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What’s Next For Your Micro-Business
Is Online Learning Right For You?
Savvy small-business owners are always looking for new marketing strategies, ways to beef up the bottom line and a host of other skills to ensure success. Yet few entrepreneurs have extra hours to spend in traditional classrooms.
The answer could be sitting on your desktop: online education.
Before you automatically disrespect online learning, take a look at a 2005 survey conducted by Feedback Research, a division of Claria Corporation, a leader in online behavioral marketing.
In the survey, 67 percent of respondents saw no difference in the overall quality of education between online and traditional schools.
The reason that survey respondents gave for pursuing online learning should strike close to the heart of all small-business owners: Fifty percent of respondents said that they were interested in online education because it gave them the ability to pursue a degree while working.
And the field of study that survey respondents were most interested in? Business, of course.
For small-business owners, online learning can deliver top-notch education that works with your schedule. Indeed, the survey showed that 85 percent of respondents identified flexibility of schedules as one of the most important factors in choosing online learning. Another 84 percent said that the quality of teaching was a deciding factor.
What You Can Do
If online classes sound like a solution for your ongoing business education, here are a few tips to help you find the best school and courses for your needs:
Compare schools
The school should be regionally accredited to ensure quality You should be able to enroll in courses without being admitted to a degree program You should be able to talk to an academic chair or a faculty member The school should clearly spell out all tuition costs and class fees The school should offer a refund policy that prorates refund amounts Many schools offer grants, scholarships and other forms of financial aid
Compare classes
Classes should focus on doing, not simply reading The facilitator or teacher should have real-world experience in the area she or he is teaching The class should be interactive and encourage dialogue between other students as well as with the teacher Classes should be totally contained online, with no requirements for you to be at any given place at any given time The time commitment for working on the course should be no more than about 15 hours per week The curriculum should be rigorous to ensure you learn new skills
Get a look
Ask to see a syllabus of the class Check the credentials of the actual teacher who will be facilitating the course Some schools will let you take a test drive of sample courses Look for reviews and referrals from students who have taken the class that you’re interested in
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(Posted July 2005) |
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