Sara discovers the world of open online learning

Sara

My name is Sara and I'm studying CSWE 3 via AMEP Distance Learning with Navitas English. One day, during my online English lesson, my teacher Erika and I discussed further studies in Australia. I told Erika that I had always been interested in working in the nursing sector. I said I was unsure about making the big financial commitment to begin further study and that I knew little about the Australian healthcare system.

The breakthrough came when Erika suggested I look at the website "Open 2 Study". Here I found a free open online short course called "Introduction to Nursing in Healthcare". I thought it would give me a good introduction to nursing so I quickly registered and immediately commenced the course.

The free online course was fantastic. It provided an overview of nursing roles and outlined the different healthcare sectors. I completed four modules in four weeks and  I learnt by doing online activities, watching videos, doing puzzles and completing assessments. Each module contained clear learning objectives and was easy to understand. I just set aside 2-3 hours per week and studied at my own pace. 

By doing this short course, I also found  that I was able to practice my English in online discussions. As well through reading and listening I learnt new vocabulary and gained knowledge. The best thing was that after successfully completing and passing the assessments, I was issued with a certificate of achievement.

The course encouraged me in two ways. Firstly, listening to lectures by a range of healthcare professionals, confirmed that nursing is a worthwhile career path and that the teamwork involved would be rewarding. Secondly, I now understood with a positive attitude and willingness to learn that we can all achieve our goals and improve ourselves, regardless of our age or gender.

If you have a couple of hours to spare, why not check out these free online courses. You could find a course that interests you. You can study from the comfort of your own home and most importantly you could change your life. Here is the link Open 2 Study.

• Click on the Open 2 Study link above and choose 2 courses that interest you. 
• Why do these courses interest you?
• What online activities did Sara do?  What online activities do you enjoy doing?
• Sara set aside 2-3 hours per week to study by herself. What helps you to make time to study.
• How does a positive attitude and willingness to learn help to achieve our goals?