“EVOLUTION IN LEARNING”

Without something resembling a liberal arts education — combined with an extensive vocabulary — in-depth thinking becomes restricted. Without the skills training one receives in high school and college, as well as from corporate training departments, the ability to excel in one’s chosen career becomes limited.

In terms of the former, most individuals are on their own, as a liberal arts education becomes more and more de-emphasized. No worry, however, for those motivated individuals who choose to pursue the study of great thought and wisdom. Books remain readily available and the internet is opening up almost limitless possibility.

When it comes to skills training, the advent of E-Learning has exploded the possibilities. Never before has such excellent training for careers, or specific tasks, been so widely available. E-Learning is reaching around the world. Never have we had so many useful opportunities within our grasp. For as long as one has computer access and a high speed connection, the world of skills learning is at hand.

On the Education side, community colleges are in the forefront. Today, 97% of our community colleges offer E-Learning courses and the number of students accessing those courses is growing at an annual rate of better than 12% per year.

Online proprietary schools are exploding, too. For example, the University of Phoenix currently has an annual enrollment of better than half a million students.

On the Training side of the ledger, corporate America is leading the way. E-Learning is growing rapidly as the training medium of choice. The private business sector has discovered that their goals of growth and profitability can be greatly enhanced through E-Learning training initiatives. And, because most E-Learning is produced in this country, the rapid exporting of meaningful education and training (via the Internet) is exploding.

People want to learn. They always have. Whether one is intrigued by the history of ideas and/or the learning-path to a better future, E-Learning is making all of that more possible than it has ever been before.

However, we must acknowledge that our learning culture has evolved. Our young people are comfortable gathering information-for-learning from television and computer screens. Therefore, only the E-Learning that is anchored in full-motion video and optional word-for-word audio will reach the majority of our young people — an important fact for you to keep in mind.