(Fully) Online learning?

August 24, 2008 6:29 PM

(Fully) online learning resources?

I've been planning to self-teach myself several college-level courses, after reading previous posts about projects such as MIT Opencourseware. However, most of the classes on MIT Opencourseware require that the user purchase the textbook for the course to actually follow along, and the textbooks are pricey, even on half.com or ebay. On the other hand, the open-source textbook projects like wikibooks are often incomplete and don't provide the indepth material and exercises that you would get from a college course.

So my question is, what good sites or resources do you use for self-teaching college courses, where all the required resources are provided online? Are there any? I'd prefer resources that include written material as opposed to just podcasts, and bonus points for resources that include exercises that reinforce the course material so that it is retained. I'm interested in any and all subjects.

Thanks!

posted by btkuhn to education (7 comments total)

how about University of London external programme ? You'd get all the required textbooks, readings and a tutor assigned to monitor your progress. The downside is that you have to pay, but the cost is pretty low and affordable.
posted by joewandy at 7:46 PM on August 24, 2008

Thanks, but the only reason I'm looking for fully online courses is so that I won't have to pay for textbooks that go along with (already available) online courses. If there aren't any good, free, online courses that don't require additional materials I suppose I will spring for the textbooks, I just don't really have the budget for them right now...
posted by btkuhn at 9:59 PM on August 24, 2008

Do you have any specific subjects in mind?

Carnegie Mellon's OLI offers what you ask. From its description: freely available online courses and course materials that enact instruction for an entire course in an online format. Exercises are included, although end-of-term exam is only available to those who formally sign up for a course through a recognized institution for actual course credit.
posted by Gyan at 11:51 PM on August 24, 2008

Great question....thank you for asking this.
posted by TeachTheDead at 7:17 AM on August 25, 2008

I haven't explored it much in depth, but it seems Open University has this option: www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/home.php
posted by RedEmma at 12:21 PM on August 25, 2008

This site was helpful to me when I was studying to take a bunch of CLEP tests to place out of required courses. There are free online textbooks in 15 different areas. Hope this helps.
posted by acridrabbit at 1:25 PM on August 25, 2008

I came across this post (about a wiki of literally hundreds of online learning sources) randomly today and thought it might contain something useful for you.
posted by jacalata at 2:41 AM on August 26, 2008