Rescued

Find Your Writing Niche:

Try www.ed2go.com

Part of my writing job is to take pictures along with the stories, so five years ago I bought Adobe Photoshop Elements.  I needed a boost, though, to learn how to use it correctly.  I got online and looked up photography classes offered at Brunswick Community College, the college closest to where I live. I was surprised to see Photoshop as a choice.

When I signed on, I was directed to www.ed2go.com. What a bonanza! The hundreds of courses in 12 categories at the site are online. I scanned the catalogue and learned I could take writing, language, accounting and dozens more classes without ever leaving my home.

I was aware that I WAS NOT going to earn college credit by taking any of the courses although a certificate is awarded upon completion—if I passed the final exam.  All the courses are special interest and continuing education courses.  They are administered through colleges and universities across the country, which rankle some academics because they believe the association with noncredit online courses lowers college and university standards.  It doesn’t if you understand that you are not taking a credit course.

I have taken a half dozen ed2go.com courses and am happy I was able to improve my use of Word, PhotoShop, Excel, Quicken, Romance Writing, and, most recently, Using Social Media in Business.  Taking the classed opened the doors to easing the frustration of not knowing how to use the programs efficiently and to learning more about my chosen fields.

The procedure is identical for all the classes: six weeks of online instruction with two lessons a week available on Wednesdays and Fridays.  A quiz is available after each lesson, and students can take it as many times as they wish. At the end of the class, a final exam is offered, but students can only take it once and pass it in order to earn a certificate of completion.  Students can post questions and the instructor is available to answer questions.

I am delighted that I found www.ed2go.com. Check it out. It may offer exactly what you want.