is possible to do so with a mobile Web client. Duke University (as well as Georgia Tech and several other schools) is making it easier to complete a number of tasks using a cell phone. Enhanced learning from anywhere can take place using social media networks and Web clients.

8. Birmingham City University, Great Britain: Degree in Social Networking

If you want to be able to teach social networking like a pro, there is now a place you can turn to. Birmingham City University is offering a year-long Master’s degree in social networking. As you might imagine, course offerings include Facebook and Twitter, as well as other social networks such as Bebo. The idea is to help people learn how to use social media in a number of ways to benefit them, whether it is study skills or marketing skills.

9. Cardiff University, Wales: Tweprints

Looking for help finding peer-reviewed information for a science paper or project? Tweprints can help. Robert J. Simpson, a Ph.D. student at Cardiff University, began a project that puts twitter information about scientific papers in one place. It even includes the arXiv ID number, so it is easy to track down the papers themselves online. It is even possible to narrow your search by category (astrophysics, maths, condensed matter, etc.) This is a useful tool that students can use for a number of purposes.

10. University Laboratory High School, Illinois: Twittering Dante

Want to learn more about a great piece of literature? Steve Rayburn, a teacher at the University Laboratory High School, had his students consider Dante’s Divine Comedy. Students used Twitter to post updates from Dante to Beatrice for inside each of the nine circles of Hell. Not only did it require students to read the assignments, but it also got them excited about it — and thinking about what they would post.

11. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: YouTube

You can put up your own YouTube channel, creating videos and providing ingormation. The University of North Carolina offers a number of helpful videos for students and faculty alike on its YouTube channel. Videos relating to health and medicine, business and information technology can supplement student learning, and be used as teaching aids in thse classroom.

12. Georgia Southern University: Blog for a Social Media Course

Barbara Nixon teaches a course titled “Making Connections: Facebook & Beyond,” which aims to teach communication and networking skills. Not only does the course teach one how to use social media, but it teaches the value of communication with others through online assignments using Twitter and Facebook, as well as other social media Web sites. Students are required to start a blog, and Nixon herself keeps a blog on the class assignments and answers questions through here Twitter account (@barbaranixon)

13. University of Wisconsin, Madison: CoveritLive

In order to facilitate more students listening to a lecture on journalism ethics at the University of Wisconsin, Katy Culver encouraged her students to use CoveritLive. This is a social media tool that can be embedded into a blog or Web site and then used to comment on proceedings, link to appropriate content, and even ask questions. This is a great way to provide distance learning for those who may not be physically present, and offer them a way to ask questions and get answers.

When you are an online learner, it is important to have access to the tools you need to expand your knowledge and learn more efficiently. The Internet has provided online learners with open courseware, which is available to all — even if you do not attend the university that provides it. When you find something good, you want to be able to access it quickly, and use it again. Here are 25 helpful Web resources that can help you as you search, bookmark and browse open courseware:

Open Courseware Search Engines

Search engines can help you find the open courseware that you are looking for. There are a number of search engines focused on helping online learners find open courseware.

1. OpenCourseWare Finder is just what is sounds like: a search engine specifically designed to help you locate open courseware. Use this engine to help you find courses on a number of subjects of interest.
2. Directory of Open Access Journals provides a search engine that allows you to search full text articles from scientific and scholarly journals. The project is part of the Lund University Libraries.
3. Google Scholar offers access to videos, images and papers associated with learning. Searching for open courseware and other educational materials with the power of Google.
4. INFOmine provides searchable access to scholarly information, courses and more. Categories are searchable, and you can look for materials in a number of categories, including humanities, sciences and a number of other subjects.
5. Internet TV Search Engine isn’t just for scholarly information, but it is sure helpful for those looking for documentaries and even lectures. Use the “online lectures” link to view scholarly lectures on a number of subjects.
6. World Public Library provides access to learning materials from all over the world. Look for collections, open courseware and educational eBooks with help from this search engine.

Open Courseware Directories

There are a number of directories that can point you toward open courseware in a number of subjects. If you are looking for sites that have already done the legwork for you, visit some of these directories to browse open courseware offerings from a number of reputable sources:

7. Free Open Courseware Directory from College@Home offers a helpful resource for browsing your online learning options, from health and medical to engineering to business.
8. Self Made Scholar provides helpful links to all available open courseware from colleges and universities. Browse open courseware options from Tufts, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Stanford and more.
9. iBerry is an “academic porthole” that provides you with access to open coureseware offerings from around the world. Categorized so that it is easy to find what you are looking for, it is simple to browse open courseware offerings and materials.
10. World Lecture Hall is provided by the University of Texas at Austin. This is a searchable directory that provides you the ability to find different open courseware options from around the world.
11. Wayfaring Map offers the interesting Stingy Scholar’s University Podcasts, Webcasts & OCWs directory that helps you find open courseware from around the world. Provides you with access to offerings and course materials from world institutions of higher learning, including Harvard, MIT, CERN, Japan OCW Alliance, and more.
12. 100 Killer Open Courseware Projects from Around the World: Ivy League and Beyond provides information on some of the top open courseware projects. These projects provide you with access to free and low-cost courses available to anyone.
13. 236 Open Courseware Collections, Podcasts, and Videos gives you a list of a number of collections from many different sources. Includes audio and video presentations and courses.

Open Courseware Social Media, Bookmarking and Tagging

Social bookmarking and tagging can be exceptionally helpful when it comes to organizing open courseware and re-visiting helpful sites. Here are some social bookmarking and tagging sites that you can use to keep track of your open courseware options:

14. OpenCourseWare – SWiK provides a place for materials and courses with the “opencourseware” tag (and similar tags) to be aggregated. Find new sources for educational resources and add your own.
15. 43 Things is a social bookmarking site that connects you to others with simliar interests. Additionally, it can help you find information on open courseware, and put yourself out there as some interested in open courseware.
16. Delicious provides an easy way for you to bookmark your open courseware and organize it so that it is easily accessible from any computer with Internet access.
17. Facebook is fast becoming a social site that allows you to tag and bookmark a number of useful sites. It is possible to add some open courseware collections as “friends” or become a “fan”. This ensures that you get updates on specific information and tools related to your preferred open courseware.
18. Wikiversity is a Wiki that allows you to add open courseware and learn more about available offerings. You can save your favorites and access them later.

Open Courseware Web Tools

There are a number of Web tools that can help you with elearning. Find open courseware, organize it and better manage your online education.

19. Curriki is a community of those dedicated to education and online learning. You can find lesson plans, learn about open courseware, collaborate with other learners and even contribute your own knowledge.
20. Moodle is a content management system aimed at helping learning. While aimed at teachers, it is possible for you to organize your own open courseware and use this Web tool to enhance your elearning.
21. Docebo is an elearning Web tool aimed at helping you find open courseware materials, as well as connect with instructors and others. You can organize your materials and even submit your own courses.
22. e-Learning Guru provides information on open courseware, offers you access to Web conferencing and provides other helpful information about online learning.
23. Edubuntu take ubuntu and takes to the educational level. This Web tool can help you enhance your online education efforts by offering applications, content, tools and providing you with a powerful search tool for open courseware.
24. Osalt is about finding open source software to replace some of the more expensive applications you have. This can be helpful in terms of replacing educational software and other applications you might use in your online learning.
25. Dimdim provides helpful tools for elearning through its conferencing capabilities. If you are planning to join a conference or Webinar, Dimdim can help.