"It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry" - Albert Einstein
Before obsessing over home-based e-learning, I was writing for blogs, giving life advice through physical meetings and social networking platforms and apps (still ongoing), exploring the world of literature and art, experimenting on desserts and doing a bit of housework (when I vibe like it).
Other than that, I was reassessing who I can be, what I can do and how I can achieve these goals based on what I gathered from the numerous storms I have weathered independently over the years. That's why I can sometimes easily detach myself to another planet even though my vessel is here. Soon, my family and friends will face a hard time reaching me on the physical plane (maybe even officially request for a search warrant).
Introspection (or storing energy and escaping from reality, for some of us) is what I may do best. Take for example, a computer that needs constant upgrading in order to maintain optimal performance.
So, out of the blue, how did home-based learning become part of my equation, especially during this period of quarantine? Especially...studying online for certifications or degrees from well-established academic institutions over the world (Tsinghua University, Harvard, Oxford, MIT, Penn, Yale).
To me, I believe that with advanced technology and a growing number of young visionaries who are resourceful and passionate to learning in this current age, learning does not necessarily need to take place only within the four walls of an academic institution, and that good quality resources need not be gathered only from these places.
Other arbitrary factors, such as price and reputation, may also not need to be regarded too highly for education. As students, we can agree that quality and content are the primary factors that we are looking out for to help us attain the most effective and efficient understanding of a certain topic, concept or subject.
The internet has risen and grown to be a viable tool and platform not only for social networking, entertainment and digital payments, but for business opportunities and lifelong learning of diverse languages, cultures, backgrounds, facts and statistics from all around the globe, all made possible by talented individuals, be it from the past or the present.
This means that you can derive satisfaction for your inquisitiveness, inner being and entertainment from a single tool. However, what's left to act as your fuel and to serve you that satisfaction throughout the process will be your passion, diligence and determination to excel and to attain what you aspire to gain or learn from the entire experience.
Some ideas and concepts may draw skepticism, harsh criticism and rejection, especially from those who have been grounded in their beliefs that the reputation and the costs of financing the learning experience is paramount. Another question risen would be whether learning online is a due or effective process, for anyone can access the same resources and attain the same goal as those who physically attended the academic institution named.
However, education, or lifelong learning, has no boundaries. Questions can remain constant throughout time, yet answers are never likewise. With boundaries, how can humanity innovate from existing ideas, delve deeper into unexplored regions of knowledge, and add value back to future generations to come? Harshly put, we would perhaps be circling around the same prey, and receiving the least optimal, or minimal, satisfaction from trying to get our share of it.
“A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers.” - Helen Keller
The unknown, and perhaps the unconventional, can force us to come out of our comfort zones and what we may usually know, and to acknowledge what we can potentially achieve by exploring that option. However, it is precisely with challenges, can we obtain come drivers of growth.
So, keep your horizons and options open for more opportunities. While keeping safe and healthy, stay happy, learn what you can about the world, better understand and communicate your needs and preferences clearer to others, all while contributing for a better future and environment for your children...and perhaps many others around you.
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