Online /distance learning

[Spark plug]

Has anyone ever done a online /distance learning course, I want to gain some more qualifications but working shifts doesn't leans well to going to collage.

Are these courses a bit Mickey Mouse or are the worth the money / effort.

 

[gaz_moose]

I am currently doing open university and it is definitely a labour of love. my advice would be to try to do it over the winter as slaving over a keyboard when its hot and sunny outside makes it even more of a chore.

 

[bigegg]

I am currently doing open university and it is definitely a labour of love. my advice would be to try to do it over the winter as slaving over a keyboard when its hot and sunny outside makes it even more of a chore.

I did my first bachelors via the OU, and am now studying for a second.
It's well worth doing for academic subjects (I did maths, and now law).
Not sure how it would work for more hands-on subjects.
It's a LOT of work - and you have to be VERY self - motivated.
I find it more difficult than self-employment in terms of pushing myself. Mainly because the rewards are even more ephemeral

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Unless they will give you a recognise certificate, they are worth less than a fart in space.

But.
Do them through a collage, or a recognised on line collage or similar they are valuable to show you have the ability to stay the course.

Sick with things like English, Maths. Hands on stuff is not worth it unless they do class were you do hands on.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

There are lots of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Coursrs) available and the best part is they are free*.
https://www.mooc-list.com/
I've done a couple in previous years over the winter months when it's too cold in the workshop.

*You might have to pay for course materials/certificates.

 

[fixedfixer]

If you just fancy learning more about something for free you could look at futurelearn. https://www.futurelearn.com/courses. Some are very basic but some are more interesting. Not career courses just info.

 

[rtbcomp]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collage

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College

...
...things like English,....

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

@rtbcomp
Rowlocks to you!!!!!! With Brass knobs on.

 

[Brummie]

I did a computer course through coursera.org. They have a fairly large range of courses to choose from but I did it for the enjoyment of it and to keep the old grey matter functioning rather than to gain a qualification.

 

[indy4x]

Not your typical course but I did my Advanced Amateur Radio course via Distance Learning and as with other comments on here you have to stay focused and keep up with the work as it is all too easy to fall behind.

 

[skotl]

My daughter's doing a Masters in Psychology through distance learning with Belfast Uni. She works 40 hours a week and is putting another 40 hours into the course each week, so it's a massive investment in time (and money!). The course lasts a year (she started in September) and there are timed papers and exams to be handed in so she really hasn't had more than a few days off since she started.
But... it's the only way she can do it without taking a year off work, which is even more expensive!

Not only does the person doing the course have to be dedicated but whoever they're living with has to be ultra flexible, too - basically no social life for a year and her other half knows to leave her alone for five hours each night.

 

[daleyd]

basically no social life for a year

Where do I sign up it sounds like I'm massively overqualified

 

[indy4x]

There's a course for it?

I just read the book a couple of times and did the exam

There is indeed, Steve Hartley and the Bath Amateur Radio group run it. There is a £30 fee which you get back if you make it past week 8.

I just read the books for the Foundation and Intermediate but despite my best efforts I could never find the time to sit down and absorb the info.for the Advanced. I found the course useful as it focused my attention. It was only 12 weeks but rather than do the weekly stuff I ended up spending 1 evening every 3 weeks cramming to get through it plus a few evenings before the exam.

Everyone kept saying that the maths was hard, TBH for me that was the easy bit, I struggled with the electronic circuits

Glad I did the distance learning otherwise I would still be getting round to it.

 

[Gareth0123]

I did my BEng with the OU when I worked for Claas UK and they were sending me around the world.
I found it really easy to study when sat in airports and travelling on planes and in the hotels at night rather than propping up bars, and without any of the distractions caused by my then young family.

 

[mpats]

If you do it through Open University then it's a perfectly good qualification. Mature students and distance learning are fairly big business for a lot of universities and colleges so their programs tend to be well run.

 

[tlovatt]

I am currently doing another distance learning degree - I did one the traditional way after my A-Levels and have also done distance learning. As with all things, it depends upon what course you do, there are some good well respected distance learning qualifications, but there are also some that are a waste of time.

As others have said, do not underestimate the workload, it tends to be a bit of an endurance test. About half of the people on the course I am doing have dropped out and a load more have taken a break half way through.

 

[Spark plug]

Some good info chaps, I don't think I have the commitment required,at least at the moment to to do a full blown degree. But I think I would like to do some short courses with something to do with engineering / manufacturing / H&S.

I hate over zealous H&S but it's what the world is becoming and what employers want.

 

[norlander]

Rowlocks to you!!!!!!

thats not how you spell it.

and you have to be VERY self - motivated.

I sat My ACE2 (Army Cerstifficacut ov Edukashun) by attending skool, but did distance learning for some subjects for my ACE 1 , but every Army unit has a RAEC (Royal Army Education Corps)ossifer (except Mariness and Guards cos no point in flogging a dead horse) so you have a local mentor in most theatres, its tougher going on your jack, you just have to ramp up self discipline and be tough on setting aside time to study.

I hate over zealous H&S but it's what the world is becoming and what employers want.

H&S is like the the law and military discipline etc its only over zealous when its applied and interpreted by ...............erm, overzealous persons.

 

[mpats]

Some good info chaps, I don't think I have the commitment required,at least at the moment to to do a full blown degree. But I think I would like to do some short courses with something to do with engineering / manufacturing / H&S.

I hate over zealous H&S but it's what the world is becoming and what employers want.

I must admit I am humming and haying over it, Bachelor of engineering, 6 years to complete doing it distance learning, they suggest 12 hours a week worth of course work With shift patterns I could do it on days off, but with life at the moment I think committing to it might be a struggle.

You've probably made the sensible decision, if you aren't sure you can commit to it time wise then best wait till you can.
However, some of the courses you do may help count towards your degree if you can get accreditation for prior learning when/if you decide to do it.

 

[Gareth0123]

Spark Plug,

If you do decide to do some studying please try and look for courses where the credits are transferable to a degree.

'er-indoors is trainer assessor in Health and Social care, and has the relevant Petals, Kettles & Dettles teaching qualifications but not a degree and every year she has to train in something new and relevant to the industry. So she always goes for a course or training that has transferable credits along with doing an additional course of 30/45/60 credit units per year and although it's taken her 7 almost 8 years in about 12 months time she will have accrued the required 360 credits for an honours degree.