Review: New to the World of Virtual Learning?
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 14, 2012
It was not too long ago that most learning took place in a face to face environment - with a teacher/trainer in front of the class.  We then progressed to home study courses where the individual had the books, manuals, tapes or video/audio materials and went through them on their own.  But now so much learning/training is taking place over the Internet.  For those who grew up with computers as standard equipment, this book was not written for you.  On the other hand, if you are a bit older and virtual learning is new to you, this book can give you some valuable insights into getting the most out of your virtual learning experience.The first issue you will run into in your virtual learning experience is the fear of technology.  Dr. Liz Hardy, the author, starts off by giving you some tips for overcoming that fear.Next she tackles one of the biggest excuses we all use to avoid doing things which are new/different or a bit challenging - "I don't have the time."  Dr. Hardy shows that we all have the same amount of time, the question is how we use our time.  She gives some simple worksheets so that you can see how you are spending your time.  While the biggest single excuse for not accomplishing more in life is "I don't have the time" the real truth is we fail to properly use the time we do have.Dr. Hardy then moves on to giving pointers for studying when you would rather be doing something more entertaining.  She also gives some points for defeating procrastination - when we tell ourselves we will do it tomorrow.  If you don't master your temptation to put things off, you will not achieve your goals.Most of us need deadlines to force us to action.  However failure to meet deadlines can shift us into a feeling of overwhelm and hopelessness.  There are some excellent points in dealing with looming deadlines.The final chapter deals with getting help.  Most online learning venues have some type of support staff.The book is fairly short and covers the basics of how to profit from e-learning.  This book is designed for those who are new to e-learning or who are intimidated by the thought of taking an online course.  It gives some good practical advice.  E-learning is rapidly gaining popularity as a cost effective method of teaching/training.  So if you have been putting off taking an e-course because you were afraid you would not be able to do well, this book certainly should help.