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Schools and Universities  » How To Get Your Online Education -- Part Two

How To Get Your Online Education -- Part Two

SOURCES FOR EDUCATION

The Internet is loaded with information. It literally is the reason for its

existence. Therefore, it is completely possible for anyone to find the

education they are looking for on any topic.

However, sometimes the Internet can seem so big that it's hard to

locate what you want. Below are a few direct methods for finding

what you are looking for.

SEARCH ENGINES

Not my favorite, but often the obvious place to start. However, they

are best used to locate topics in general, get to a related web site, and

then work forward from there.

EZINES

There's an ezine on everything. Plus, unlike web sites that often stay

the same for months, ezines contain new information in each issue as

well as refer you to relevant sites and other related ezines. If you

subscribe to several ezines covering the same topic, you'll get a range

of opinions and views that can help you develop your own ideas over

time.

It's ok to subscribe to quite a few ezines and let them compete.

Determine the ones that continually bring you what you want and stay

with them. Root out a few of the best on your chosen topic and let

the rest go.

After you read an ezine, and you like the information presented, visit

the ezine's web site and look at their archived issues as well. This can

be a quick way to surmise what kind of information and interests the

ezine will cover.

A great place to start your search for ezines is an ezine directory.

You can search by category and read brief descriptions of what the

ezines contain. My favorite directory is the Ezine Locator run by Jeff

Wilson. http://www.ezinelocater.com To me it's more easily

navigable and makes better sense than many others.

WRITER'S SITES

Another worthwhile endeavor is visiting the sites of the people who

actually author the articles that you enjoy. Some ezines run original

articles, but many just pick up articles from freelance writers.

Determine the actual author of good articles and see what their site

has to offer or watch for more of their works. Most articles contain a

resource box at the end identifying the author and providing a link to

his or her site.

ESTABLISH CONTACT

You can read articles and sites all you want, and you can learn a great

deal. However, sometimes you just plain need personal contact from

someone who can answer your specific questions.

Not everyone on the Internet is easily approachable, but those in the

business of selling information usually are happy to make personal

contact. When you do write to someone with questions there are

certain steps you can take that will increase your odds of getting a

response.

1. Call them by name.

2. Name the article or site where you read their words.

3. Be courteous.

4. Be specific.

Addressing people by name tells them you know who they are and

that you are not just sending out bulk emails to anyone who would

respond. Letting them know where you heard of them gives you

more credibility as well. Being polite is, of course, expected by

anyone, and being specific will get you better answers. Asking

general questions that require volumes to answer will not get results.

This is the Internet where working marketers can literally get hundreds

of emails every day. If you show specific interest, you'll be more

likely to get a legitimate response.

You can try contacting anyone you respect that offers an email

address, but you won't always get a response depending on the

person, how busy they are, and their way of doing business.

However, there are people who are willing to answer questions and in

fact list themselves as being available to do just that.

SwapSmarts.com http://www.swapsmarts.com is one site that lists

experts in many categories that have signed up as being willing to take

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questions. This can be one way that makes finding people to contact

much easier.

CHOOSING A MENTOR

At times, you may find one or two people that you can form a good

relationship with and contact repeatedly. If you are willing to give

something back in that relationship, whether it be your own

knowledge in a different area, other items of value, money, or at least

friendship, you can end up with a mentor. You can have one to

several mentors, and often the relationship can be profitable for you

both.

I define a mentor simply as someone willing to work along with you

by answering questions or relating their own experience while you

make your way through a learning process. Mentors deserve your

respect, and they deserve to be paid back in some way for what they

do for you.

However, there's no one that knows everything. You still need to

think things through for yourself, seek other opinions, and relate others

experience and knowledge to your own goals and obstacles.

You can learn from any or all of these resources. However, it's how

you start to put your new knowledge into action that counts.

We'll start to discuss that in the next article in this series.

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Written by Joe Bingham, Editor of the NetPlay Newsletters

Publish Your Own Quality Ezine with Little Work and a Lot of Help

http://www.netplaynewsletters.com/publisher.html

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About the Author

Joe Bingham is the editor of the NetPlay Newsletters.