I’d have serious issues if Americans were charged a “television tax” to fund public programming. But, I do have to admit that the BBC produces some very useful resources for self learners. Luckily, BBC’s online courses and educational material are freely available to everyone, including us non-taxed Americans.

If you haven’t explored their site yet, take a look. A good place to start is their material on history. They have easy-to-follow lessons on everyone from Ancient History to the the World Wars. To check out other BBC material (including some well-made foreign language tutorials), take a look at this site’s list of free BBC courses.

* For those wondering, British citizens must pay a yearly television license tax for owning a t.v. or other t.v. viewing device.

If you want to learn through your computer, chances are you’ll need some updated software. Buying new programs straight from Microsoft can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The way I see it, there are two cost effective ways to buy software.

1. Be a student. If you just happen to be studying computer science / information technology / information systems, etc.,  chances are you’ll get a good deal on software. Many colleges have complete Microsoft bundles to give to their students, free of charge. I’ve known students to walk away with thousands of dollars worth of software (yes, the good stuff). Even if you’re not majoring in a computer-related field, you can still get certain student deals. Check your college bookstore or keep an eye out for online student discounts (right now they’re offering students an entire suite of programs for $59.95)

2. Get open-source software. Even if you’re an independent learner, you don’t need to pay a fortune for your computer programs. People give away open-source programs for free. Many of these programs have been constantly improved for years and are now better than their expensive counterparts. Answerpoint.org recently published a very helpful list of open-source software programs. Download them at no cost and use them to write documents, surf the net, secure your private info, and send emails. You can even get an entire operating system at no cost.

Some people don’t start an learning on their own because they’re afraid that it will be too expensive. The truth is, you can learn independently for less than most people are paying for cable. With a bit of work, you can even get software, equipment, and books for free.

I love listening to “courses” from The Teaching Company. They’re a for-profit company that hires the best professors across the nation to create audio and video courses. The courses can be a bit on the expensive side and you don’t get any college credit, but they are great if you want to learn something just for yourself.

I recently received an email from them offering a free audio lecture about Duke Ellington, the  jazz player. Here’s a blurb about the lecture:

“To celebrate Black History Month, The Teaching Company is proud to present a free lecture, Duke Ellington—the Jazzman. Born Edward Kennedy Ellington in Washington, D.C., into a middle-class African American family, Duke Ellington (1899–1974) was a self-assured and talented musician. He became instrumental in the history of jazz—that wholly American music genre rooted in African rhythmical forms and the gospel/spiritual tradition.”

If you’re thinking about buying material from the Teaching Company, this is a good way to test it out and see if these audio lectures are a good fit. Even if you’re not interested in their wares, you can still download the audio lecture for free. It’s just over a half hour and you’re free to burn it to c.d, share it with your friends, etc.

It’s a new year, and I have a lot of educational insight and cool links to share. From now on, I’ll be posting to SelfMadeScholar.com several times a week (if not every day). So, add this site to your RSS feed and bookmark it on del.icio.us. It’s going to be a great year!

(P.S. If you haven’t explored the site’s directory of free online classes, be sure to check it out. I’m also going to be updating it soon with hundreds of new courses, including an improved computer programming section).

We apologize for the dust, we’re currently upgrading SelfMadeScholar.

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One of the most challenging and gratifying parts of learning alone is the opportunity to search for and select your own learning material. Students in traditional classrooms usually don’t get to decide how they are going to master course content. Instructors decide for them in the form of textbook selection, quizzes, tests, group projects, etc. As an independent learner, you can make your study time more effective by using only the learning methods that work for you.

A resource plan is a document used to brainstorm the learning material you can use when you begin your studies. Before you write a step-by-step schedule, think of every resource that is available to you (such as books, websites, knowledgeable people, etc). Narrow down the most useful resources and include them in your resource plan.

This article will show you how to create a resource plan to use in your independent studies. You may download and resource plan graphic organizer in Microsoft Word Format (click here to download) or you can type or write the plan on any piece of paper. Be sure to write the plan down, however. You’ll want to refer to this information as you learn. Read the rest of this entry

iTunes recently announced the launch of iTunes U – a hub of free educational material from colleges such as UC Berkeley, MIT, and Stanford.

You can check out iTunes U from your iTunes program or the iTunes website. Happy learning.

Over at AlterNet, Barbara Ehrenreich offers a unique take on the recent MIT scandal. A little background: the university’s Dean of Admissions was fired for having lied about her education on a resume she used to get a secretarial job at the university 28 years ago.

Ehrenreich suggests that the dean was fired because the university was scared – not because the dean was unable to do a good job, but because she had proved that she was very capable of completing her work. Which, of course, raises the question: Why should she have to have a degree if she is capable of doing the work without one?

Here’s why Ehrenreich believes employers prefer applicants with college degrees:

“My theory is that employers prefer college grads because they see a college degree chiefly as mark of one’s ability to obey and conform. Whatever else you learn in college, you learn to sit still for long periods while appearing to be awake. And whatever else you do in a white collar job, most of the time you’ll be sitting and feigning attention…

Or maybe what attracts employers to college grads is the scent of desperation. Unless your parents are rich and doting, you will walk away from commencement with a debt averaging $20,000 and no health insurance. Employers can safely bet that you will not be a trouble-maker, a whistle-blower or any other form of non-”team-player.” You will do anything. You will grovel.

College can be the most amazingly enlightening experience of a lifetime. I loved almost every minute of it, from St. Augustine to organic chemistry, from Chaucer to electricity and magnetism. But we need a distinguished blue ribbon commission to investigate its role as a toll booth on the road to employment…”

I certainly don’t condone resume lying, but I think this article makes a good point. College can be a useful experience, but it shouldn’t be the determining factor of employment. Job applicants should be judged on their knowledge and abilities – not on a piece of paper.

To read the complete article see: Higher Education Conformity

If you want an enlightening break from your studies, check of Steve Hargadon’s interview with Tim O’Reilly, the founder of O’Reilly Media and one of the originators of the term “Web 2.0.”

Here’s a quick gem from the interview:

“Most of the really interesting people that I know have achieved their education in spite of their formal training, not because of it.”

To listen to the complete interview visit: Web 2.0 and Education

Hello, self-educators. This is a quick note to let you know that this blog is still up and running. I’ve been overwhelmed with a few work-related responsibilities. But, I’m excited about the upcoming features in the works. For example, look forward to articles about giving yourself a classical education, teaching yourself another language, learning programming languages, and understanding each of the Great Books in the Western Canon.

In the meantime, please subscribe to this blog through your RSS reader such as Bloglines or Google Reader. That way, you can keep track of the blog and won’t miss out on any self-education articles. You can subscribe through feedburner here: Self Made Scholar RSS Subscription.

One final plug: don’t forget about the directory of free online classes. There are hundreds to choose from and they’re all free.

Happy learning.