I've been keeping myself busy lately, sorting out repairs to computers (mine included - grrr), but also in the pursuit of finding a free education.
I like the idea of a free education. It makes me believe that the world isn't all bad, and that there are still people out there with all-emcompassing compassionate little hearts who give a damn about the poor and weary who are too broke and too tired to cope with a paid education.
Granted, it might not get you a degree, or a high school education, but then again, it just might.
Despite living pretty much on the other side of the planet from everywhere else, I've been enjoying attending lectures at Yale University (in the good ole' US of A), going to public lectures in London, England, working on my maths skills with the help of the wonderful professors at Cambridge University, also in England, and working out how to study properly with the University of Southern Queensland (not all that far from where I live, actually).
Of course, I've not actually left the comfort of my own warm little house to do any of this. Yale University (among others in the States) offer lectures for free online. They are old cached versions from a couple of years ago, but they come with video, audio, lecture notes, and in some cases, even exams. Among other universities offering free lectures is Utah State, where I am currently doing a Classical Drama subject (based on Greek Drama), and I am finding it very enjoyable indeed.
The beauty of these freebie lectures is that there are no time constraints. You can do a lecture, and then not touch it for six months if you like, or you can make yourself stick to a basic timetable, and plough your way through a subject. Granted, you don't get any accreditation from most of the universities (although I seem to remember that a few of the American unis are willing to accredit you if given proof that you have passed a particular subject).
In my travels, I've also been looking at the copious amount of free educational sites for those of us who wish to give Home Schooling a go. While I don't have kids (yet!), I've always been an avid fan of this schooling option (preferring to Home School myself for a lot of my adult years, and being somewhat Home Schooled by my family as a child, while still attending regular school).
One of the options I have discovered to be quite enjoyable for Home Schooling is the large amount of free games to be found online. Today I was playing with two art-based games. One that I am 'playing' at the moment involves the usual 'hidden object' style game, but at the end of each level you get to see a painting, and find out a bit about the master who painted it.
Other games are based on well known novels - Around The World In 80 Days, for example. Still others teach you about mythology from various countries; historical moments of great significance feature in others, and then there are games that take you to various cities and teach you about those places.
It seems that there are free educational options out there for all age groups - from infants right up to 100+.
There are times when I truly love the internet!
I like the idea of a free education. It makes me believe that the world isn't all bad, and that there are still people out there with all-emcompassing compassionate little hearts who give a damn about the poor and weary who are too broke and too tired to cope with a paid education.
Granted, it might not get you a degree, or a high school education, but then again, it just might.
Despite living pretty much on the other side of the planet from everywhere else, I've been enjoying attending lectures at Yale University (in the good ole' US of A), going to public lectures in London, England, working on my maths skills with the help of the wonderful professors at Cambridge University, also in England, and working out how to study properly with the University of Southern Queensland (not all that far from where I live, actually).
Of course, I've not actually left the comfort of my own warm little house to do any of this. Yale University (among others in the States) offer lectures for free online. They are old cached versions from a couple of years ago, but they come with video, audio, lecture notes, and in some cases, even exams. Among other universities offering free lectures is Utah State, where I am currently doing a Classical Drama subject (based on Greek Drama), and I am finding it very enjoyable indeed.
The beauty of these freebie lectures is that there are no time constraints. You can do a lecture, and then not touch it for six months if you like, or you can make yourself stick to a basic timetable, and plough your way through a subject. Granted, you don't get any accreditation from most of the universities (although I seem to remember that a few of the American unis are willing to accredit you if given proof that you have passed a particular subject).
In my travels, I've also been looking at the copious amount of free educational sites for those of us who wish to give Home Schooling a go. While I don't have kids (yet!), I've always been an avid fan of this schooling option (preferring to Home School myself for a lot of my adult years, and being somewhat Home Schooled by my family as a child, while still attending regular school).
One of the options I have discovered to be quite enjoyable for Home Schooling is the large amount of free games to be found online. Today I was playing with two art-based games. One that I am 'playing' at the moment involves the usual 'hidden object' style game, but at the end of each level you get to see a painting, and find out a bit about the master who painted it.
Other games are based on well known novels - Around The World In 80 Days, for example. Still others teach you about mythology from various countries; historical moments of great significance feature in others, and then there are games that take you to various cities and teach you about those places.
It seems that there are free educational options out there for all age groups - from infants right up to 100+.
There are times when I truly love the internet!
