Online courses appeal to wide variety of personal and professional interests

December 15, 2006

Georgia Southern University has virtual-reality students.

Without setting foot on the Statesboro campus, people of all ages and interests can take non-credit classes for professional development, personal enrichment or both, through the University’s Continuing Education Center.

With around 300 online topics available, the variety of Education to Go classes is staggering. A nurse wanting to specialize in elder-care may choose the 30-hour, $169 ‘Certificate in Gerontology” course. A teacher may prefer ‘Solving Classroom Discipline Problems,” which runs in the standard $89, 12-lesson format. A potential writer can choose among classes on poetry, mystery writing, getting published, and more.

The most popular offerings include courses that focus on creating web pages, learning computer programming, speed Spanish, basic accounting, grantwriting and fiction writing, according to Judy Hendrix, the program specialist in charge of the University’s Education to Go courses.

‘Because there is no physical classroom, courses are never cancelled due to low enrollment,” Hendrix said. She added that participants can sign on to study or complete assignments at any time of the day or night.

A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each month. Courses for the first three months of 2007 will begin on Jan. 17, Feb. 21 and March 21.

Each course runs for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. Students must complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

All class members must have internet access, a web browser (Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator) and an e-mail address.

Interested individuals can see a complete listing of classes and register online by visiting http://ceps.georgiasouthern.edu/conted and clicking on the Online Instruction Center.

For more information on Georgia Southern’s Education to Go courses, contact Hendrix at jhendrix@georgiasouthern.edu or (912) 681-5993.