What you can learn in the middle of the night

by Phil Houseal

Community Journal (Kerrville TX) Sept 16, 2009

"Sally" needed some help. After three decades raising kids and working in a family business, the Kerrville resident found herself on her own, with a child still to raise and needing new skills to get back in the workforce.

So she came to Club Ed.

"Having to reenter the job market, I figured computer skills would definitely help," she said. She needed training, but needed it on her schedule.

The answer was Club Ed's online courses.

Club Ed offers more than 400 online classes. New classes start each month. There is an emphasis on computer skill training, as well as business, personal improvement, and test preparation. Sally is now enrolled in her second online computer course, and she loves it.

"I thought it was very easy to follow the lesson," Sally said. "My instructor used a lot of pictures so I could see what the screen looked like. That made it easier for me to follow."

She could interact with the teacher through a Question & Answer box.

"The teacher is good at getting back to you," she said. "We felt we had access to someone to answer questions. This made it very easy to follow for someone who had not had much computer experience. I was very pleased."

Each week, students download two lessons. This continues for 6 weeks, for a total of 12 lessons. The study course includes regular quizzes, instructor feedback, and a certificate of completion. Six weeks not enough time? Students can extend their course for weeks longer.

Sally admits the thought of taking an online course unassisted was intimidating at first.

"Anytime you enter a different field, there is a different language to learn. You have to have time to learn the language in order to follow instructions. I felt they handled it very well."

Online training may not be for everyone, but it suits Sally's personality.

"I'm a finisher," she said, noting how she once shortened an out-of-town trip just so she could get home and turn in an exam. She is also highly motivated - she did each lesson three times to make sure she understood everything.

Sally is already planning her next online course, and may add the Alamo College classes offered in Kerrville. Whatever path she chooses, it needs to fit her current life demands.

"I still need to be available to my child. But this is perfect for that. You can take it at your convenience - I have ended up working online at 11 o'clock at night. Where else can you get access to a teacher in the middle of the night?"

"This has been very good for me."

XXX

To learn more about Club Ed's online courses, visit www.clubed.net, or call 830-895-4386.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Each year, we offer more than 400 classes throughout the Texas Hill Country, along with online courses, business and individual training, and after-school and summer camps. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.