Last week you may have seen my blog entitled “What do they teach in schools?”. During the many comments that followed the topic of home learning crept up.

I think home learning is very important indeed yours truly has even dabbled in a little home learning myself.

Its only natural for people of every age to want to increase their knowledge and gain new skills.

Many, many years ago when yours truly was a youngster I found that what was taught in the classroom was only part of the story.

If a subject was interesting enough then I would spend a few moments at home studying more about it on my own. After all why should learning stop when a child leaves school?

The advent of the internet opened up a whole new world when it comes to gaining knowledge. On-line encyclopedias and reference materials are an excellent source of information and they're all free.

In the 1970's the Open University embraced the new medium of television however I am surprised the internet hasn't been used to deliver home learning courses to the masses for free.

After doing a little research it seems there is a concept of “distance learning” however you still have to register with a college to undertake a course. Why should this be so?

Surely in any course its gaining the knowledge that is important so does it really matter how you achieve that so long as you pass the final exam?

I would like to see the powers that be create free learning resources so we can all learn new things without having to fuff about enrolling at a college.

The homework set by school teachers is only another form of home learning however it is pre-defined and not spontaneous learning on a topic on the spur to the moment.

The amazing thing is that anyone, and that includes you too, can learn from home and create your own learning materials.

I would like to think that in my own little way my blogs, especially the “Buildings of Wycombe” blogs are an educational resource.

Not only does the preparation of those blogs mean that yours truly has to do research and therefore learning about the subject but they are an excellent example of a learning resource in their own right.

The simple fact is that anyone can learn and anyone can create learning materials and as I myself have proven with my “Buildings of Wycombe” blogs you don't have to be be some stuffy professor in a top flight university to facilitate learning.

Maybe there needs to be a government campaign to encourage children, adults and senior citizens to start learning at home?

What do you think?

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