DOCUMENT by: Christopher Rounds
Subject: Observations on Learning Resources

Observations on Learning Resources
by Christopher Rounds

Learning resources can be broadly defined to include books, libraries, bookstores, consultants, teachers, newspapers and journals, computers, on-line services...just about anything that will either act as a source of learning or as a point of access to other learning resources. Until we start looking for them, many of us are unaware of the existence of these resources or under-estimate their potential value.

As a student, you are going to find lots of uses for a very broad array of learning resources, and the sooner you begin to identify them and establish firm connections with them, the better off you will be.

Most colleges and many public libraries allow public access to their own catalogs and other databases through their computer terminals. Many offer instruction and support in learning to use the Web. You may need to do some exploring, but don’t begin by assuming that these resources are not available to you!

For example, you can gain quick access to a wide range of learning resources through Empire State College’s home page at: www.esc.edu

Students with no experience using the World Wide Web can find it very frustrating, while even seasoned users may encounter an awful lot of "trash" mixed in with the valuable bits. Becoming a critical user of the web will provide you with rewards far beyond the scope of any particular course. Using the web uncritically may waste a good deal of your time. Do not expect the web to do the hard work of research for you. It is only a tool, most useful in the hands of an experienced user.