Classroom learning is how most of us spend our educational years. As we mature we also discover that much of our learning takes place outside the classroom, interacting with the world. Some things we learn as we do them, but also discover that we need to return to the classroom to learn new products, equipment, or modern techniques to keep up with the demands of increasingly high-tech jobs.

The modern alternative to attending a class in person is taking courses on-line. The on-line approach can work quite well with a traditional structure when the course requires extensive reading and sifting through materials to write analysis papers. A course syllabus might require reading from a selected list and writing papers to demonstrate an understanding of the material.

Interaction with an instructor is essential to varying degrees, depending on the study topic. It is always important to exchange ideas and benefit from another person’s experience. In an on-line course, a teacher may communicate with individuals and discuss topics or questions that come up. The teacher may also set up a chat room so that everyone taking the class can be on line simultaneously to discuss relevant topics. These are useful tools for learning, but sometimes still not quite as satisfying as being in a class in person.

On-line learning and training is a major advantage for continuing education where people have a full time job and want or need to learn new material. They do not have to go to another place at high expense to gain the information and training they need. The Internet is available for many people and the availability of courses on-line provide a venue where people work at their own pace, in their own place, and increase their skills.

Many of the courses are set up so material is provided on a Web site, the student gets the materials, studies them, then answers questions or goes through some testing process if the course is for credit.

Virtual classroom training is another way to participate in a class. It resembles a traditional classroom, except the students are participating from a computer at a remote location. The students are given a scheduled time and date, and everyone who has signed up for the course gets on-line at that time to "take" the course. Virtual training brings together course materials with an instructor and students simultaneously on-line. Courses feature live lectures, demonstration and hands-on exercises you complete during the class period. After the course, the exercise materials are used to review and practice what you've learned. Autodesk is one company that is using this training method.

Autodesk e-Learning brings together online courses, e-courseware, and virtual classroom training in a one-stop website. Besides courses on using Autodesk software, more than 2,600 courses are offered on operating systems, database, network administration, programming, strategic planning, communications, management, and more.

Virtual Classroom Training is a new approach to learning on the Web where lectures are delivered "live" by an instructor. Courses are delivered over the web to the participant's desktop. Each event is hosted by instructors who are experts on the course topic. Plus, there are moderators who answer questions online during the training session.

Check the Autodesk Web site for more information about what courses are being offered. www.autodesk.com. 

EduMine on Info-Mine. The education service on Info-Mine is a relatively new platform for continuing education, training and technical development. Current offerings range from a grass-roots course on mining methods to grinding, flotation, maintenance, risk management, geotechnics, geostatistics and environmental topics. A goal is to increase the number and variety of course offerings.

Recently, The Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum began partnering with EduMine to provide online continuing education for professionals in mining and the geosciences. CIM has compiled an extensive library of courses, seminars and workshops, developed and peer-reviewed by CIM members, and sponsored and promoted by CIM within the Professional Development Program.

reference in mining and the geosciences. EduMine has developed a web-based template for efficient delivery of educational and reference material over the Internet and

The partnership is based on a strong belief of both CIM and EduMine in the future of the Internet as a vehicle for delivery of continuing education, training and technical reference to the widely dispersed mining and geoscience communities. It allows for interactive, self-paced learning and review from the convenience of the mine site, exploration camp, home, office, or educational campus and is of particular benefit to the many mining and geoscience participants who operate in remote areas. The web-enabled courses will significantly extend the ability of the CIM to reach and service its members, and the mining industry generally, in one of its prime areas of activity.

The first CIM-sponsored course, "Maintenance Management in Mining" authored by Ken Musgrave, is already available through EduMine and another six courses are planned for delivery in first quarter 2001, with more to follow.

The agreement also provides for revenue sharing, reciprocal promotion of services, special benefits to CIM members, and royalty opportunities for CIM authors. EduMine will introduce reduced enrollment fees for CIM members and opportunities for CIM certification of course participants early in 2001.

For further information, please contact: Simon Houlding at (604) 683 2037 or houlding@infomine.com. 

Practical Geostatistics is one of the courses available on EduMine. It is an introductory course and application reference for students and practicing geoscientists concerned with 3D characterization of subsurface conditions. It provides sufficient knowledge and background to allow useful application of geostatistics to geoscience, whether these include evaluation of a mineral deposit or oil reservoir, assessment of subsurface contamination, or characterization of geotechnical conditions. The course emphasizes the practical application of geostatistics and limits the presentation of geostatistical theory to the level required for a basic understanding of the techniques involved.

ESRI On-Line Campus. ESRI (ARC/Info GIS software) provides self-paced courses in GIScience, GIS Technology, and GIS Applications. Courses in GIScience focus on the theory of GIS and discuss conceptual reasons for having a GIS in place.

The courses in GIScience are still in development, and include the following:

Planning for a GIS. This six-module course presents a process for successfully planning and implementing a GIS. It focuses on a proven planning methodology, rather than on vendor specific systems. This methodology is applicable for small, department-wide, or enterprise-wide GIS projects. As students explore the steps in the methodology, they learn basic concepts for planning a GIS implementation and how to "think about GIS".

Protecting Your Investment in Data with Metadata. This course, designed for GIS professionals, will help you take a critical look at your data documentation needs; it will also teach you how to use ArcInfo's ArcCatalog to document your data.

Understanding Geographic Data. This course provides a concise but comprehensive survey of the nature of geographic data, and of the technologies and professions involved in producing them, including social surveys, land surveys, the Global Positioning System, aerial photography and photogrammetry, topographic and thematic mapping, and satellite remote sensing.

Understanding Map Projections and Coordinate Systems. This five-module course provides the practical foundation you need to understand and use map projections and coordinate systems. The components and the complexities of map projections and coordinate systems are discussed on an introductory level.

For more information go to http://campus.esri.com  on the Web.

These articles are reprinted from Earth Science Computer Applications Monthly Newsletter. Click to the Web site for more information about the newsletter and other Gibbs Associates publications.