| Have you ever considered an online education | | | | accomplishment will enrich your life and encourage |
| course? I'm not talking about getting a college degree | | | | you to try other online courses. |
| online, just taking an online course or two to learn | | | | 5. Re-ignite your brain! Get your brain in shape. Take |
| something new! | | | | a few hobby or informational courses and get used |
| Copyright (c) 2008 Kenneth Anczerewicz | | | | to working online, remembering details, and |
| Thinking about taking some courses online? I'm | | | | completing projects. |
| referring to an online course or two rather than an | | | | 6. Prevent Alzheimer's Disease. Keeping your brain |
| online college degree. Online courses are available to | | | | active will help prevent dementia and, possibly, |
| you whether you attend college currently or work at | | | | Alzheimer's Disease as you get older. Scott Gottlieb, |
| a full time job. You can work at your own pace and | | | | New York newspaper writer, states that, |
| at times convenient for you. Courses take about 18 | | | | "Participating in mentally challenging leisure activities |
| hours to complete and are generally online for 30 | | | | such as reading and playing board games may help |
| days per session. | | | | elderly people stay mentally sharp." Researchers have |
| Here is a roundup of reasons for taking online | | | | found that people aged 75 years or more who |
| education courses. | | | | engaged in leisure activities had a lower risk of |
| 1. Eliminate boredom! When the kids are in school, do | | | | dementia than other elderly people. (New England |
| you find that you're bored? Take a class online! You | | | | Journal of Medicine 2003; 348:2508-16). |
| could try something new like cooking, photography, | | | | 7. Become a more interesting person. When you |
| building websites, drawing, or anything that interests | | | | attend various functions such as PTA meetings you'll |
| you. | | | | have some interesting conversation to share. |
| 2. Learn something new! Learn to do your own taxes | | | | 8. Provide your children and family with a great role |
| or use a new computer program. Get new ideas for | | | | model. Adults who demonstrate life-long learning are |
| gardening or homeschooling or improve your | | | | wonderful role models for children, who learn that |
| communication and writing skills. Perhaps astronomy, | | | | education continues to benefit us all through life. |
| religion, or genealogy will spark your interest. Men | | | | 9. Learn more about technology. Any time we use a |
| enjoy courses on tying flies (for fishing lures), stamp | | | | computer, we learn more about technology and how |
| collecting, and history. | | | | to use it effectively. |
| 3. Meet some new friends or re-connect with old | | | | 10. Improve your resume. The information you learn |
| ones! Online courses provide good opportunities to | | | | via online courses might be a great addition to your |
| make new friends and share experiences with your | | | | resume and help you get a better job or more pay. |
| old friends. Get a friend to enroll in a course with you; | | | | Pay attention to my roundup of reasons for taking |
| you'll have a wonderful time! | | | | online education courses and you may be surprised at |
| 4. Improve your self-esteem! After learning a new | | | | the benefits you experience! |
| skill, your self-esteem will soar. The new sense of | | | | |