Distance learning has evolved from a small offering of correspondence courses to entire universities offering complete degree programs online. Modern online degree programs continue to evolve at a rapid pace and offer a variety of students the opportunity to receive a college education and career training. Now, students don’t have to decide between on-campus or online learning, because some schools are offering hybrid programs which include both in-class and online instruction.

While both campus-based and online programs offer strengths and limitations, it’s important to note that online education offers the same solid access to research and intellectual discourse as on-campus education does. So much so, in fact, that even on-campus courses integrate online multimedia and video chat.

Beginnings of the online learning model

The earliest distance learning students received and submitted lessons via snail mail, but computer learning has been around longer than you might think. The PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations) system is the first recorded campus communication system from 1960, connecting thousands of University of Illinois terminals together. New Hampshire’s Computer Assisted Learning Center (CALC) began offering instruction by computer in 1982. CALC became the true first online campus in 1995, providing real-time instruction, online registration and communications. Finally, when Cornell University, Yale Medical School and University of Pittsburgh created the Interactive Learning Network in 1997, online training was already commonplace in corporate settings.

The first true private online colleges hit stride in the early 2000′s, drawing a huge student population from overseas seeking online degree programs in the U.S. Now they provide economically viable alternatives to students too committed elsewhere to move to campus. The same is true for businesses expanding nationally and internationally with demands to train employees. Today companies are able to join in remote offices around the world and efficiently conduct online training for various offices.

Online training today includes a range of methods including Video on Demand (VOD), interactive VOD, webinars and live mentoring. Human resource staffs with companies also employ Learning Management Systems (LMS) that schedule and track staff training and development. One company, KnowledgeWave, has developed “Log on to Learn,” a program that matches individual learners with live, interactive instruction designed to meet their specific needs.

Is online learning right for you?

Online learning offers people of all walks of life, and in a variety of situations, the opportunity to learn on their own schedules, at just about any location. To be a successful with online education and training, students should be self-motivated, able to learn independently and good time managers. Those who tend to procrastinate or require prodding to complete tasks may find online learning difficult. But even a hybrid or blended program can offer the opportunity for those who need a more traditional learning environment the chance to benefit from online training.

However you decide to approach online learning, you should know it’s become widely accepted as a viable education choice. The Sloan Consortium reports that 65 percent of colleges and universities now say online learning is vital to their long-term strategy. It’s also growing in popularity among professionals who are returning to school for certifications or looking to build specialized creative or technical skills. When it comes to online training and education, school is always in session, live from your desktop.

About the Author Woodrow Aames has written articles and profiles for Yahoo, Microsoft Network, Microsoft Encarta, and other websites and print magazines around the world. He holds an MFA degree, has taught English abroad, and is currently enrolled at one of the renowned computer schools studying web design.

KnowledgeWave is a South Burlington, Vermont based company that provides traditional instructor-led training for Microsoft Office applications and other technologies in both in-house and remote Live From Your Desk formats. Log on to Learn is an online on-demand training resource owned and managed by KnowledgeWave and provides on-demand content allowing for a blended training solution that meets today’s multigenerational workforce needs.

Did you know that Log on to Learn and KnowledgeWave offer free weekly video lessons in addition to the regular tips and tricks and video links that we send out via Twitter and Facebook? We usually update the available videos on Fridays and make them available for 7 days. It’s a great sample of the content that is available to our members. We always post 3-4 videos, it’s a small portion compared to our 1000’s of titles that are available in the Log on to Learn member library, but it’s completely free. If you find this content helpful please consider a low cost membership.

Log on to Learn complete Access starts at $59 for an individual or $99 for a shared office license. You get access to all our content that includes lesson plans and books, short video tips and longer video series, quick reference guides for all the Microsoft Office applications as well as discounts on our traditional instructor lead training that would more than cover the cost of the membership access. Questions or do you want a demo before you buy? Contact Dan at 800-831-8449 or dan @ Logontolearn.com

This week’s free videos feature Microsoft Word 2010. Titles include, Word 2010: Learn Bullets, Numbers, and Lists Inside and Out, Learn to Unlock the Power of Mail Merge in Microsoft Word 2010 and Word 2010: Work Smart, Not Hard! Save Time with Reusable Content Elements

