Online Distance Learning Forum

The summer vacations have barely arrived, yet - in my head, I am already thinking about the fall. Even now, in my 34th year, I still start to get that back to school feeling around August time - what am I going to do in September?

Actually, I hope that feeling never goes away. Having had several careers - marketing, editing, writing - and the ongoing career of motherhood, I still find myself wondering what I will do "when I grow up." Will I ever end up teaching English? Will I ever write that novel? Will I be marketing myself and newly gained skilled for the rest of my days?

I hope so - because I believe that the constant acquisition of new skills is what keeps a person fresh - in mind and body. In this - the ever-changing global workplace of the twenty-first century, our best hope to keep up with life and the workplace is constant education. That is why I am such a fan of online education - be it a degree, diploma or certificate.

Of course no one said this would be easy. I know myself - with 2 school-age children and one toddler, a messy house and a second income to earn, there just are not enough hours in the day. It is a fast-paced life we are all living in the developed world, but technology is here to make some things easier.

I am lucky enough to spend most of my time at home with my children, and for those who are in established careers, it may seem more difficult to change direction. many online degrees such as MBAs, marketing, psychology, health administration and computer science are designed to use your existing skills to help you move into another field. Surely this is a good enough reason to go back to school.

If you are interested in going back to school - online or otherwise, there is plenty of information on this and sister sites. Enjoy your summer and - if you go back to school, enjoy your new future!

It's official: we are now entering the amateur age of culture. The Internet and easily accessible digital technology has allowed anyone and everyone to have their say and reveal their art and talents to the world. These may be through blogs, podcasts, short films or animation, and the good news is that the phenomenom is growing. Not everyone thinks this is a good deal, but if Paris Hilton is allowed to be ubiquitous simply because of her money, should not ordinary people have a voice who might actually have something worth listening to? Enter the digital age...

These days, the trend seems to be growing for people taking things into their own hands. The lines between expert and amateur, celebrity and "nobody" are blurring. The truth is, nobody is a nobody. The downside of this is the endless serving of trashy reality tv, and the so-called "dumbing down" of society (there's that Paris Hilton again). But is society really dumbing down? The proliferation of amateurs using digital technology to post their skills on the Internet would say otherwise. The Internet has given a voice to many more people, and also the chance to change your life in the form of the online degree.

No one should have to stay in a job they hate forever, with no way out. Online degrees mean that people can work from home, in their own time, and still earn a salary. There is such a huge range of online degrees available. True, most of them are still career-oriented. Online universities tend to stick to programs that might actually get people a job (how dare they?) However, online degrees in subjects such as digital animation and web design present the perfect opportunity for career-changing, while giving something back to the medium.

For while the Internet and digital technology have enabled all of us to publish, we will always need innovators in web design, digital animation and computer programming to ensure our voice is still heard. The downside is, we will have to listen to Paris Hilton too.

No one has said it is easy of course. Online degrees mean a lot oa