Sunday, September 22, 2013

Learn Something New Every Day

The Los Angeles Public Library offers free, online tutorials in a number of subjects, starting with foreign languages. Learn Spanish (or French or Italian or dozens of other languages, or English if your native language is another) with interactive software that includes apps for Android and I-Phone. (I've used the Mango Language courses, but the library also offers Powerspeak.)

Universal Class is organized into over 40 major topics, including (among many others) accounting, business, computers, finance, history, homeschooling, math, real estate, psychology, and special education. Within each of those topic areas, there are anywhere from 10 to 40 or more online courses (more than 500 total courses). Registration is required, as some of these courses may be used to meet continuing education requirements. However, these are self-paced tutorials.

A little less intense, Learn4Life rotates a series of 6-week, online courses from about a dozen topic areas, including a number of courses in computer software applications, a beginning guitar course (what?),
graphic design, and writing and publishing. Registration is required, and these courses are presented on specific dates.

The Learning Express Library has free tutorials and practice tests, including for improving general academic skills (math, science, test-taking, reading and writing) at the elementary, middle, high school and college levels; and for college and graduate school preparation (including entrance exam preparation and practice tests). Learning Express also has tutorials and practice tests for: GED and citizenship preparation, workplace and job search skills, and specific career guidance (e.g., information and exam preparation for more than 15 career fields, including teaching, law enforcement, culinary arts, civil service, etc.).

More comprehensive help with high school, college and graduate school entrance, exit and placement exams is at the Testing & Education Reference Center. That one boasts over 300 practice tests and courses, and information on over 4,000 accredited schools.

Get Your Learn On!











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