Web classes make learning easier to access

Times Reporter  

 

Wheatland Further Education has added new Business IQ and Business Link webinar classes to their programs list this year. The classes are run by professionals and broadcasted across the province, and are offered at a fraction of the cost to the students. 

“I would consider them valuable, low cost web learning sessions for individuals and business owners,” said area coordinator Joyce Bazant. 

“You’re going to walk away learning something. What’s nice is they’re right here, you walk in spend your hour and you leave.”

Wheatland Further Education is offering the programs in conjunction with the Strathmore and District Chamber of Commerce to bring the business type classes to Strathmore.

The Business IQ classes offer things like Simply Accounting and other programs that are a little more in-depth than some of the webcast classes being offered. Another benefit to online learning is that the classes are held at different times throughout the day. Some are in the evening, some in the morning. Some last an hour and others maybe two hours. 

Online learning is becoming more popular but still may not be for everyone. It costs twice as much for the student if an instructor was brought in and placed at the front of a class. Bazant said the students are still getting the same value, but at a fraction of the cost. If there are questions, they are typed in and the instructor will answer them. The new office is open in the Country Lane Mall Office and Wheatland Further Education has use of the boardroom, which opens up the range of classes they will now be able to offer. 

“If someone has something they would like to see brought to Strathmore if they contact us then we’ll do our best to get it here,” said Bazant. 

“All our classes are groups sessions but our webinar classes we’ve done with as few as two or three people and as many of eight or ten. I’m quite excited about these because I think it’s nice that it’s coming to Strathmore and we don’t have to travel to get this. We’re looking for more of that type of classes.”

The mandate is adult learning, but they are in community learning and teach a variety of age groups. Pre-registration is preferred and unless a course is cancelled people will be able to register right up until the day of a session. 

Anyone looking for more information about the classes can pick up a 2012 Fall Course Calendar from the Wheatland Further Education Office located in the Chamber of Commerce office at Country Lane Mall. Or you can call Joyce at 403-934-5785, Candace at 403-901-1506 or Lynn at 403-901-0833.