Acing Oxford--From Home.(utilising online learning opportunities)(Brief Article)

Did you ever wish you knew more about marine biology than stock trading? Or that you'd paid more attention to that World War II history class in college? Or that you spoke Danish? Even if you live hundreds of miles from a decent university and don't have much money to spend on classes, you can fulfill any of these wishes without leaving the glow of your computer screen. In many cases, you can study with some of the best professors in the world.

Like most Internet ventures, online learning has encountered its share of obstacles. Three years ago, at the height of the dot-com boom, American universities spent millions of dollars setting up online divisions that offered pricey, semester-long courses for credit. The numbers of students who signed up fell far short of expectations, though, forcing schools like Cornell and New York University to shut their virtual doors. But others have regrouped, rethought their strategy and are offering increasing numbers of short, cheap one-time classes, mostly aimed at already-educated adults. That's a boon to anyone who's hungry for a bit of summertime self-improvement--the fun kind that doesn't involve exercise, dieting or Botox injections.

If you're heading to the Big Apple, you might check out the History of the City of New York at www.BBCLearning.com or Fathom.com. It's a three-hour, $45 version of a famous Columbia University class taught for decades by historian Kenneth T. Jackson. Virtual students won't get to take the nighttime bike tour that's become legendary on the bricks- and-mortar campus, but they'll view streaming-video lectures, historic photos and interactive maps, and read a lucid, well-designed text that delves into the cultural forces that shape some of the world's oldest metropolises. If you're looking for something more topical, Fathom.com offers a number of newsy, two-hour seminars free of charge, like the Conflict in Kashmir, taught by a professor at the London School of Economics.

The amount of ...