The internet has changed learning forever. The world wide web is a terrifically valuable resource and the huge amount of information now available online means facts and learning opportunities are never far from your fingertips. The internet also makes it much easier to discover what learning options are possible, and is now increasingly used to deliver courses with distance and e-learning growing in popularity.

The internet is very useful for researching the courses and learning options available. Most of the schools that have courses listed in this guide have their own websites, which contain information on course content, delivery methods and other services available. Each course in this guide has a nightcourses.com code which you can use to go to the nightcourses.com website to find out more about the course.

The internet is also extremely useful as a research tool. Using a search engine you can find information about pretty much anything and everything in just a few seconds. However it often takes a good deal of experience and research, before you can find the exact information you are looking for and ensure the material you find is up to date, accurate and correct. While there are lots of reputable and trustworthy websites online, there are also some sites which should be approached with caution.

Where the internet is probably best is in giving supplementary information and extra reading and research material. You might check out a webpage before a class to get a basic intro to a subject you are going to study. Or follow up something interesting your lecturer mentioned by doing a google search. The internet really comes into its own as a complementary aid to your primary method of study.

Internet learning through online courses can be divided between free courses and those run for profit by professional schools. While there are lots of free courses available in a wide variety of subjects, these vary widely in content and quality. Free to everyone courses are generally better as introductions or short taster courses. For example if you are looking to teach yourself enough Spanish to order food and ask directions on holiday, or to learn the basics of a new software package, then a free online course could work well. However if you are looking for a professional qualification, or to gain new skills to help gain promotion or a new job, then a distance learning course which includes personal supervision and tailored syllabus is probably a better idea. You can find more details of these in the distance learning section of this guide.

The internet is a tremendous learning resource. Whether as a source of initial research, primary information or supplementary material, the net is impossible to ignore for any serious student.

Learning sites worth checking out include:
www.wikipedia.com
www.dictionary.com
www.ask.com
www.bbc.co.uk
www.oasis.gov.ie
www.bartleby.com
www.about.com
www.learnthat.com