By Nathan N Nortey
You may be engaged already in active work with good earnings but any time your colleagues or friends talk about the universities they attended and the conversation meanders into their various educational certificates they have acquired, you feel a bit insecure, belittled and almost demeaning.
It is quite unfortunate that we live in a society where irrespective of how skillful we are with our choice of vocation we nevertheless feel quite insecure without the necessary qualifications from any recognized university or institution.
It is now more possible than ever to wipe away such feelings by engaging yourself in an online study program. Whether you have your own full time business or employed by a company there is always a way out.
There are times when life's major activities like child bearing, sickness, relocation, change in jobs and many more rob us off our initial dream of continuing our education. This must never be your portion since technology has now made it possible to continuously pursue your dreams irrespective of your current location or condition in which you find yourself.
The most important factors to consider is your ability to structure your day in such a way that you can find pockets of time that can be devoted to continuous and consistent learning. The discipline to apply your-self daily is what most people lack when it comes to studying online from home.
In most times, campus institutions are far away from us and accessibility will be largely impossible. In other situations, the institution may be closer but you may not have that flexible time to follow their normal classroom schedules.
Due to the medium through which online study programs are carried out, they are perpetually available and students especially from home can access them at their own flexible time. The concept of online studies has brought a new dimension and a paradigm shift by making courses and training materials available in our homes giving us great flexibility and comfort..
In choosing an online study program, you will have to take some of the following into consideration:
1. Does the course falls in line with your goals and aspirations
2. Is the course delivered flexibly to your schedule
3. Are there any examinations to be taken at the end
4. What are the certifications associated with the course
5. Is the institution an accredited one
6. What is the course materials made of
7. What equipment or computer system is needed to access the course
8. What are others saying about the course
9. What are the current job demands in that industry
10. What are the future prospects in that particular course
11. Finally, do I love and have passion for the course
These and many more must first be considered and answered sincerely before a final decision is taken to undertake any online study program.
An online study program mostly has to do with the use of the internet and a computer or a laptop to access well structured courses mostly from a reputable institution or a learning organization. Websites like http://www.alison.com or http://www.coursera.com are a good place to start from.
Many have left their online study programs mid way through because they never take the time to evaluate their future needs, their goals and aspirations and where they want to be 5 to 10 years from now. The most important of all, is whether they truly love and have passion for what they want to do.
Loving what you do naturally generates tons of passion to carry you through even in times when conditions seems difficult and daunting. It is therefore very important to ensure that you are very passionate about what you are about to study before you venture into it. Following the money or the fame in a particular course of study will leave you with nothing to hang unto in difficult times.
It is also very easy to have the passion and the drive to take a particular study online, but lacks an essential ingredient which balances up the whole equation, and that is discipline and dedication. These two elements are mostly needed if you should ever succeed in any online home study program.
Being your own boss sounds exhilarating and enjoying, but be careful of what you call freedom. Anyone lacking the self discipline to know when to start and stop one activity or the other will find it difficult undertaking a self study course online. You will typically find yourself drawn into one particular activity and allowing it to take all your time, leaving none for your studies.
The fact that you do not have a boss or a supervisor breathing over your shoulder may make it a bit more challenging to discipline yourself down to a more rigorous time schedule.
In times where you find yourself in any of such situation, remember that you can teach yourself to be disciplined. Adopt the system of allotting time for activities and chores around your environment. Use a to-do list and don't jump to the next thing until you have finished the first one. Outline your list in order of priority and ensure you clear the most important one first.
When you get to the task of learning, ensure that you clear all obstacles and if possible have a separate room where you will not see the television or hear the radio. If you live with others let them know your schedule time for studying and demand that they give you that peaceful environment to complete the allotted schedule.
Set up a block of time to do your learning and don't cut it short till you have completely exhausted that time. If you feel a bit tense or tired, get up and take a few steps, stretch yourself a bit and get back to work. Don't focus too much on the clock to know how fast or slow its going, just get yourself embedded in your material of study and before you know, you may have spent hours.
Source : https://ezinearticles.com/?Tips-for-Engaging-in-Online-Study-Programs-From-Home&id=8416458