It’s been said before in this publication: lifelong learning is the cornerstone of a career in technical communication. While studying new things can never hurt your career chances, what if you’re bound by other commitments, are unsure what to study, or are limited by your geography or financial situation? The solution may be as close as your keyboard.

The concept of open courseware – free and unrestricted course material – was initially pioneered and developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1999, and their goal is to have material for 1800 courses online by 2008. They have partnered with organizations to translate course material into several languages, including Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, and many more. Other educational institutions in the United States and in France, Japan, China, and Viet Nam are also committing to providing open courseware.

You won’t be able to earn a certificate or be granted credit for these courses, and most, but not all, course materials are available for downoad and copyright-free. What you will get is high quality, professional instruction from reputable sources.

Browse through the site, and you’ll find courses that provide industry knowledge, such as Intro to Tech Communications and Communicating in Technical Organizations. Elsewhere, Tufts University offers a course in Three-Dimensional Modeling, Animation, and Rendering Using Blender 3D Software, and Utah State University offers six courses in Instructional Technology including titles such as Computer Applications for Instruction and Training and Producing Distance Education Resources. You’ll also find courses that can give you valuable background knowledge in a wide range of topics - from basic chemistry or plasma physics to urban design or toy product design.

Whether you’re an educator or a learner, and want to enrich your knowledge base or boost your career opportunities, you’re likely to find something of interest here.