Accessible And Affordable: Flexible Learning Options To Consider

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In years gone by, studying meant going away to university or college and spending anywhere between a year and six years visiting the library, attending lectures and tutorials and taking examinations. Today, there’s a whole raft of learning opportunities available. If you’re looking for accessible and affordable ways to study, here are some flexible options to consider. 


Online programs

Online courses and programs have revolutionized the way we learn. Billions of people all over the world use the Internet, and this has made studying far more accessible. Rather than having to choose between working and learning, people can now do both. This is beneficial for those starting out on a career path, as well as those who are keen to climb the ladder and progress to the positions at the top of the tree. You can choose to undertake courses at all levels online, from entry-level programs to advanced qualifications, and you can fit studying in around your work commitments. 


If you are interested in online courses, take some time to explore options, look at different schools and colleges, compare syllabuses and think about what kind of job or role you’re working towards. There is a vast range of programs available, including an online communications degree, qualifications in management and leadership, programs for sales and marketing, journalism and creative writing courses and certificates in accounting and finance. Before you decide which option to choose, read job descriptions and requirements carefully to see which courses would be most beneficial and attractive for prospective employers. 

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Apprenticeships and internships

Apprenticeships and internships offer incredible opportunities to learn and gain practical skills. In many cases, these are paid placements, which provide you with the opportunity to earn while you learn. Apprenticeships are often geared towards vocational roles and trades, and they combine classroom learning with the chance to experience the world of work. Apprentices learn from more experienced professionals and they can hone their skills and try new techniques under the watchful eye of a mentor or manager. As an apprentice, you’ll have a wage, but you’ll also have a good chance of securing a job once you complete the program. Internships are slightly different, but they offer the same platform to gain experience on the job. Not all internships are paid, but some will offer a wage or cover expenses. If you impress while undertaking an internship, your employer may decide to keep you on or offer you a job at the end of the agreed term. Even if you don’t get a job offer, you will have gained valuable experience, which is great for your resume.  

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Learning, training and studying play an instrumental role in enhancing your career prospects and enabling you to fulfil your potential. If you’re looking for flexible ways to develop new skills and gain qualifications, it is possible to study while working. If you have a dream job in mind, or you’re keen to take the next step on the ladder, take a look at online courses and programs,  and keep an eye out for internships and apprenticeships.

How Parents Can Help to Faciliate Online Learning

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The COVID-19 crisis has turned the daily lives of families all around the world upside down. Up to 60 percent of all students across the world have been affected by pandemic related school closures, according to the UNESCO.


For parents who have no experience teaching their children at home, it is an enormous challenge to suddenly take on the role of primary teacher or overseers of their academic progress. The same can be said with kids who have never received education outside of a formal setting or institution.


While online learning has its challenges, it also has plenty of good opportunities. School days don’t have to be as strict and as structured as they were before, and the internet is a superb source of learning materials on top of schoolbooks and textbooks.


Here, we look at some tips to help parents facilitate online learning at home.

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Photo by Julia M Cameron from Pexels CC0 License



Organize your technology and resources


Computers and internet connection are the basis of online learning. You may have to start from scratch, buying a laptop or tablet, and getting an internet plan. Or you may need to upgrade to a faster device and a more reliable connection. Either of these situations requires you to fork out for those things to ensure your kids can have a comfortable and productive home-learning environment. Check with your school or district to see if there are any grants or bursaries or other ways of funding if you are on a low-income or your child has additional needs.



Familiarise yourself with the guidelines around online safety


Your children will be spending even more time than usual online and may be doing it without supervision if you are working or looking after other members of the family.  LanSchool partnered with Bark for student safety so children should know what they should and shouldn’t be doing when they are online, but it is a good idea to go over the rules so both you and they know what is acceptable and what is not.



Create a learning environment


If possible - and it isn’t for every family - create a dedicated learning space. It can be a nook in your study, their playroom, or somewhere conducive to taking their online classes. Equip this classroom with boards, pens and papers, books, and other essential equipment and resources. As much as possible, make this classroom an educational and fun space for schoolwork and related activities - somewhere that they will enjoy spending time and learning in. Get them comfortable tables and chairs too.  



Implement a schedule, but be flexible


Having a daily schedule, as they do in school, gives the kids a sense of normalcy and routine Structure the school day around your child’s needs and yours too, given that you too will have responsibilities at home and work. This school day can mix indoor learning with outdoor activities to reduce screen time and to give them time to play and relax.




