Online Learning - Alison vs Coursera

I have enjoyed learning on Alison, but I have also found that there are some courses that are substandard. It is almost as though they are accepting any type of course rather than paying attention to how it is written and laid out. Does that mean learning on Alison is not worth it? No. It means that if you really want to learn and get good recognition for your learning, you need to be careful to examine the courses you are taking. I did not finish my last course and I don't regret it, either. I found that I already knew most of what was being taught and I easily identified where they went wrong. I want to learn what I don't know, not what I do know. I also want to be confident I am getting the most from my membership. I have learned from content writing courses and a deep reading course. I feel that I was given relevant information presented in such a way that it was interesting and learnable. That is why I will contine to look at courses. So why am I talking about all this? Well, I am now taking courses through Coursera. The courses on Coursera are taught by colleges and universities. There are many free courses with certificates for a fee, but there are also degree programs available. You can earn your degree by paying for each class on a monthly basis. You may be surprised at the low cost of tuition. If you do not want to earn a degree, diploma, or certificate, you also have the option of auditing classes. Alison's certificates and diplomas cost less, but one must be cautious about finding the best. Coursera requires more study time. Of course that is to be expected when the courses are taught by experts and professors. I find it comforting. I don't know about you, but I expect to have to work hard to learn important things. If it is too easy, then what is the point? While some links I offer are affiliate links (I get credits towards paying for certifates for sign-ups), I am not using this blog to make money. Here is where I talk. Sometimes I vent, sometimes I brag, and sometimes I just dream. Although I'm not selling, I do hope you enjoy what you read and follow my ramblings. I would also love to hear from you. Check out Alison Check out Coursera

Oh, Alison, Alison - I'm Learning Online For Free!

 Regardless of an inability to pay, I love to learn. Alison offers a myriad of free courses online. You can earn certificates and diplomas in specific areas and I truly enjoy taking the courses. However, while the courses are free, the certificates and diplomas (proof) do cost money. Let's get this straight: I'm not complaining. I understand that is how they make money and it really is a good deal. 

 I have earned 3 certificates and am working on a diploma. Most of it is actually a review of things I have learned already, but it has definitely been worth reviewing - even though some of it has been very repetitive. Ugh. I still recommend Alison for those who want to show extra knowledge to their current and/or prospective employers as well as those who simply wish to learn for their own self-enrichment. 

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My Quiet Place

 As a dreamer, that is both a night and day dreamer, I have been almost obsessed with the idea of creative visualization. When I was thirty years younger, I collected enough visualization books to fill an entire 4 foot shelf. The topics included everything from chakras to interpretation and dialogues to scenic environments. I told myself I was using creative visualization to attain success in the so-called important things in life, but I ended up using it more as an escape from life than anything else. I suppose that in the long run I have drawn some value from it. For example, it gave me a chance to de-stress, unwind, and gain some insight into the workings of my own mind. I have often wondered if such things make me self-centered or simply more enlightened. Perhaps it has been a little of both. 

My favorite visualization is my quiet place. This is the place I have carefully put together and decorated to my tastes. As instructed in one book, I put all my senses into it. There is the scent of flowers, rain and old books, the sounds of various birds and frogs, the surroundings that give me joy, and the full sense of the variety of textures. I am hesitant to describe it in too much detail. It feels as though if I do, I am allowing you to enter. This is MY place. Well, aside from the people I invite to sit and drink coffee with me. I love the one on one time -- the discussions I have had with my deceased father, the philosophical talks I have had with Pope John Paul III (by the way, I am not Catholic), the arguments/insightful talks with friends. I love to dialogue and there is something about utilizing the personalities and minds (what I know of them, anyway) to come to a resolution or realize there are no solutions… and that is usually okay. 

I do not visit my quiet place as often as I used to.  The last time I was there, vines had covered it and dust had settled everywhere. A good clean-up is overdue. That will take some extra time. I shall create a broom and sweep the floors. Shake the rug. Clean the window. The flower bed needs to be weeded. Perhaps replanted. But the vines can stay. I love vines. I’ll add a trestle and pull them away from the window so I can watch the sun set. 

If I can remember where it is, of course. Lately I have been getting lost along the way. 

KK Domanski

AKA Scattered Daisy