Go Here to Watch the Videos

Word 2010: Learn Bullets, Numbers, and Lists Inside and Out
Arranging information in lists can make it far easier to understand. You probably use lists in your documents every day but don’t think about them until something gets complicated. Ever tried pasting one list into another, changing the indentation, or swapping bullet styles? This free 30 minute webinar will teach you the ins and outs of bullets, numbers, and multilevel lists in Microsoft Office Word 2010.
Learn to Unlock the Power of Mail Merge in Microsoft Word 2010
Mail Merged letters are a great tool for businesses looking to give their correspondence a personal touch. The process of combining a letter written in Word and a data source can seem intimidating. In this session we uncover how easy it really is to create simple mail merges in Microsoft Word. If you need to send out any type of printed or even email, communications, this video will show you how to save time in doing it.
Word 2010: Work Smart, Not Hard! Save Time with Reusable Content Elements
MS Word users often find themselves adding the same elements or pieces of text (I.E. a legal statement or address block) to their documents over and over. This is when the Word Warrior reaches into their arsenal and unsheathes Building Blocks, Quick Parts and Preset Headers and Footers. No more retyping over and over; just add these elements with one swift click!

Go Here to Watch the Videos

Watch them soon, they will be available until at least Friday June 1st.  If you visit these links after June 1st they could be the next round of free videos!

The TRIM function is a great tool to help clean up your data. The function looks at your data and removes all excess spaces at the beginning, middle or end of your data.

Did you know that we regularly update our free video content on Log on to Learn? In addition to no-fee live webinars we offer several on-demand videos that are completely free.  We hope that you’ll find great value in our free offerings. This week’s update included content for Microsoft Excel 2010!

Exploring Excel can be a daunting task. It’s a flexible application that can do so many different things. If your intimidated looking for things in Excel, let us provide some tips. This week’s selection of videos will unlock some functions and features of Excel 2010. Our full Log On To Learn video library has a complete set of videos around all these features and much more.

Available Videos Include:

Excel 2010:
Data Analysis Revealed! Forecasting, Analyzing and Creating Informative Reports
Getting External Data from Access, The Web, Text and Other Sources
Calculate Specific Results Under Two Different Conditions with the IF Function
Wrapping Text

These videos are completely free. You can view them here: http://logontolearn.com/free_videos.php

Don’t for get to register for our live events on the 23rd. Topics for our live events include:

Access 2010:
Establishing a Primary Key and Indexing Fields
Creating Tables and Building Relationships

Excel 2010
Exploring Charts
Headers, Footers and Printing Options

Register Online for these free events: http://logontolearn.com/free_webinars.php

Watch as our Excel expert takes you into the function library and reveals the usefulness of the IF function.  Need specific results under two different conditions?  Learn how to apply true or false statements to your formula and generate results baised on your criteria.

6 Tips to Keep You Safe Online

Like it or not, the Internet is now part of our daily lives. While it is laden with wonderful informative things and a lifetime of educational readings, it also has its “bad neighborhoods” and underhanded computer and website hackers. With online dangers increasing every day, it is important to be careful when you’re online and learn safety tips that you and your family can follow to keep yourselves and your data safe. Following these tips can help keep you protected while online and steer clear of trouble.

1. Be Proactive In your Defense

The following list is a simple yet effective way to put a wall up between you and the not-so-friendly parts of the Internet. Taking these steps will provide a fundamental barrier to help keep your family and your data safe.

• Keep your computer updated with recommended security updates using update programs from your operating system vendor, such as Microsoft Update or a similar program.
• Make sure to install and properly configure legitimate antivirus and antispyware software. Remember to update the software on a frequent basis as viruses and malware are introduced on the Internet every day.
• Make sure that your Internet firewall is always on and functioning. Even when you are not using the computer, the firewall should be on.
• If you have a wireless network, make sure that you have a strong password and monitor your wireless router activity on a regular basis.
• Always confirm senders before opening emails, attachments, and/or instant messages. If possible, have your antivirus program scan all emails for viruses prior to opening them.
• If it looks suspicious, don’t click it!