Learn to set reasonable goals for the kids. They also have to adjust and cope with the changes brought by these unprecedented times. Your goal, for now, is to get them on board and help them with their education at home.

Studying Better Without Relying On The "Cram" Session

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A lot of students will, at some point, try cramming in preparation for an exam. However, those all-nighter study sessions right before the beginning of an exam will only tend to stress you out and get in the way of your ability to sleep and relax to get into the right headspace. Here, we’re going to look at some healthier habits to help you study more and study better.

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Relaxing might help better

One of the reasons that we tend to cram just before a test is that we’re feeling nervous about how we will perform, leading to stress. You may have already studied plenty already, but still, be stressed. You might think cramming will help you feel more prepared, but it only tends to induce even more panic. Instead, look at methods to help yourself relax and to calm your nerves the day before the test. Take the time to compose yourself, even if it means not taking a single look at your study materials.


Break it down

Rather than trying to sit and study it all at once, it may be beneficial to try and break down your exam subject material into different sections that you can study in ten-minute blocks. If you don’t have a lot of time throughout the weeks or months to study as much as you want to, such as if you’re studying while working, rather than setting aside one day to cram it all in, you might be better able to retain the information you need by creating ten-minute study blocks every day.


Use specific exam preparation tools

If you’re looking at taking specific qualification exams, such as CPAs for accounting, CFAs for finance, MCATs for grad school or the like, then you should know there are plenty of resources out there that can help you better prepare for those specific tests. Tools like UWorld are built for exam preparation first and foremost and can help you better structure your approach to some of the most important tests in your educational life. Simply cramming as you would for any other subject might not always be the best approach.


Better last-minute learning

Sometimes you simply can’t avoid last-minute learning. You might simply have time to run away from you or have other responsibilities to deal with. If that’s the case and you don’t have the time to “prepare” your approach to the exam ahead of time, then learning to better improve your last-minute study, as shown by Study International, might be more helpful than simply trying to cram it all. It’s recommended you work from your own notes or prepared slides, and break the day up with plenty of breaks to avoid getting bogged down.


The occasional cram session to help you memorize a few final details before you sit your exams can sometimes help. However, they should not be the primary tool you rely on to help you prepare for your exams. Consider the tips above the next time you think about cramming.

Has The Global Pandemic Giving You A Chance For A New Career? Let’s Explore

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When it comes to our healthy lifestyle there can often be common things that affect us in different ways. It might be the temptation of grabbing junk food at lunch time, not preparing or feeling motivated to do things such as exercise, but have you ever considered that your career could be having a negative impact on your health? This is when we may need to make improvements and look at how we do things. With that in mind, here are some suggestions. 

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Image source - pixabay - cco license 


Could you make improvements?


One of the biggest things to ask yourself is what could change it, what you could do now to improve things for you. This might be working on your language skills so that you can enhance your career in a different way, the global pandemic giving you time to learn and develop skills. You could find an online English tutor who could help you get started with it. Or maybe the changes in the last few months have made you see that you see that you don’t want to do that job anymore. So it may even be time for a career change. 


Sitting down for too long

I am sure we have all been there at some point, am I right? Sat at your desk, working away, and before you know it you haven't stepped away from the computer and it is the end of the day. Sitting down for too long can have a negative impact on your health, so try and make an active point of standing once an hour for a minute. Whether that is walking to the bathroom, standing while talking on the phone or simply just getting up and walking round for a minute. 


Not eating healthily at work

Your guess it, we are more likely to eat unhealthily at work. There is too much temptation to grab something of convenience rather than eating a salad you made from home. However, with a bit of preparation and advanced thought, you can nip this bad habit in the bud before it takes over. 


Stress of workload

Stress can be a real common issue from work and your career, after all, the higher up the career ladder you climb, the harder it is to have an easy time of it. But, stress can also impact your health if you don’t learn some decent avoidance methods or thought provoking tools to help you deal with it. A good rule is to leave it at the door before coming home, and separating the two areas of your life. Allowing you time to relax and do the things you want to do without the worry and anxiety that stress can cause. 


The mental impact from the people around you 

Finally, the people around you can also have a negative impact on your mental health. Ever find that you feel you absorb the moods of others? This can happen all too frequent in an office environment especially if you work closely with your work colleagues. The best advice would be to try and not let their negative vibe impact your current thoughts and outlook. 


Let’s hope that highlighting some of these areas can help you ensure that your career is not your downfall when it comes to your healthy lifestyle.