2. Be Smart When Creating Passwords

A strong password is vital in protecting your electronic data, which can include important things like credit card numbers, social security numbers and bank account information. As a general guideline, your passwords should be at least eight or more characters, include letters, punctuation marks, symbols, and numbers. The greater variety of characters in your passwords, the better protected you are. Never use the word “password” as your password, or easily guessable phrases like “abc123”. Most computer hackers and identity thieves will try these simple passwords in their initial attack to break into your personal information.  An example of a good password would be KwiM#1rO (Knowledgewave is my #1 resource Online).

Change your passwords often and use a variety of passwords, when necessary. Create email reminders to change all of your passwords periodically and never use the same password for multiple purposes. Never use the same password for every single thing. Cybercriminals will steal your user data and passwords from websites that have inadequate security and then attempt to use these passwords on high security websites, such as your bank website.

3. Be Extremely Careful With Your Personal Information

It is imperative to be careful and conscious of where you share your personal information. Be aware of who may ask for your information. At times, you may be required by legitimate entities to divulge personal information such as your social security number to a state unemployment website, or your home address to your 401K management website. Be overly cautious whenever you give out this information and never give out personal information to anyone who approaches you asking for it.

Be aware of what you use in your email signatures. Avoid placing your company name, title, phone numbers, and email addresses in your signature file unless your company requires you to do so. If you must have a signature file, do not use the email account to participate in public forums or for other public websites.

Check what’s already out there! Search engines like Google and Yahoo! have the capability of searching the web for your name. If you place quotation marks around your name in the search engine and do a search, you will see any mentions of your name that the search engines have found online. You can visit these sites to find out what, if any, of your personal information is already out there. Make sure you check family members’ names as well.

Most importantly, use your common sense and don’t give your passwords out to anyone. Remember, no legitimate company will ever ask you for your password. There are rare cases when support people will ask you for your password, but make sure that it is only when you call them, you feel comfortable, and the password is absolutely required. Afterward, you should immediately change the password.

4. Be Aware of Your Children’s Online Behavior

Monitoring your children’s internet use is critical to keeping your data safe. No matter how much security software you have on your computer, nothing compares to personally monitoring your kids’ Internet activity. An involved, concerned parent is the best protection for children.

In today’s socially slanted Internet environment and social networks like Facebook and Twitter maintain their dominance, watching your children’s online behavior is more paramount than ever. All it takes is a single mistake and your personal information – phone number, address, place of employment – can spread across the Internet like wildfire. This brings about dangers that can become a parent’s worst nightmare. A parent can never be too concerned over their children, so do whatever you need to do to keep you and your family safe from online dangers, which can turn into offline dangers as well. Even if it means taking unsupervised Internet access away from your child, it’s better than many consequences of not doing it.

5. Be Cautious With Social Networks

Speaking of Facebook and Twitter, many cybercriminals use social networking sites to gather information about you in order to answer security questions to gain access to your online account. You should limit the information you share online and remember, never post anything you would not want on a roadside billboard. Be extremely cautious in posting pictures of yourself and your children online or allowing anyone else to. As sensitive as this may be, the fact is that there are predators lurking the Internet to find the perfect person and/or child to stalk. Avoid attracting trouble altogether and help keep this from happening to you and your family. Again, educating your children about these dangers is not only very important, it is eye-opening for many kids.

6. Inform Yourself of Current Online Scams

It seems as if every day we hear about a new online scam that is deceiving unwitting Internet users of their money. To stay as safe as possible, you need to be aware of the latest scams that are spreading across the Internet and avoid them at all costs. You can use Google to research the latest scams, but make sure any links you click on are from trusted sites. You may also wish to frequent websites like http://www.snopes.com that post the latest popular scams.

Stay Safe Online

Taking a few steps in online safety can protect you and your family from a world of trouble. Keep your family safe by being informed and getting everyone involved in online safety. Keeping up to date with the latest in internet protection will decrease your chances of being preyed on by hackers, predators and cybercriminals.

Erin Palmer is a writer and editor for Bisk Education. She works with Villanova University’s information assurance training program. Villanova also offers other cyber security training courses 100% online.  KnowledgeWave Training provides traditional classroom training and online on-demand training via Log on to Learn.